HMRC chief executive to Quit Post

Ms Homer's departure after four years in charge of the UK tax office comes just weeks after she was awarded a damehood in the New Year's honours.

 

But MPs have criticised Ms Homer for HMRC's "unacceptable" customer service.

In November, the public accounts committee also accused HMRC of being seemingly "incapable of running a satisfactory service".

Ms Homer said she felt it was "a sensible time to move on" as HMRC started to implement the government's latest Spending Review, which was unveiled at the end of last year.

"It has been a privilege to have been with HMRC during a period when the improved performance of the department has been increasingly recognised and we have the full backing of ministers for our future plans," she said in the announcement.

Chancellor George Osborne said Ms Homer had put foundations in place to make HMRC one of the most digitally-advanced tax authorities in the world.

"It is to Lin's great credit that the National Audit Office last year judged HMRC to be one of the strongest departments in government - a legacy of which she can be rightly proud," Mr Osborne said.