Thousands of Civil Service roles to be moved out of London

The government has announced that thousands of civil servant roles are to be relocated to 13 locations across the UK to develop and deliver policy closer to communities.

As a result, more senior and policy roles will be based outside of London.

The plans will see officials working closely with frontline workers, facilitating greater understanding of the real issues facing local services and people, and how central government policy can support them.

Changes will also be introduced so that talented young people from across the UK are able to progress straight from school or university into the Civil Service and rise all the way up to the most senior roles, without ever having worked in Whitehall.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden has written to all departments requiring them to relocate key roles and strengthen the Government’s presence around the UK. Departments will now have to submit plans for how many roles they plan to move to each of the locations.

The number of officials working in Greater Manchester and Aberdeen will increase, where two new government campuses will be created. Roles will also be created in Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Darlington, Newcastle and Tyneside, Sheffield, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast and York.

It is hoped that the changes will bring £729m in local economic benefits to these areas between 2024 and 2030.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, said: "To deliver our Plan for Change, we are taking more decision-making out of Whitehall and moving it closer to communities all across the UK.

"By relocating thousands of Civil Service roles we will not only save taxpayers money, we will make this Government one that better reflects the country it serves. We will also be making sure that Government jobs support economic growth throughout the country.

As we radically reform the state, we are going to make it much easier for talented people everywhere to join the Civil Service and help us rebuild Britain."