Chris Wormald, who served as Cabinet Secretary under Keir Starmer but was ousted after less than six months, received a severance package worth over £850,000. The payment includes £332,897 in contractual compensation and an additional severance of £526,598, making it one of the largest payouts to a civil servant on record. Prime Minister Starmer had to personally authorize the payment after civil servants raised concerns about its value for taxpayers' money.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In February 2025, Chris Wormald, who was appointed as cabinet secretary by then-prime minister Keir Starmer in December 2024 with a salary of about £210,000 per year, received an unusual severance package worth more than £850,000. The Cabinet Office accounts revealed that Wormald got "contractual compensation" of £332,897 and "additional severance" of £526,598, totaling nearly £860,000. A top civil servant had to ask Starmer for a direct order to approve the payment after being warned that it might not be value for money for taxpayers. The unusually high compensation was partly meant to cover Wormald's pension contributions since his removal effectively shortened his career in the Civil Service. This incident has drawn criticism from unions representing senior civil servants, who view Wormald’s treatment as a new low for government-Civil Service relations.
Written for “Cabinet Secretary Payoff” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
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rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 8922: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-09-14
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The cabinet secretary effectively ousted by Keir Starmer was handed a payoff worth more than £850,000.
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secretary → see → payoff
Chris Wormald received 'contractual compensation' of £332,897 and 'additional severance' of £526,598.
asserted
Wormald → receive → 526,598
The eye-watering figures were revealed in the latest Cabinet Office accounts.
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figures → water → accounts
A top civil servant took the unusual step of asking Sir Keir to ‘direct’ the payoff to Sir Chris.
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servant → take → Chris
The PM had to order the payment personally after being warned in writing that officials could not be confident it was value for money for the taxpayer.
uncertain
it → have → taxpayer
Appointing Sir Chris to the £220,000-a-year job in December 2024, Sir Keir lavished praise on him as 'exceptional' and the right option to 'drive' change.
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Keir → appoint → change
'There could be no-one better placed to drive forward our Plan For Change than Chris, and I look forward to working with him as we fulfil the mandate of this new government, improving the lives of working people and strengthening our country with a decade of national renewal,' the premier said.
uncertain
premier → place → renewal
Chris Wormald received 'contractual compensation' of £332,897 and 'additional severance' of £526,598
Keir Starmer drafted in a new Cabinet Secretary as one of his final efforts to cling on in No10
Sir Chris was drafted in to replace Simon Case - now Lord Case - who received a £200,000 severance deal.
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who → receive → deal
However, there were persistent rumours of tensions, with briefings apparently from No10 suggesting the top mandarin had been holding up reforms.
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mandarin → be → reforms
He became one of the shortest-serving cabinet secretaries ever when he was removed.
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he → become → secretaries
Sir Chris is also set to enter the House of Lords, having been nominated for a peerage in July.
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Chris → set → July
The previous highest civil service payoff is thought to have been Tom Scholar, who received £457,000 after departing as the Treasury's permanent secretary.
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who → think → secretary
The Cabinet Office accounts reveal that Sir Chris, 57, has built up a gold-plated pension pot worth £2.7million over his career.
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Chris → reveal → career
That will give him an annual income estimated at between £130,000 and £135,000 when he retires.
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he → give → 130,000
Tory frontbencher Alex Burghart said: 'This payout is another appalling waste of taxpayers' money by Labour.
'
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payout → say → Labour
Whether it's big payouts for fall guys, or gimmicky giveaways, this Government is always happy to spend our money if it thinks it will benefit the Labour Party.'
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it → spend → Party
A Cabinet Office spokesman said: 'We do not comment on HR matters.
'
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We → say → matters
The Permanent Secretary at the Cabinet Office received a ministerial direction from the then Prime Minister to proceed with the payment to the former Cabinet Secretary.
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Secretary → receive → Secretary
Civil servants made Sir Keir give a 'direction' after raising concerns they did not know that the sums represented value for money
Sir Keir replied to the request for a direction in February, saying he was entitled to 'consider the wider public interest in respect of bringing his matter to a conclusion'
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he → make → conclusion
