Hundreds of 'globetrotting' civil servants 'working from beach' despite push to return to Whitehall

An investigation has revealed hundreds of civil servants currently hold permission to work remotely from beaches overseas, with a push for staff to return to Whitehall as the British public faces travel constraints.

The investigation by the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) revealed 359 staff were working from popular holiday spots such as Greece, Spain, Australia and Brazil.

It comes at a time when many British families are being forced to abandon their summer holiday plans due to financial pressures and EU border chaos.

According to the TPA's snapshot survey carried out in May, these Whitehall employees are not required to attend any office, whether in the UK or abroad.

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However, the Cabinet Office insisted the arrangements are granted only under "exceptional circumstances", including serious family illness or bereavement.

A Government spokesman stated the figures encompass "civil servants who must travel abroad for their job".

Ed Miliband's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero accounts for the largest share of overseas remote workers, with 140 officials granted privileges.

More than a third of all civil servants identified in the TPA's analysis held roles in the department.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology followed with 96 approved requests this year, while the Department for Business and Trade permitted 83 staff members to work from overseas.

Smaller numbers were recorded at the Department for Transport with 19 officials, the Ministry of Justice with nine, and the Ministry of Defence with six.

The Department for Business and Trade alone approved remote working across 32 different countries, spanning destinations from Colombia to Japan, and Thailand to Portugal.

Seven Cabinet Office staff have been authorised to work from France, while MoD employees can log in from Cyprus, Hungary and Sweden.

The findings come as polling by YouGov shows one in five Britons say they cannot afford a foreign holiday this year.

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Rising air travel costs following the Iran war have contributed significantly to this financial squeeze on households, with nearly a third of those surveyed indicating they had postponed planned trips in 2026.

A further 19 per cent reported being completely unable to afford any overseas travel.

The TPA accused Whitehall of permitting "taxpayer-funded globetrotting", while ordinary families face travel constraints.

Eight Government departments confirmed to the TPA that they allow staff to work from other countries.

Six departments failed to respond to the investigation, suggesting the true number of overseas remote workers could be considerably higher than the 359 identified.

Callum McGoldrick, investigations campaign manager at the TPA, said: "Taxpayers will be absolutely furious to discover that 'working from home' now apparently means working from the beach.

"Allowing hundreds of civil servants to log on from far-flung destinations like Spain, Australia, and Brazil, while public services stall at home, crosses the line from flexible working into taxpayer-funded globe-trotting."

Mr McGoldrick called on ministers to "ground these jet-setting bureaucrats and bring them back to Whitehall".

The Government defended the arrangements, with a spokesman claiming the figures include staff engaged in trade negotiations, and those carrying work equipment during annual leave for business continuity purposes.

Officials are expected to spend a minimum of 60 per cent of their working hours in the office, the spokesman added.

It is said departments must adhere to strict regulations when approving temporary overseas working arrangements.

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