Parliament

The UK COVID-19 Inquiry is examining the UK’s response to and impact of the pandemic. The government is fully committed to supporting the work of the COVID-19 Inquiry and to learning lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the UK is better prepared for a future pandemic.

The government recognises the unprecedented and wholly exceptional circumstances of the pandemic. The Inquiry is therefore unprecedented in its scope, complexity and profile.

The independent UK COVID-19 Inquiry publishes its own running costs quarterly. The Chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the Inquiry’s work - and she has been clear as to her intention to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

I would like to update the House on the costs to the UK Government associated with responding to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry.

Figures provided are based upon a selection of the most relevant departments and are not based on a complete set of departmental figures, and different departments organise their response teams in different ways, according to business need. As such, these are not precise figures for accounting purposes. Ensuring a comprehensive and timely response to the Inquiry requires significant input from a number of key government departments, including, but not limited to, the Cabinet Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency, the Home Office and HM Treasury, many of which are supported by the Government Legal Department. While every effort has been made to ensure a robust methodology, complexities remain in trying to quantify the time and costs dedicated to the Inquiry alone.

It should be noted that alongside full time resource within departments, Inquiry response teams draw on expertise from across their organisations. These costs, including those associated with staff taking time to provide written or oral evidence, are not included in the costs below.

Breakdown of Staff & Costs 2025/26

The government’s response to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry is led by Inquiry Response Units across departments. These associated staff costs for Q4 2025/26 are below and include retrospective adjustments for Q1-3.

Q4 number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: 111 Full Time Equivalents

Q4 cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £2,345,000 (including contingent labour costs)

Financial year 2025/26 (Q1 + Q2 + Q3 + Q4), total cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £15,145,000 (including contingent labour costs, and retrospective adjustments for Q1-3).

Table: Breakdown of Staff & Costs 2025/26

<tbody>

Quarter 1

Quarter 2

Quarter 3

Quarter 4

Cumulative Total for 2025/26

Cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff (including contingent labour costs)

£5,015,000

£4,299,000

£3,486,000

£2,345,000

£15,145,000

Number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff (Full Time Equivalents)

248

207

167

111

N/A

</tbody>

Inquiry Response Unit Legal Costs 2025/26

Inquiry Response Units across government departments are supported by the Government Legal Department, co-partnering firms of solicitors, and legal counsel. These associated legal costs (excluding internal departmental advisory legal costs) for Q4 2025/26 are below and include retrospective adjustments for Q1-3.

Q4 legal costs: £1,226,000

Financial year 2025/26 (Q1 + Q2 + Q3 + Q4), total legal costs: £16,346,000 (including retrospective adjustments for Q1-3)

Table: Inquiry Response Unit Legal Costs 2025/26

<tbody>

Quarter 1

Quarter 2

Quarter 3

Quarter 4

Cumulative Total for 2025/26

Total legal costs

£4,993,000

£6,339,000

£3,788,000

£1,226,000

£16,346,000

</tbody>

The UK COVID-19 Inquiry is examining the UK’s response to and impact of the pandemic. The government is fully committed to supporting the work of the COVID-19 Inquiry and to learning lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the UK is better prepared for a future pandemic.

The government recognises the unprecedented and wholly exceptional circumstances of the pandemic. The Inquiry is therefore unprecedented in its scope, complexity and profile.

The independent UK COVID-19 Inquiry publishes its own running costs quarterly. The Chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the Inquiry’s work - and she has been clear as to her intention to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

I would like to update the House on the costs to the UK Government associated with responding to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry.

Figures provided are based upon a selection of the most relevant departments and are not based on a complete set of departmental figures, and different departments organise their response teams in different ways, according to business need. As such, these are not precise figures for accounting purposes. Ensuring a comprehensive and timely response to the Inquiry requires significant input from a number of key government departments, including, but not limited to, the Cabinet Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency, the Home Office and HM Treasury, many of which are supported by the Government Legal Department. While every effort has been made to ensure a robust methodology, complexities remain in trying to quantify the time and costs dedicated to the Inquiry alone.

It should be noted that alongside full time resource within departments, Inquiry response teams draw on expertise from across their organisations. These costs, including costs associated with staff taking time to provide written or oral evidence, are not included in the costs below.

Breakdown of Staff & Costs

The government’s response to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry is led by Inquiry Response Units across departments. These associated staff costs for Q3 2025/26 are below, and include retrospective adjustments for Q1-2.

Q3 number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: 167 Full Time Equivalents

Q3 cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £3,486,000 (including contingent labour costs)

Financial year 2025/26 (Q1 + Q2 + Q3), total cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £12,800,000 (including contingent labour costs, and retrospective adjustments for Q1-2)

<tbody>

Quarter 1

Quarter 2

Quarter 3

Cumulative Total for 2025/26

Cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff (including contingent labour costs)

£5,015,000

£4,299,000

£3,486,000

£12,800,000

Number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff (Full Time Equivalents)

248

207

167

N/A

</tbody>

Total Inquiry Response Unit Legal Costs

Inquiry Response Units across government departments are supported by the Government Legal Department, co-partnering firms of solicitors, and legal counsel. These associated legal costs (excluding internal departmental advisory legal costs) for Q3 2025/26 are below, and include retrospective adjustments for Q1-2.

Q3 legal costs: £3,633,000

Financial year 2025/26 (Q1 + Q2 + Q3), total legal costs: £14,965,000 (including retrospective adjustments for Q1-2)

<tbody>

Quarter 1

Quarter 2

Quarter 3

Cumulative Total for 2025/26

Total legal costs

£5,034,000

£6,298,000

£3,633,000

£14,965,000

</tbody>

The UK COVID-19 Inquiry is examining the UK’s response to and impact of the pandemic. The government is fully committed to supporting the work of the COVID-19 Inquiry and to learning lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the UK is better prepared for a future pandemic.

The government recognises the unprecedented and wholly exceptional circumstances of the pandemic. The Inquiry is therefore unprecedented in its scope, complexity and profile.

The independent UK COVID-19 Inquiry publishes its own running costs quarterly. The Chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the Inquiry’s work - and she has been clear as to her intention to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

I would like to update the House on the costs to the UK Government associated with responding to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry.

Figures provided are based upon a selection of the most relevant departments and are not based on a complete set of departmental figures and are not precise figures for accounting purposes. Ensuring a comprehensive and timely response to the Inquiry requires significant input from a number of key government departments, including, but not limited to, the Cabinet Office, the Department for Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency, the Home Office and HM Treasury, many of which are supported by the Government Legal Department. While every effort has been made to ensure a robust methodology, complexities remain in trying to quantify the time and costs dedicated to the Inquiry alone.

It should be noted that alongside full time resource within departments, Inquiry response teams draw on expertise from across their organisations. These costs, including costs associated with staff taking time to provide written or oral evidence, are not included in the costs below.

Breakdown of Staff & Costs

The government’s response to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry is led by Inquiry Response Units across departments. These associated staff costs for Q2 2025/26 are below.

Q2 number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: 207 Full Time Equivalents

Q2 cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £4,310,000 (including contingent labour costs)

Financial year 2025/26 (Q1 + Q2), total cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £9,314,000 (including contingent labour costs)

<tbody>

Quarter 1

Quarter 2

Cumulative Total for 2025/26

Cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff (including contingent labour costs)

£5,004,000

£4,310,000

£9,314,000

Number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff (Full Time Equivalents)

248

207

N/A

</tbody>

Total Inquiry Response Unit Legal Costs

Inquiry Response Units across government departments are supported by the Government Legal Department, co-partnering firms of solicitors, and legal counsel. These associated legal costs (excluding internal departmental advisory legal costs) for Q2 2025/26 are below.

Q2 legal costs: £6,186,000

Financial year 2025/26 (Q1 + Q2), total legal costs: £11,380,000

<tbody>

Quarter 1

Quarter 2

Cumulative Total for 2025/26

Total legal costs

£5,194,000

£6,186,000

£11,380,000

</tbody>

The Covid-19 pandemic impacted each and every person in the UK. The work of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry is crucial in examining the UK’s response to and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. There are evidently lessons to be learnt from the pandemic and the government is committed to closely considering the Covid-19 Inquiry’s findings and recommendations, which will play a key role in informing the government’s planning and preparations for the future.

The Government recognises the unprecedented and wholly exceptional circumstances of the pandemic, and the importance of examining as rigorously as possible the actions the state took in response, in order to learn lessons for the future. The Inquiry is therefore unprecedented in its scope, complexity and profile, looking at recent events that have profoundly impacted everyone’s lives.

The independent UK COVID-19 Inquiry publishes its own running costs quarterly. The Chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the Inquiry’s work - and she has been clear as to her intention to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

I would like to update the House on the costs to the UK Government associated with responding to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry.

Figures provided are based upon a selection of the most relevant departments and are not based on a complete set of departmental figures and are not precise for accounting purposes. Ensuring a comprehensive and timely response to the Inquiry requires significant input from a number of key government departments, including, but not limited to, the Cabinet Office, the Department for Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency, the Home Office and HM Treasury, many of which are supported by the Government Legal Department. While every effort has been made to ensure a robust methodology, complexities remain in trying to quantify the time and costs dedicated to the Inquiry alone.

It should be noted that alongside full time resource within departments, Inquiry response teams draw on expertise from across their organisations. The staff costs associated with appearing as witnesses, preparing witnesses and associated policy development work on the UK Covid Inquiry are not included in the costs below.

Breakdown of Staff & Costs

The government’s response to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry is led by Inquiry Response Units across departments. These associated staff costs for Q1 2025/26 are below.

Q1 number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: 248 Full Time Equivalents

Q1 cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £5,004,000 (including contingent labour costs)

Total Inquiry Response Unit Legal Costs

Inquiry Response Units across government departments are supported by the Government Legal Department, co-partnering firms of solicitors, and legal counsel. These associated legal costs (excluding internal departmental advisory legal costs) for Q1 2025/26 are below.

Q1 legal costs: £5,194,000

The Covid-19 pandemic impacted each and every person in the UK. The work of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry is crucial in examining the UK’s response to and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. There are evidently lessons to be learnt from the pandemic and the government is committed to closely considering the Covid-19 Inquiry’s findings and recommendations, which will play a key role in informing the government’s planning and preparations for the future.

The Government recognises the unprecedented and wholly exceptional circumstances of the pandemic, and the importance of examining as rigorously as possible the actions the state took in response, in order to learn lessons for the future. The Inquiry is therefore unprecedented in its scope, complexity and profile, looking at recent events that have profoundly impacted everyone’s lives.

The independent UK COVID-19 Inquiry publishes its own running costs quarterly. The Chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the Inquiry’s work - and she has been clear as to her intention to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

I would like to update the House on the costs to the UK Government associated with responding to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry.

Figures provided are based upon a selection of the most relevant departments and are not based on a complete set of departmental figures and are not precise for accounting purposes. Ensuring a comprehensive and timely response to the Inquiry requires significant input from a number of key government departments, including, but not limited to, the Cabinet Office, the Department for Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency, the Home Office and HM Treasury, many of which are supported by the Government Legal Department. While every effort has been made to ensure a robust methodology, complexities remain in trying to quantify the time and costs dedicated to the Inquiry alone.

It should be noted that alongside full time resource within departments, Inquiry response teams draw on expertise from across their organisations. The staff costs associated with appearing as witnesses, preparing witnesses and associated policy development work on the UK Covid Inquiry are not included in the costs below.

Breakdown of Staff & Costs
The government’s response to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry is led by Inquiry Response Units across departments. These associated staff costs for Q4 are below, and include retrospective adjustments for Q1-3.

Q4 number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: 286 Full Time Equivalents

Q4 cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £5,575,000 (including contingent

labour costs)

Financial year 2024/25 (Q1-4), total cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £21,591,000 (including contingent labour costs, and retrospective adjustments from Q1-3)

<tbody>

Quarter 1

Quarter 2

Quarter 3

Quarter 4

Cumulative Total

Cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff (including contingent labour costs)

£5,051,000

£5,292,000

£5,674,000

£5,575,000

£21,591,000

Number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff (Full Time Equivalents)

280

284

287

286

N/A

</tbody>

Total Inquiry Response Unit Legal Costs
Inquiry Response Units across government departments are supported by the Government Legal Department, co-partnering firms of solicitors, and legal counsel. These associated legal costs (excluding internal departmental advisory legal costs) for Q4 are below, and include retrospective adjustments for Q1-3.

Q4 legal costs: £7,947,000

Financial year 2024/25 (Q1-4), total legal costs: £24,954,000 (including retrospective adjustments from Q1-3)

<tbody>

Quarter 1

Quarter 2

Quarter 3

Quarter 4

Cumulative Total

Total legal costs

£4,956,000

£5,888,000

£6,162,000

£7,947,000

£24,954,000

</tbody>

The Covid-19 pandemic impacted each and every person in the UK. The work of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry is crucial in examining the UK’s response to and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. There are evidently lessons to be learnt from the pandemic and the government is committed to closely considering the Covid-19 Inquiry’s findings and recommendations, which will play a key role in informing the government’s planning and preparations for the future.

The Government recognises the unprecedented and wholly exceptional circumstances of the pandemic, and the importance of examining as rigorously as possible the actions the state took in response, in order to learn lessons for the future. The Inquiry is therefore unprecedented in its scope, complexity and profile, looking at recent events that have profoundly impacted everyone’s lives.

The independent UK COVID-19 Inquiry publishes its own running costs quarterly. The Chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the Inquiry’s work - and she has been clear as to her intention to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

I would like to update the House on the costs to the UK Government associated with responding to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry.

Figures provided are based upon a selection of the most relevant departments and are not based on a complete set of departmental figures and are not precise for accounting purposes. Ensuring a comprehensive and timely response to the Inquiry requires significant input from a number of key government departments, including, but not limited to, the Cabinet Office, the Department for Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency, the Home Office and HM Treasury, many of which are supported by the Government Legal Department. While every effort has been made to ensure a robust methodology, complexities remain in trying to quantify the time and costs dedicated to the Inquiry alone.

It should be noted that alongside full time resource within departments, Inquiry response teams draw on expertise from across their organisations. The staff costs associated with appearing as witnesses, preparing witnesses and associated policy development work on the UK Covid Inquiry are not included in the costs below.

Breakdown of Staff & Costs

The government’s response to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry is led by Inquiry Response Units across departments.

Q3 number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: 287 Full Time Equivalents

Q3 cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £5,674,000 (including contingent labour costs)

Financial year 2024/25 (Q1-3), total cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £16,026,000 (including contingent labour costs)

<tbody>

Quarter 1

Quarter 2

Quarter 3

Cumulative Total

Cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff (including contingent labour costs)

£5,049,000

£5,303,000

£5,674,000

£16,026,000

Number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff (Full Time Equivalents)

280

284

287

N/A

</tbody>

Total Inquiry Response Unit Legal Costs

Inquiry Response Units across government departments are supported by the Government Legal Department, co-partnering firms of solicitors, and legal counsel. These associated legal costs (excluding internal departmental advisory legal costs) for Q3 are below.

Q3 legal costs: £6,050,000

Financial year 2024/25 (Q1-3), total legal costs: £16,104,000

<tbody>

Quarter 1

Quarter 2

Quarter 3

Cumulative Total

Total legal costs

£4,236,000

£5,818,000

£6,050,000

£16,104,000

</tbody>

The Covid-19 pandemic impacted each and every person in the UK. The work of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry is crucial in examining the UK’s response to and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. There are evidently lessons to be learnt from the pandemic and the Government is committed to closely considering the Covid-19 Inquiry’s findings and recommendations, which will play a key role in informing the Government’s planning and preparations for the future.

The Government recognises the unprecedented and wholly exceptional circumstances of the pandemic, and the importance of examining as rigorously as possible the actions the state took in response, in order to learn lessons for the future. The Inquiry is therefore unprecedented in its scope, complexity and profile, looking at recent events that have profoundly impacted everyone’s lives.

The independent UK COVID-19 Inquiry publishes its own running costs quarterly. Following the publication of the Inquiry’s Financial Report for Quarter 1 2024-25 on 29 July 2024, I would like to update colleagues on the costs to the UK Government associated with responding to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry.

Figures provided are based upon a selection of the most relevant departments and are not based on a complete set of departmental figures and are not precise for accounting purposes. Ensuring a comprehensive and timely response to the Inquiry requires significant input from a number of key government departments, including, but not limited to, the Cabinet Office, the Department for Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency, the Home Office and HM Treasury, many of which are supported by the Government Legal Department. While every effort has been made to ensure a robust methodology, complexities remain in trying to quantify the time and costs dedicated to the Inquiry alone.

It should be noted that alongside full time resource within departments, Inquiry response teams draw on expertise from across their organisations. The staff costs associated with appearing as witnesses, preparing witnesses and associated policy development work on the Covid Inquiry are not included in the costs below.

Breakdown of Staff & Costs

The Government’s response to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry is led by Inquiry Response Units across departments.

Number of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: 280 Full Time Equivalents (Q1)

Cost of UK COVID-19 Inquiry Response Unit staff: £5,049,000 (including contingent labour costs) (Q1)

Total Inquiry Response Unit Legal Costs

Inquiry Response Units across government departments are supported by the Government Legal Department, co-partnering firms of solicitors, and legal counsel. These associated legal costs (excluding internal departmental advisory legal costs) for April - June 2024 are below.

Q1 legal costs: £4,236,000