He has confirmed that he will retire from the Civil Service in April 2025. He extended his term by six months from the usual five-year tenure, to lead HMRC through the general election and the following months.

Harra said in a LinkedIn post: ‘I am due to complete my tenure as first permanent secretary/chief executive in the spring, when I will be retiring from HMRC and the Civil Service.

‘The recruitment exercise to find my successor is now under way. If you have the right skills and experience, please consider applying – it’s a fascinating and rewarding role with national impact, for candidates of the right calibre.’

Harra has been chief executive and first permanent secretary at HMRC since 2019. He originally took the post on an interim basis in January 2018 after replacing Sir Jon Thompson when he left the Civil Service to head up the Financial Reporting Council (FRC).