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Top civil servant sacked by Starmer received record £860,000 payout

14 Sep 2026, 16:09 GMT By Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor
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Article Top civil servant sacked by Starmer received record £860,000 payout
Credit: Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor

Special approval needed for amount that surpassed what Chris Wormald was ‘contractually entitled to’ The former head of the civil service Chris Wormald received a record payout of almost £860,000 when he was forced out of the top job in Whitehall by Keir Starmer. Cabinet Office accounts have revealed that the former cabinet secretary, who was sacked earlier this year , was paid £859,496 upon departure. The figure is an unprecedented amount, which required civil servants to seek a special direction from ministers to approve it because it was “greater than what Sir Chris Wormald would be contractually entitled to”. Continue reading...