Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Department plans "smaller and leaner" headcount reduction without specifying exact numbers.
Conclusion
We asked the Department about reports that its headcount would also be cut by 50%. The Department told us that it aimed to become “smaller and leaner”. It said that it was not in a position to put a number on the reduction in size of its headcount, confirming only that there would be a reduction. The Department told us that it had announced a voluntary exit scheme in early March 2025 and that it was also operating a cap on new external appointments. It anticipated that these actions would equate to savings worth £15 million per year which could then be used for frontline services.10
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 18 September 2025. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗