HMRC Chief Warns Brexit Merger Of UK Border And Tax Operation Is A 'Mega Project' Requiring 5,000 Extra Staff

International Business Times, HMRC Chief Warns Brexit Merger of UK Border and Tax Operation is a 'Mega Project' 

Britain's top tax body said a merged border force and tax checking operation will need 5,000 extra staff cost up £800m after Brexit.

HMRC director general of customer strategy Jim Harra told MPs the country will have to tackle 130,000 new companies that import and export within the European Union (EU) that do not currently come into contact with British customs.

Harra told the Treasury Select Committee today (14 September) a "crude extrapolation" would be that customs would need between 3,000 to 5,000 extra staff to cope with additional demand when the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.

Harra said: "There are probably about 130,000 new businesses that will be dealing with customs for the first time and there is a big challenge in reaching them, supporting them and getting them to be able to comply with their obligations on a transitional basis as well as on an ongoing basis."

HMRC chief executive Jon Thompson added that the department is looking at creating a simpler Singapore-style system to allow firms to get their tax and border assessments done in one place following Brexit.

But he added taxpayers will have to stump up between £500m and £800m to get this project off the ground....