The civil service is the permanent, politically impartial organisation that supports the government of the day in developing and implementing its policies. It is the operational and administrative tool of government, responsible for delivering public services and providing evidence-based advice to elected ministers.

While government ministers set policy and make political decisions, civil servants are responsible for carrying out the practical and administrative work of government. This includes everything from paying benefits and pensions to managing prisons and issuing passports.

According to the cabinet manual, which sets out the main laws, rules and conventions affecting the conduct and operation of government, the civil service “supports the government of the day to develop and implement its policies, and in delivering public services.”

The cabinet manual adds: “Civil servants are required to carry out their role in accordance with the values set out in the civil service code and the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. Central to this is the requirement for political impartiality.

“Civil servants must act solely according to the merits of the case, and serve governments of different political parties equally well.”

The civil service code describes the civil service as “an integral and key part of the government of the United Kingdom” which “supports the government of the day in developing and implementing its policies.”

The civil service is organised into ministerial departments (e.g. the Home Office, the Department for Education), as well as non-ministerial departments and agencies.

Leadership of the civil service

Permanent secretaries

A permanent secretary is the most senior civil servant in a UK government department, responsible for its day-to-day operation and acting as the principal policy adviser to the secretary of state.

According to the cabinet manual, the permanent secretary “supports the government minister who heads the department and who is accountable to parliament for the department’s actions and performance.”

As such, the permanent secretary serves as both a policy adviser and department chief. Moreover, every permanent secretary is personally designated as their department’s accounting officer. In this capacity, they are personally accountable to the parliament for the use of all public money spent by their department.

Accounting officers have a duty to “assure parliament and the public of high standards of probity in the management of public funds”. The prime minister has the final say in the recruitment process of permanent secretaries.

The cabinet secretary

The head of the entire civil service is the cabinet secretary. They are responsible for supporting the prime minister and the cabinet and ensuring the effective and efficient running of government as a whole.

The cabinet secretary is appointed by the prime minister on the advice of the retiring cabinet secretary and the first civil service commissioner.

The position of cabinet secretary was created in 1916 as part of the reforms to government introduced by the then prime minister, David Lloyd George, which formalised the modern cabinet system. These changes also led to the creation of the Cabinet Office, the department that now supports the prime minister and oversees the effective operation of government.

The cabinet secretary is the head of the cabinet secretariat, a nondepartmental body of officials based in the Cabinet Office. The secretariat is responsible for ensuring that government business is conducted in an effective and timely way and that proper collective consideration takes place. It supports the prime minister and chairs of cabinet committees.

According to the cabinet manual, the cabinet secretary, “unless unavoidably absent, attends all meetings of cabinet and is responsible for the smooth running of cabinet meetings and for preparing records of its discussions and decisions.”

The cabinet manual adds: “This includes responsibility for advising the prime minister on all questions connected with the appointment and organisation of cabinet committees, including membership and terms of reference.”

The cabinet secretary, as the head of the civil service, is also said to have a role in encouraging rapprochement between a secretary of state and permanent secretary in the case of disagreements. (On occasion, the roles of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service have been split).

Sir Chris Wormald was appointed as cabinet secretary in December 2024. He was previously the permanent secretary of the Department of Health and Social Care from 2016 to 2024. Wormald was replaced by Antonia Romeo in February 2026.

Civil service standards of behaviour

Civil servants are expected to carry out their role with a commitment to the civil service’s core values, as set out in the civil service code. The code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

Integrity

Civil servants must fulfil their duties professionally, ensuring the efficient use of public funds and the maintenance of accurate records. They are required to uphold the law, handle information within legal frameworks and obtain ministerial authorisation before engaging with the media.

Civil servants must not misuse an official position for private gain, accept gifts that could compromise judgment, or disclose unauthorised information, even after leaving the service.

Honesty

Civil servants must set out facts and issues truthfully, correcting any errors immediately. Public resources must only be used for their intended, authorised purposes.

Civil servants must not deceive or knowingly mislead ministers, parliament or others – nor allow themselves to be influenced by improper pressures or the prospect of personal gain.

Objectivity

This value ensures that advice and decisions are grounded in reality rather than personal preference. Civil servants must provide advice based on rigorous evidence, present options accurately, and take account of expert professional input.

Civil servants must not “ignore inconvenient facts” that contradict a preferred narrative, nor frustrate the implementation of a policy once a ministerial decision has been made.

Impartiality

This value requires civil servants to serve the government of the day with the same level of commitment, regardless of their own political leanings. They must act in a way that is fair, just, and equitable, reflecting the Civil Service’s commitment to equality and diversity.

Civil servants must not act in a way that unjustifiably favours or discriminates against particular individuals or interests.

Relationship with ministers

Ministers are required to uphold the political impartiality of the civil service and must not ask civil servants to act in ways that would conflict with the civil service code or the provisions of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.

They also have a duty to give proper consideration and due weight to informed, impartial advice from civil servants, alongside other relevant factors, when making policy decisions.

Civil servants must not be asked to undertake activities that could compromise their political impartiality or create the perception that public funds are being used for party-political purposes.

The civil service code sets out the procedures civil servants should follow if they believe they are being asked to act in violation of the code or have concerns about a potential breach. This includes raising the issue with line management or with designated departmental officers appointed to advise staff on the code.

The code states: “If you believe that you are being required to act in a way which conflicts with this code, your department or agency must consider your concern, and make sure that you are not penalised for raising it.

“If you have a concern, you should start by talking to your line manager or someone else in your line management chain. If for any reason you would find this difficult, you should raise the matter with your department’s nominated officers who have been appointed to advise staff on the code.”

How large is the civil service? (And other statistics)

As of 31 March 2025, total civil service employment stood at 549,660 in headcount terms, or 516,150 on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis. This represents an increase from 31 March 2024, when employment was 542,840 by headcount and 510,125 FTE.

As of March 2025, women now represent 54.6% of the total staff.

Meanwhile, 18.0% of civil servants are from an ethnic minority background (up from 16.6% in 2024) and 17.9% identify as having a disability (up from 16.9% in 2024).

Furthermore, 7.2% of the workforce identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual or recorded their sexual orientation as ‘other’, according to the official statistic, (up from 6.9% in 2024).

75.0% of the staff now work at executive officer (EO) level or above – a significant rise from 60.1% in 2015.

The median age of the service is 44 years.

The median salary is £35,680, up £1,700 (5.0%) from £33,980 in 2024.

There were 44,310 entrants and 38,610 leavers recorded over the 2024/25 period.

Quotes

“We tried to stop the small boat crossings without changing our laws. But an activist blob of left-wing lawyers, civil servants and the Labour Party blocked us.” – Excerpt from an email sent by CCHQ with former home secretary Suella Braverman’s name attached to it, though she denies seeing or writing it (March 2023).

“I am delighted that Chris Wormald has agreed to become the next Cabinet Secretary. He brings a wealth of experience to this role at a critical moment in the work of change this new government has begun. To change this country, we must change the way government serves this country. That is what Mission-led government will do… Delivering this scale of change will require exceptional civil service leadership. There could be no-one better placed to drive forward our Plan For Change than Chris, and I look forward to working with him as we fulfil the mandate of this new government, improving the lives of working people and strengthening our country with a decade of national renewal.” – Keir Starmer, commenting upon the appointment of Chris Wormald as cabinet secretary, (December 2024).

Additional resources

• Civil Service Careers: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/
• The Civil Service Code: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-code/the-civil-service-code