UK Civil Service reaches 548,000 employees

The UK Civil Service has grown to its largest size in nearly twenty years. As of December 2024, there are 548,000 people working in the Civil Service. This is an increase of more than 100,000 since recent years, influenced by Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. The workforce rose by 2% from 2023, when there were 535,000 employees. Compared to December 2019, before the pandemic, the number has increased by 21% from 453,000. The workforce had previously dropped to 416,000 in June 2016, shortly after the EU referendum. Since then, the Civil Service has steadily expanded. Currently, almost 441,400 of these employees are in full-time positions, while the rest work part-time. The last time the workforce was higher was in September 2006, when it reached 549,000. After a decline in the 2000s and 2010s, employment began to rise after the 2016 referendum, with many hired to handle Brexit. Additionally, during the pandemic, the Government recruited more staff to manage various emergency projects, including the furlough scheme and the Covid-19 vaccination rollout. From March 2020 to March 2022, the workforce increased by 56,000. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans to reduce Civil Service numbers by 10,000. If this reduction goes through, the headcount would drop to 538,000, reversing much of the growth seen in 2024. Two major Government departments account for more than a third of the Civil Service. The Ministry of Justice makes up 17.6%, and the Department for Work & Pensions accounts for 17.5%. Other significant departments include HM Revenue & Customs, the Ministry of Defence, and the Home Office. Together, these five departments represent over two-thirds of the total workforce.