1,400 Preston jobs are saved as HMRC scraps relocation plan

The move secured 1,400 jobs in the city, which had been expected to move to Manchester or Liverpool regional centres with the closure of St Mark’s House and St Mary’s House in 2025.

The long-term location for the Preston site is set to be announced “in due course”, with HMRC yet to determine whether St Mark’s House and St Mary’s House will be retained or if a new base will be established elsewhere in the city.

"Build careers”

Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Deputy Chief Executive and Second Permanent Secretary, said: “I am pleased to announce HMRC’s long-term commitment to keeping skilled jobs in Preston. This latest phase in HMRC’s Locations Strategy will enable colleagues based in Preston to stay and build their careers with HMRC. This supports the government’s plans to promote growth and job opportunities across the UK, so we can better serve our customers.”

The announcement ensures that HMRC will continue to support the government’s Places for Growth programme, with the North West seeing the most roles created so far under Places for Growth.

Background

It was announced in 2015 that all 170 local tax offices would close, to be replaced with regional centres.

At that time, Lin Homer, HMRC’s Chief Executive, said: “HMRC has too many expensive, isolated and outdated offices. This makes it difficult for us to collaborate, modernise our ways of working, and make the changes we need to transform our service to customers and clamp down further on the minority who try to cheat the system.”