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  "path": "/politics/civil-servants-accused-perpetuating-rotten-culture-entitlement",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-05T16:00:42.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Whitehall whistleblower reveals four ways to fix 'broken Britain' and the real reason it won't happen under Keir Starmer",
    "Keir Starmer's close ally blows lid on 'weird obsession' at very heart of Whitehall",
    "Rachel Reeves cracks down on Whitehall overspending by blocking access to emergency funds",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nSenior civil servants are billing taxpayers thousands of pounds for journeys to their own departmental headquarters in London, newly published figures reveal.\n\nOne Department for Transport employee submitted claims totalling £7,019.58 for just nine visits to the capital, averaging nearly £780 per trip when factoring in overnight accommodation and meals.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nA colleague at the Department of Health and Social Care racked up an even higher per-trip average of £927.09, claiming £7,270.98 across ten London visits.\n\nAnother official made 31 separate journeys to Transport headquarters within a single three-month period, costing £3,485.50.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe expenses stem from the Government's Plan for Growth initiative, which relocated 23,000 Whitehall positions outside the capital, meaning senior staff must now travel back for important meetings.\n\nThe spending has drawn fierce criticism from opposition figures, who branded it a betrayal of ordinary workers.\n\nAlex Burghart MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: \"This is exactly the kind of absurdity that erodes public trust in Government.\"\n\nReform UK's Danny Kruger, who heads the party's preparations for government department, delivered a scathing attack on the figures.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe MP for East Wiltshire said: \"This is a slap in the face to every hard-working taxpayer forced to commute at their own expense just to pay for privileged civil servants with gold-plated pensions.\n\n\"This is the rotten culture of entitlement and wasteful spending that has been allowed to fester unchecked in our Civil Service.\"\n\nCritics argue the arrangement undermines the entire rationale for relocating staff away from expensive London premises.\n\nThe TaxPayers' Alliance has demanded ministers outlaw such claims entirely, with chief executive John O'Connell insisting officials should use video conferencing instead.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Whitehall whistleblower reveals four ways to fix 'broken Britain' and the real reason it won't happen under Keir Starmer\n  * Keir Starmer's close ally blows lid on 'weird obsession' at very heart of Whitehall\n  * Rachel Reeves cracks down on Whitehall overspending by blocking access to emergency funds\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"Ministers should put a stop to all expense claims for travel, accommodation and any other costs incurred by staff for coming to the office,\" he said.\n\nPublished data reveals the Ministry of Justice topped departmental spending at £42,498.98 between October and December 2025.\n\nThe Cabinet Office followed with £16,841.81, while Health and Social Care claimed £12,736.80 during the same quarter.\n\nAcross all departments, officials submitted bills totalling £139,719.97 for travel, food and overnight stays in just three months.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nShould this pattern continue throughout the year, the annual expenses bill would exceed £550,000.\n\nA government spokesman defended the practice, emphasising that standard commuting costs cannot be claimed by officials.\n\nThey told The Telegraph: “Officials cannot claim travel expenses for commuting to their office, only for official travel to other locations.\n\n\"The cost of official travel is tiny to the £94m we are saving by closing 11 London office buildings.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe spokesman continued: “A third of senior civil servants are now based in government offices outside of London, in the communities they serve.\n\n\"These expenses reflect routine travel for them to deliver their roles and responsibilities.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Civil servants accused of perpetuating 'rotten culture of entitlement' after claiming thousands to travel to OWN office"
}