Sir Chris Wormald, the former Cabinet Secretary, received a record severance payment of nearly £860,000 following his departure after just 14 months in the role, according to recently published Cabinet Office accounts. Wormald, who served from December 2024 until February 2026, became the shortest-serving Cabinet Secretary in the position’s 110-year history.
The payment comprised £332,897 in contractual compensation alongside an additional £526,598 in severance, exceeding the usual payout for senior civil servants, which typically averages around £260,000. The total remuneration Wormald received last year, including salary, benefits, and pension contributions, was reported to be approximately £1 million.
Wormald’s exit came amid a Downing Street “reset” during Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership, with reports indicating that Starmer lost confidence in his most senior civil servant. Some sources suggest Wormald was made a scapegoat and was informed of his dismissal months before it was officially announced. Despite the termination, Starmer appointed Wormald to the House of Lords as a crossbench peer shortly after his departure.
The Cabinet Office’s permanent secretary at the time, Cat Little, raised concerns about the size of the payment, noting it was greater than Wormald’s contractual entitlement. She applied for a ministerial direction, which required Starmer’s personal approval given the payment’s scale and the unique circumstances surrounding Wormald’s dismissal. In correspondence with Starmer, Little stated that while it was unclear whether the payout represented value for money, the settlement was deemed necessary due to the high-profile nature of the role and the short notice of departure. Starmer responded that he was satisfied the payment met the public interest and authorized the release of funds.
The significant severance package has drawn criticism from opposition politicians and watchdogs. Alex Burghart, shadow Cabinet Office minister, described the payout as “an appalling waste of taxpayers’ money” and accused Starmer of dismissing civil servants and advisers to “save his own skin.” The FDA Union, representing senior civil servants, criticized the use of anonymous briefings against Wormald and condemned the handling of his departure as a low point in government-civil service relations.
Gareth Davies, head of the National Audit Office and Comptroller and Auditor General to the House of Commons, has called for a review of senior civil servants’ employment terms. He highlighted the wide variation in exit payments for permanent and Cabinet secretaries and recommended measures to limit discretionary, extra-contractual payments upon departure.
Following Wormald’s exit, Dame Antonia Romeo was appointed as Cabinet Secretary. A Cabinet Office spokesperson declined to comment on the matter, emphasizing that personnel issues are not publicly discussed, but confirmed that the relevant ministerial direction from the prime minister was obtained and that the exchange of letters is publicly available.