Total 'golden goodbyes' for civil servants and staff at taxpayer-funded public bodies in the UK have surged to over £336 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year, more than doubling from the previous year's £153 million. This increase coincides with a significant rise in Whitehall headcounts, which have grown by a third over the past decade.
The audit of government accounts found that 6,000 former employees received exit packages totaling £336 million in the most recent fiscal year, an increase from 3,353 employees who received £153 million in 2024-25. Among these payouts, one senior official in the environment department received between £300,000 and £350,000, while 25 individuals received packages exceeding £200,000, and hundreds more received sums of £100,000 or more.
This rise in severance payments follows reports this month that former Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald received a severance package estimated at £500,000. Sir Chris served for 14 months before his role concluded. While his package was not included in the audit of published accounts, as the Cabinet Office has yet to release its latest figures, it highlights the scale of recent payouts.
Separate analysis indicates that the number of personnel in Whitehall departments and associated agencies has increased by 33.3 percent, or approximately 139,485 roles, between 2016 and 2026. This growth rate is three times that of the wider public sector, which saw a 9.4 percent increase. The Whitehall workforce now stands at around 557,825, up from 418,340 in 2016. This expansion has driven the annual civil service wage bill to an estimated £22.5 billion.
The energy department and its linked public bodies paid out the largest portion of exit packages last year, totaling over £74 million to 880 former staff. The culture and media department followed, disbursing £46 million to 749 former staff, many of whom were employed by the BBC and other associated agencies. The transport department awarded £44.5 million in exit packages to 1,043 individuals.
Critics have labeled these payouts as a "slap in the face" to taxpayers, particularly as the tax burden reaches its highest levels in decades. Concerns have been raised about the justification for such substantial exit packages, with some advocating for caps and stricter controls on future payments.
A government spokesperson stated that the administration is working to reduce back-office civil servant numbers and redirect funds to frontline services, asserting that this strategy will yield long-term taxpayer savings despite initial costs.