Professions

The latest news by profession from inside the Civil Service World

Analysis All

04 Feb Analysis

The funding illusion: Why money alone won't build public sector capability

Governments across developed economies face the same dynamic: ambitious funding commitments that outrun the capacity to deliver

30 Jan Analysis

Give those you lead what they need: How to be an emotionally intelligent leader

The best leaders inspire great effort from their teams instead of just demanding it. But what does that effort look like, and how can leaders harness it effectively?

Commercial All

28 Apr Commercial

MoD planning 'phased approach' to Ajax restart

Long-troubled programme to resume “under very controlled circumstances" after investigation indicates no single cause for noise and vibration symptoms

15 Apr Commercial

Civil Service Pension Scheme: Cabinet Office explains decision to outsource contract

Cabinet Office update says Capita won contract based on past performance, price and value for money

Digital, Data & Technology All

01 May Digital, Data & Technology

Departments can learn from success of Bank of England tech programme, MPs say

Public Accounts Committee urges Cabinet Office and DSIT to produce new guidance based on Real-Time Gross Settlement System modernisation

01 May Digital, Data & Technology

‘Sensitive and highly functional’: Historic Whitehall building wins accessibility accolade

DSIT HQ wins award following refurb which included introduction of power-assisted doors, step free-access, accessible showers and changing rooms and universal single-sex toilets

Operational Delivery All

24 Apr HR

Operational Delivery Profession Awards winners announced

Team who made theory test booking system accessible to deaf people and HMRC official who transformed how the department approaches staff safety are among this year's winners

23 Apr Digital, Data & Technology

Pension crisis: Renewed calls to end Capita contract after Royal Mail decision

Unions urge government to review Civil Service Pension Scheme contract after ministers decide to end Capita's administration of Royal Mail pension scheme

Fraud, Error Debt & Grants All

07 Apr Fraud, Error Debt & Grants

DWP rejects call for ‘more ambitious’ fraud and error reduction target

Department accepts MPs’ recommendation that it has more work to do on cross-government data-sharing

13 Mar Finance

Departments’ use of banking-style anti-fraud checks set for review

HM Treasury tells MPs “cross-government stocktake” will explore which organisations seek identity validation for payments and whether new guidance is needed

HR All

30 Apr Energy & Environment

MPs back ex-perm sec Helen Ghosh as environment watchdog chair

But committees urge the former Defra and Home Office boss to improve relations with farmers and environmentalists

30 Apr Foreign Affairs

Union questions PM’s comments on impact of FCDO restructure

“No evidence” to support Starmer’s assertion that international law unit’s work will “simply be done by a different team”, PCS says

Legal All

01 Apr Health & Social Care

Former GLD chief Jonathan Jones to join PHSO board

New set of non-execs' "expertise and passion for public service will be invaluable", says ombudsman

30 Mar HR

Government Legal Department names new perm sec

Douglas Wilson will succeed Susanna McGibbon as Treasury solicitor and HM procurator general from 13 April

Project Delivery All

02 Apr Digital, Data & Technology

CQC Gambling Harms Team among winners at regulation awards

The Care Quality Commission, the Office for Environmental Protection and the North Sea Transition Authority took home prizes at the Institute of Regulation's annual conference

01 Apr Civil Service Reform

Universal Credit migration deadline extended as transition nears end

As Department for Work and Pensions announces extension to transition from two legacy benefits, IfG report outlines lessons from the 15-year programme

Property & Estates All

28 Apr Property & Estates

Cabinet Office reports £450m savings from greener public buildings

Latest State of the Estate report says sale of surplus land and structures netted a further £367m in 2024-25

08 Apr HR

ONS office attendance rules to be relaxed

Staff back new hybrid working agreement, which will see individual targets scrapped and bring an end to a two-year dispute

Communications All

15 Jan Communications

The line has been crossed – government must stop using X

If the prime minister and his political colleagues aren’t prepared to vote with their feet now, then when?

23 Dec 2025 Communications

Government appoints lead media agency

WPP will lead government media strategy and support high-impact public sector campaigns across the public sector

Finance All

27 Mar Civil Service Reform

Scrap 60% office mandate, union demands amid rising living costs

PCS says scrapping the civil service-wide hybrid working policy will reduce costs for both civil servants and departments

26 Mar Finance

Ex-HMRC boss Harra drafted in to run NS&I

Shakeup comes as state-owned bank admits that up to £476m may not have been paid to the families of customers who died

Science & Engineering All

22 Apr Justice & Home Affairs

What can policy professionals learn from evidence-based policing?

Matt Bland highlights examples of evidence-based innovation on the front line, and what policy professionals across the civil service can learn from this experience

14 Apr HR

DSIT seeks job-share partner for UK Space Agency boss

Job ad offers up to £163,000 pro rata for the role at the team, which is now part of DSIT

Policy All

24 Apr Economics

Shifts and ruptures: Heywood fellow on how the UK should respond to a changing global economic order

Jenny Bates sets out how she’s using her Heywood fellowship to propose new “policy tramlines” for government

18 Mar Civil Service Reform

Regulation ‘too often the default response’ to policy problems, report warns

Re:State report calls for sweeping reforms to regulatory system, including returning the brief to the Cabinet Office

Energy & Environment All

20 Apr Energy & Environment

Ex-Defra perm sec Helen Ghosh put forward to chair environment watchdog

Ghosh, who also led the National Trust, named as preferred candidate for Office for Environmental Protection job

13 Apr Energy & Environment

Ofgem strike mandate renewed as negotiations roll on

Regulator says its remains "hopeful" the pay and job security dispute can be resolved without further industrial action