Sir Chris Wormald confirmed as UK’s new top civil servant, replacing Simon Case


He will replace Simon Case, who is stepping down at the end of the year due to health reasons after four years in the role.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Sir Chris will bring a “wealth of experience to this role at a critical moment in the work of change this new Government has begun.”
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Hide AdThe announcement comes as the Government pushes forward with its “Plan for Change,” which sets milestones for delivering Labour’s manifesto goals. A key part of the plan is reforming Whitehall, led by the Cabinet Secretary and senior ministers, to ensure departments are focused on achieving these goals. The reforms are also expected to shape next year’s spending review.
The prime minister said: “I want to thank Simon for his service to our country and for the invaluable support he has given to me personally during my first months as Prime Minister. He has been a remarkable public servant over many years, and our best wishes go to him and his family as he now takes time to focus on his health.”


Looking ahead, the prime minister added: “To change this country, we must change the way government serves this country. That is what mission-led government will do.
From breaking down silos across government to harnessing the incredible potential of technology and innovation, it will require nothing less than the complete re-wiring of the British state to deliver bold and ambitious long-term reform. Delivering this scale of change will require exceptional Civil Service leadership. There could be no-one better placed to drive forward our Plan for Change than Chris.”
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Hide AdSir Chris will begin his role on December 16. He said: “I am delighted that the Prime Minister has appointed me to the privileged role of leading our talented Civil Service, as we rise to the challenge of delivering the Government’s focused agenda to deliver its Plan for Change. The Government has set a clear mandate – an ambitious agenda with working people at its heart.
“That will require each and every one of us to embrace the change agenda in how the British state operates. So I look forward to working with leaders across Government to ensure that the Civil Service has the skills they need to deliver across the breadth of the country.”
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