Office of Human Resources Staffing Costs Rise to £6m

A written answer has disclosed that the Office of Human Resources wage bill has risen to over £6million.

Onchan MHK Julie Edge asked the Cabinet Office for a full breakdown of how the OHR has expanded over the past six years, after new figures revealed a sharp rise in staffing costs.

In a written question to Cabinet Office Minister David Ashford, Edge asked for the organisational structures of OHR in January 2020 and January 2026, including positions, employee numbers and total costs by employee group.

Staffing Costs

Mr Ashford’s response confirms that OHR’s annual staffing cost under Public Services Commission civil service terms rose from £4,008,290.56 in 2020 to £6,033,718.26 in 2026.

An additional £518,403.44 was spent on roles under Manx Pay Terms & Conditions and NHS medical terms, largely due to Occupational Health transferring into OHR in 2021.

The Minister said the 2026 structure reflects the findings of the Grant Thornton review, commissioned after the Chief Minister told Tynwald in 2022 that OHR had been “under‑resourced for a number of years.”

Treasury subsequently approved up to £2.1 million per year for 39 new roles identified as essential.

Ashford noted that OHR has taken a “phased and prudent” approach to recruitment and is working toward a target operating model with fewer posts than originally recommended.

The written answer can be found here.