HM Treasury "materially contributed" to the death of a 26-year-old personal assistant who took her own life after disciplinary proceedings stemming from an anonymous complaint, a coroner has ruled.
Surrey Coroners' Court heard that Chloe Moffat, who had worked at the Treasury for nearly three years and was on track for a promotion, left a meeting with senior staff on May 19 last year fearing she had been fired. She died the following day.
Coroner Anna Crawford concluded that the department failed to follow its own procedures and did not inform Ms. Moffat that the likely outcome, even if allegations against her were proven, would have been a written warning, not dismissal.
"HM Treasury materially contributed to Miss Moffat's death by not applying their written Discipline Policy and Procedure in that they did not inform her that the likely penalty if the allegations were proven was a written warning and not dismissal," Crawford stated.
The inquest revealed that Ms. Moffat was visibly distressed during the meeting with her line manager and another senior Treasury official. When she asked if she would lose her job, she was told the outcome of any potential investigation could not be predicted. She was also denied her request for a friend from the office to attend the meeting with her, as it was deemed "inappropriate."
Ms. Moffat was informed that anonymous complaints had been made against her, alleging she had shared confidential information accessed through her manager's email. Despite being told the meeting was for informal "fact-finding," internal emails indicated that the misconduct was already deemed "serious."
Following the meeting, Ms. Moffat's access to her director's email and diary was temporarily suspended, and she was advised not to discuss the allegations with colleagues. A text message sent to a friend after the meeting stated, "I am going to be fired."
Her friend testified that Ms. Moffat was "incredibly concerned about the reputational impact" of the allegations and remained "distressed" despite attempts to reassure her. Ms. Moffat then returned to her parents' home in Surrey, where she was found dead the next morning.
The coroner noted that Ms. Moffat had no prior mental health concerns and had interacted with colleagues normally the day before the meeting. Crawford determined that Ms. Moffat's belief that she would be sacked likely contributed to her decision to end her life.
Ms. Moffat's parents issued a statement remembering her as a "bright, caring and talented young woman" with an "exemplary employment record" and a "promising future."
A spokesperson for HM Treasury stated that the department "continue[s] to mourn Chloe's passing as a colleague and friend" and takes the coroner's concerns "extremely seriously." The spokesperson added that improvements have been made to guidance, support, and wellbeing arrangements, but acknowledged the need for continued action to prevent future tragedies.