Post

The crossover happened in the 2024 data, but I didn't want to share it in case there were revisions. But now that I've checked in the 2025 data, I can be sure it's real.

Very interesting! But some care needed. Much of the central government increase will, I think, be the NHS - and education: schools (local gov't) becoming academies. The civil service itself is only 1.6% of total employment - and most of that is tax offices, DWP etc.

Is that yours?

The transfer of schools to become academies is a big part in this shift. ONS reports local government headcount falling from 2.9 million to 1.9 million between 2010 and 2025. Over same period academy headcount up from 50k to 750k. Classified by ONS as central govt

Some people may take comfort that the central government has itself substantially decentralised,... ,... right? Alas, no.

As @instituteforgovernment.org.uk show very well, Civil Servant numbers have grown fastest in London and the majority of the Senior Civil Service remain based in London. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

This is the context into which Andy Burnham and his team at Number 10 North are talking about diverting significant resources out of the the civil service. www.politico.eu/article/burn...