Angela Rayner’s Ministry of Housing Faces £20 Million Surge in Civil Service Spending Due to Increased Consultant Costs and Hiring in the UK

The Rising Cost of Civil Servants under Angela Rayner

In the past five months, there has been a significant increase in the amount of money spent on civil servants in the Housing Ministry, which falls under Angela Rayner’s leadership.

The total spending on staff in her department and its associated organizations has jumped by a hefty £20 million since she took charge.

What’s Behind the Surge in Costs?

The bulk of this rise in spending can be attributed to the increased use of outside consultants, the hiring of more staff, and paying for costly overtime for civil servants.

These moves have caused the ministry’s budget to expand rapidly in a short amount of time.

Shadow Paymaster General, Richard Holden, was quick to criticize this rise in spending, stating that while the Labour party is raising taxes on British workers and businesses, Rayner is spending taxpayers’ money lavishly on bureaucrats.

He described the situation as wasteful and said it would raise legitimate concerns about how public money is being managed.

A Closer Look at the Figures

Official records reveal that the total wage bill for the organizations under Rayner’s control has risen across the board.

This includes the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Homes England, the Housing Ombudsman Service, and the Land Registry.

In July, the wage bill was £76.3 million, but by December, it had soared to £96.2 million.

This marks an increase of £20 million in just five months.

For comparison, in the seven months leading up to Labour’s leadership, the wage bill had only risen by around £2 million.

Increasing Spending on Consultants and Hiring More Staff

Within Rayner’s department, spending on consultants has grown by £1.4 million each month, and the number of civil servants has also increased.

The department is in the process of hiring for new roles, further pushing up costs.

In addition, a 5% pay increase for civil servants, which Labour implemented in November (backdated to August 1), has contributed to the overall rise in expenditure.

Employer pension contributions have also played a role in the higher wage bills.

Ministry’s Response

When questioned about the surge in spending, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government defended its actions.

A spokesperson explained that the ministry is working on ambitious new housing and planning legislation in Parliament, aiming to improve people’s living standards.

The slight increase in staffing over the past year was deemed necessary to help achieve these goals, and the rise in the wage bill is partly due to the increased pay in line with public sector pay settlements.

They also noted that consultancy spending can fluctuate.

Despite the explanation, the jump in costs remains a topic of concern, with critics questioning the long-term impact on public finances.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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