The chancellor’s economic adviser has announced he will be leaving the Treasury tomorrow and taking on a new temporary role at the Department of Health and Social Care.
Tim Leunig, who moved to the Treasury in August 2019 in a role supporting chancellor Rishi Sunak, also said that he expects to be made redundant by the end of this year as part of plans to cut 91,000 civil service jobs in the next three years.
Announcing his departure on Twitter, Leunig said: “Job news. My fixed term contract with HM Treasury is over, and I will be leaving at the end of June.
“I will always be proud of the work we did on furlough (with our wonderful colleagues in HMRC), on arbitration for commercial rents, and on high street rental auctions.
“I am off to DHSC for six months, working on cancer, mental health and other issues. These are important issues and I hope to make a difference.”
Explaining why he anticipates only being in the role for six months, Leunig said: “I expect to be made redundant at Christmas, as part of the civil service 2025 plans to reduce the headcount by 91,000. If you might have a use for me, please get in touch.”
Departments are currently working on plans to reduce their staff levels by up to 40%, and have a deadline to submit proposals by tomorrow, after the prime minister announced in May that the government wanted to reduce the headcount to 2016 levels.
Before working at the Treasury, Leunig held roles at the Department for Education; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; and the former Department for Communities and Local Government; including chief scientific adviser at DfE.
Leunig is also an associate professor in economic history at London School of Economics.