More than 7,300 laptops, mobile phones, and other electronic devices have been lost or stolen by civil servants in the past three years, resulting in nearly £2.7 million in costs to taxpayers. Figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests reveal that an average of 47 devices go missing each week across various government departments.
Of the 7,312 devices that disappeared between 2023 and 2026, 4,317 were mobile phones and 2,791 were laptops, with the remainder being tablets and other equipment. Approximately 75% of these devices were mislaid, while the rest were reported stolen.
The Home Office recorded the highest number of lost devices, with 1,342 items missing over the three-year period. This includes 574 phones and 699 laptops. The department handles sensitive data related to policing, borders, passports, and immigration.
The Department for Work and Pensions ranked second, with 1,041 devices missing, impacting millions of claimants through its processing of benefits, pension records, and associated financial information. The Ministry of Defence followed with 876 lost or stolen devices.
The Cabinet Office reported 713 missing devices, and the Department for Business and Trade reported 642. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport declined to provide figures, citing potential security risks if such information were to fall into the wrong hands.
The Treasury confirmed that its lost and stolen devices contained sensitive data but stated that all devices are remotely wiped as soon as a loss is reported. Officials in the department are reportedly looking into the cost implications of these losses.
William Yarwood, campaigns director for The TaxPayers' Alliance, criticized the government's handling of official property, stating, "Whitehall's missing devices are a costly reminder of how casually officials can treat property paid for by taxpayers." He added, "Ministers must recover costs where staff are negligent, tighten reporting rules and make sure officials face consequences when taxpayer-funded kit vanishes."
A government spokesperson asserted that the security of government devices is taken "extremely seriously" and that laptops and mobile phones are encrypted to prevent security compromises in the event of loss. The spokesperson noted that "a very small proportion of such devices can be reported lost or stolen every year" across all organizations.