HMRC splurges £43k on Snapchat filters while Britons endure record high tax burden

Keith Bays
Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:03:05 +0000

HMRC has come under fire for spending “staggering” amounts of money on Snapchat filters while Britons face down a record high tax burden.

Critics have accused the taxman of spending tens of thousands of pounds from the public purse on "PR stunts" and not treating hardworking Britons' money with respect.

Data obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the Taxpayers' Alliance shows that £43,029 was paid to Snapchat for the filters.

Since 2024, the Government has spent more than half a million pounds on social media influencers, hiring 89 in 2024 and 126 in 2025 to appeal to a young audience on platforms like Snapchat and TikTok.

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Just months ago, GB News revealed fury at the Cabinet Office's plans to hire two "TikTok managers" - despite the Chinese-owned app being banned on all Parliamentary devices over security fears.

Labour was panned for offering up a yearly salary of between £43,760 and £51,690 and a plum Civil Service pension with a 28.97 per cent employer contribution for the roles back in December.

Confronted by its Snapchat spending, HMRC said it "carefully considers when to use public money as part of our communications efforts".

But Callum McGoldrick, investigations campaign manager at the Taxpayers' Alliance, said it was "staggering" that HMRC thinks a £40,000 Snapchat filter is a "wise use of public funds".

“At a time when the tax burden is at record high, every penny of taxpayer's money should be treated with the utmost respect," he said.

“This frivolous expenditure shows that the HMRC has lost its way, prioritising PR stunts over the core service of helping people navigate the most complex tax code in the world."

Tax revenue in the UK currently sits at 34.7 per cent of GDP and is expected to reach a record of 38.3 per cent by 2030/31.

Across the country, households remain under pressure from soaring living costs, with Office for National Statistics (ONS) data showing incomes still trail prices.

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Electricity and gas costs remain high despite recent falls, with Ofgem confirming that bills are still well above their level before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Fuel prices are also on the rise thanks to the war in Iran, which has seen Tehran shutter off the vital Strait of Hormuz to tankers from Gulf states like Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.

An HMRC spokesman said: “We carefully consider when to use public money as part of our communications efforts.

"In this case, Snapchat was used in a limited and targeted way to reach younger audiences who increasingly expect to access government services digitally.

"This work supports the take‑up of online services such as the HMRC app, helping reduce demand on phone lines and improving service for everyone - which ultimately saves taxpayers' money."