{
  "id": 10407759,
  "title": "HMRC vowed to break up with Capgemini then paid it another £4.2B",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/hmrc-vowed-to-break-up-with-capgemini-then-paid-it-another-4-2b",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-28T09:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Register",
    "slug": "the-register",
    "url": "https://www.theregister.com/public-sector/2026/09/28/hmrc-vowed-to-break-up-with-capgemini-then-paid-it-another-42b/5299136"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In July 2026, the UK government vowed to break up with French tech giant Capgemini, yet continued to pay it £4.2 billion across 15,726 transactions, according to a research by Otnox. The Aspire contract, initially set to end in 2017, became the government's largest technology contract, costing around £10 billion over 13 years. Capgemini won contracts supporting systems it had built or operated under Aspire, sometimes without competition. Despite the government's initiative to work with more IT suppliers, Capgemini continued to secure lucrative contracts with HMRC, some of which were awarded without competition.",
  "summary": "Government wants public spending to back British business, but the French supplier could remain at the tax collector until 2036",
  "key_points": [
    "UK government vowed to break up with Capgemini in July 2026.",
    "Paid Capgemini £4.2 billion across 15,726 transactions.",
    "Aspire contract became largest tech contract, costing £10 billion over 13 years."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Register Science",
        "title": "HMRC vowed to break up with Capgemini then paid it another £4.2B",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/hmrc-vowed-to-break-up-with-capgemini-then-paid-it-another-4-2b-10412361",
        "published": "2026-09-28T09:15:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}