Lord Wormald of Dulwich was introduced to the House of Lords on September 17, 2026, where he will serve as an independent crossbench peer. This formal installation follows the emergence of a record £860,000 exit package provided to him by then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
During his introduction, the former civil servant wore traditional ermine robes and took an oath to the King before signing the register. As a member of the Upper Chamber, he is now eligible to claim a tax-free allowance of £390 per day for attending sittings.
The substantial cost of Lord Wormald's departure, which occurred in February, was detailed in the latest Cabinet Office accounts. The figures show he received £332,897 in "contractual compensation" and an additional £526,598 in "additional severance."
Cabinet Office permanent secretary Cat Little explained the large settlement was due to it being "a departure from a high profile, unique role that was agreed at very short notice." An official took the unusual step of requesting Starmer, who was then Prime Minister, to "direct" the payoff to Sir Chris, after aides could not confirm it represented value for money.
Sir Keir appointed Sir Chris to the £220,000-a-year role in December 2024, praising him as "exceptional" and the right person to "drive" change. Sir Chris replaced Simon Case, now Lord Case, who received a £200,000 severance deal. However, there were reports of tensions, with suggestions that the top mandarin had been hindering reforms, leading to him becoming one of the shortest-serving cabinet secretaries.
Lord Wormald's elevation to the peerage, an honor typically given to former cabinet secretaries, was one of Starmer's final acts before leaving office. The previous highest known civil service payoff was £457,000 to Tom Scholar, former permanent secretary at the Treasury.
Cabinet Office accounts indicate that Sir Chris, 57, has accrued a pension fund valued at £2.7 million, projected to yield an annual retirement income between £130,000 and £135,000. The payoff package was criticized by the Conservative Party as an "appalling waste of money."
A Cabinet Office spokesman stated that they do not comment on HR matters, but confirmed that the Permanent Secretary received a ministerial direction from the then-Prime Minister to proceed with the payment, and that their exchange of letters is a matter of public record.