TL;DR: UK’s Covid Inquiry Costs Taxpayers Almost £293M
The UK’s Covid-19 inquiry, aiming to evaluate government pandemic responses, is set to be the most expensive in British history, with combined costs nearing £293 million. Taxpayer funds cover £192 million for the inquiry itself and £101 million for government legal fees and staffing. Critics argue the expense highlights inefficiencies, but supporters emphasize the inquiry’s role in shaping better future health policies.
• £56.4M spent on legal fees; 248 full-time staff employed
• Public debate, delays, and withheld evidence fuel criticism
• Expected recommendations aim to improve pandemic preparedness by 2027
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The UK government’s response to the Covid inquiry has come under scrutiny after it was revealed that costs have exceeded £100 million, covering legal and staff-related expenses from 2023 to mid-2025 alone. With the inquiry itself costing a monumental £192 million, the combined total, shouldered by taxpayers, now approaches a staggering £293 million. This inquiry, established to evaluate the government’s handling of the pandemic, is anticipated to become the most expensive in British history.
What does the £100M include?
Between April 2023 and June 2025, government departments invested heavily in legal advice and additional staffing, reportedly spending £101 million. A recent BBC analysis showed that the costs were largely devoted to departments such as the Cabinet Office, Department of Health and Social Care, and the UK Health Security Agency. Over 248 full-time staff have been employed for the government’s response. Furthermore, £56.4 million was specifically allocated to legal fees, raising eyebrows across advocacy groups and watchdogs.
The inquiry itself, chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, has demanded extensive resources, including hearings, investigations, and preparing thousands of pages of evidence. Among its early focal points were pandemic preparedness and the decision-making processes during the crisis, two core issues that have spurred fierce public and legal debates.
Mounting Criticism of Government Overspending
The spiraling costs have sparked contentious debate, with accusations of inefficiency and defensiveness. Advocacy group TaxPayers’ Alliance labeled the additional £100 million spent on government responses as “unacceptable” while urging efficiency and accountability. Conversely, supporters argue that the inquiry’s long-term findings have the potential to shape better pandemic preparedness.
Critics also cite delays caused by legal battles between the inquiry and the government. In one high-profile case, the withheld release of Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and diaries led to a High Court ruling in favor of the inquiry.
How Can This Inquiry Benefit the Public?
Despite the expense, others insist the inquiry holds invaluable lessons for public health policy. Bereaved families advocate for systemic change, emphasizing that comprehensive findings could prevent catastrophic mishandling of future health crises. The ultimate goal of the inquiry is to outline recommendations that could significantly improve national pandemic strategies moving forward.
As hearings are expected to continue until Spring 2026, the eventual publication of recommendations in 2027 is anxiously awaited by the public, officials, and experts. If properly leveraged, these findings may offer both insights and accountability following one of the most challenging periods in the country’s modern history.
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Frequently Asked Questions About the UK Government’s Covid Inquiry Costs
Why is the UK Covid inquiry expected to be the most expensive public inquiry in history?
The UK Covid inquiry involves extensive data collection, legal reviews, and collaborative efforts across multiple departments to assess the handling of the pandemic. With projected costs surpassing £293 million, the inquiry includes £192 million allocated to investigative processes and another £101 million for government responses, such as staffing and legal consultation. The complexity of pandemic-related decision-making, combined with numerous modules addressing preparedness and crisis management, has dramatically increased its financial scope. Additionally, legal battles over withheld evidence, such as Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages, have further exacerbated costs. Check the BBC’s analysis of costs for a breakdown of expenditure.
How much has the government spent responding to the Covid inquiry between 2023 and 2025?
Between April 2023 and June 2025, the UK government spent £101 million, primarily on legal fees and staffing dedicated to preparing evidence and responding to inquiries. This figure includes approximately £56.4 million for legal advice, reflecting the adversarial nature of the process where disputes arise concerning evidence submission. Cabinet Office data also revealed participation from 248 full-time staff. While the costs contribute to a robust inquiry process, critics argue that more efficient methods could have reduced taxpayer burden.
What are some criticisms of government spending on the Covid inquiry?
Critics highlight inefficiency and defensiveness as key issues. Advocacy groups like the TaxPayers’ Alliance call the additional £100m “unacceptable,” suggesting that excessive legal fees are draining public funds unnecessarily. Delays caused by legal disputes, such as withholding Johnson’s WhatsApp messages, have sparked frustration among watchdogs and taxpayers. While supporters defend the inquiry as an essential process likely to improve pandemic preparedness, opponents demand streamlined procedures to mitigate overspending. Learn more about public reaction in the BBC article.
How are bereaved families advocating for systemic change during the inquiry?
Bereaved families strongly support the inquiry, viewing it as a vital opportunity to prevent future pandemic mishandling. Their emphasis is on producing actionable solutions, such as improving public health infrastructure and decision-making transparency. Advocacy groups like Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK argue that while the £293M cost is significant, the lessons learned could help avert further health crises, delivering long-term value for both government and society.
How are legal costs influencing the overall budget of the inquiry?
Legal expenses represent over half of departmental costs, totaling £56.4 million between April 2023 and June 2025. External law firms have been extensively hired for evidence preparation and dispute resolution, contributing significantly to the total budget. This has been a point of contention, with watchdogs urging the government to work more efficiently and avoid legal stalling tactics that exacerbate costs.
What recommendations can ensure better inquiry efficiency in the future?
Experts recommend avoiding defensive legal postures, prioritizing cooperation with oversight bodies, and appointing independent review panels early in major inquiries. Streamlining processes by reducing bureaucratic delays and resolving disputes quickly can help lower costs. The High Court ruling to release Johnson’s materials demonstrates the importance of accessing evidence without lengthy litigation. By applying lessons from this inquiry, future investigations can adopt a more cost-effective approach.
Will the inquiry’s findings directly benefit UK public health policy?
Yes, its final recommendations, expected to be published in 2027, are designed to inform improvements in pandemic preparedness and crisis response. By evaluating government actions comprehensively, the inquiry aims to identify gaps in planning, execution, and flexibility during health emergencies. Public health professionals and decision-makers are optimistic that these insights will drive systematic change.
Can inquiries like this shape international responses to pandemics?
Absolutely. The UK’s efforts to assess its pandemic response deeply can provide a blueprint for other nations. Lessons in legal accountability, resource allocation, and evidence gathering are transferable across borders. WHO officials often analyze findings from major inquiries to develop global pandemic guidelines, ensuring collaborative resilience against future health crises.
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About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp’s expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the “gamepreneurship” methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
