Civil service reform

Our recommendations for how the civil service can be improved, including on the accountability between the civil service, ministers and parliament.

Our work focuses on the most effective ways to reform the civil service so that it achieves better results for ministers and the public.

We look at every aspect of civil service reform, such as accountability between ministers and officials; performance and evaluation in the civil service; the interchange of skills between the civil service and other sectors; and diversity and inclusion in the civil service.

A new Civil Service Act

In recent years we have led calls for a new statute for the civil service to underpin its role as a vital part of the state, and to improve its management and oversight. Read our draft Bill designed to achieve these objectives.

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01 SEP 2025 Comment

20 ways to improve the civil service

Ministers have inherited a civil service in urgent need of reform. Radical improvements to Whitehall are needed if Keir Starmer’s government is to deliver its priorities.

Read the report