Lin Homer

Who is Lin Homer?

Linda Margaret "Lin" Homer, CB is a British civil servant serving as Chief Executive of HMRC, the UK's tax collection department.

Homer was born in Norfolk and educated in Suffolk at Sir John Leman High School where she served as head girl. After attending University College London to read for an LLB, she qualified as a lawyer in 1980 whilst at Reading Borough Council. In 1982 she joined Hertfordshire County Council where she stayed for 15 years, rising to Director of Corporate Services. She then left to join Suffolk County Council as chief executive in 1998. After four years at Suffolk, Homer went to be the chief executive of Birmingham City Council in 2002. In 2005, Homer was criticised by the Election Commissioner for failings in her role as returning officer during a postal vote-rigging scandal involving Labour candidates the previous year, described by the Commissioner as one that "would disgrace a banana republic", and involving hundreds of votes failing to be counted. Homer defended her role to the Election Commission, saying she had been in "strategic, not operational control", and had confined herself to "motivational management and fire fighting".