Civil service reform? Burnham is rearranging deck chairs
Politicians are finally discovering what taxpayers have known for years: the civil service is too big, too expensive and too slow.
Civil service reform appears to be a necessary step for addressing the growing concerns over its size, cost, and productivity. Jonathan Eida, public affairs manager at the Taxpayers' Alliance, argues that simply changing the location of civil servants, such as sending some to Manchester under Prime Minister Burnham's devolution plans, is not a sufficient solution.
The civil service has grown significantly since 2016, with a 33.3% increase in headcount from 418,340 to 557,825 employees. This growth has led to a 95% increase in the cost of civil service salaries, reaching over £22.5 billion in 2026. The report highlights that the increase in staff has been concentrated in higher grades, with a 7,600 person increase or 3% in top grades, while the most junior grade has actually decreased.
This overpromotion and grade inflation may be a response to pay restraint and does not necessarily reflect performance. Burnham's devolution strategy may not effectively resolve the root issues, as the North West of England already has the second-highest civil service headcount in 2026. The Taxpayers' Alliance suggests that the government should consider implementing a 'one-up, two-down' rule, where each new civil service role in the North of England is matched with the abolition of two senior posts in London.
This would help prevent the creation of more "non-jobs" and reduce the bloated size of the state. Ultimately, the solution lies in creating a smaller, more efficient state that genuinely works and performs based on merit rather than seniority or political favoritism.
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