Tag: Cabinet Office

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 3 February 2026.

Communities across the West Midlands will benefit from new high-skilled career opportunities after the government announced a new Transport and Infrastructure Campus, harnessing local expertise to deliver better public investment and services.

• New government campus in the West Midlands to bring together expertise in transport, property, and housing and deliver regional economic growth.
• The hub will support the Government’s commitment to invest at least £725 billion in public infrastructure over the next decade.
• The move brings senior decision-making closer to local communities, creating high-quality career pathways for civil servants in the region.

Communities across the West Midlands will benefit from new high-skilled career opportunities after the government announced a new Transport and Infrastructure Campus,  harnessing local expertise to deliver better public investment and services.

The campus will bring together transport, property and housing infrastructure expertise from across multiple departments throughout the West Midlands, a region home to over 35,000 civil servants. This builds on the success of established Government campuses, such as the Darlington Economic Campus, which has led to around 1,000 new high-skilled jobs.

Cabinet Office Minister Anna Turley will announce the campus during a keynote speech at the launch of non-profit initiative The Forward Institute in Birmingham on Monday 2nd February.

Cabinet Office Minister, Anna Turley, said:

The West Midlands is Britain’s transport heartland, and this new campus will harness that regional strength to accelerate the infrastructure projects that communities need.

I am a firm believer that the best ideas often come from those on the frontline. By moving decision-making out of Whitehall and into the West Midlands, we are ensuring decisions are informed by local expertise and deliver real, tangible benefits for every part of the UK.

Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, said:

The West Midlands is a fantastic home for this new Transport and Infrastructure Campus, with a real strength in delivering major projects like the Midland Metro, the expanding SPRINT bus network, and the opening of five new rail stations later this year.

By basing the campus here, we’re backing local expertise and bringing decision‑making closer to communities, helping deliver the infrastructure needed to drive growth across the country.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:

We’ve promised to build 1.5 million homes this Parliament, and that means doing things differently. This campus brings together the people and expertise we need to cut through the barriers and help us get Britain building.

Local knowledge, local talent. That’s what I mean when I said build, baby, build.

The campus will bring together expertise from across the region from the Department for Transport, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Cabinet Office to accelerate infrastructure projects, and support the investment of at least £725 billion in public infrastructure over the next decade under the National Infrastructure Strategy.

The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) will support the development of the Campus. They will nominate a senior leader, based in Birmingham, where they will work with the local area and government departments to grow the campus and spread opportunity throughout the West Midlands.

By uniting departments around shared priorities and working alongside frontline workers and local government, the campus will drive national renewal, supporting the building of 1.5 million new homes and fast-tracking 150 major infrastructure projects. 

Alongside the recent launch of a new management apprenticeship scheme based in Birmingham – it will allow people to move up through a civil service career right to the most senior levels, without ever having to move away from the West Midlands. 

The West Midlands is already one of the largest hubs of civil servants outside of London, with over 35,000 professionals working across the region. Since March 2020, more than 3,200 roles have been relocated to the West Midlands through Places for Growth, including nearly 1,800 to Birmingham.

This announcement builds on the success of existing thematic campuses, such as the recently launched Digital and AI Innovation Campus in Manchester and the Energy Campus in Aberdeen.

The Places for Growth programme is about bringing the civil service closer to the communities it serves, with 34% of UK-based Senior Civil Servants now based outside of London, with the goal for 50% of UK-based Senior Civil Service and Fast Stream roles to be located outside of London by 2030.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 2 February 2026.

Joint statement by the UK Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds and the European Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič.

The United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) today held meetings of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) Partnership Council in London. The meetings were co-chaired by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, the Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, and European Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič.

These were the first meetings of the two joint bodies to take place since the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025 in London, when the EU and UK leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the full, timely and faithful implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework and of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as agreeing on areas to strengthen the relationship through a new Strategic Partnership.

Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee
The Joint Committee took stock of the state of play of the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, focussing on citizens’ rights, the Windsor Framework and the Protocol relating to the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus.

On citizens’ rights, the co-chairs reiterated their joint priority in protecting the rights of UK nationals in the EU and EU citizens in the UK, now and in the future. They welcomed the solution on the true and extra cohort enshrined in UK law and agreed to accelerate the transition from temporary to permanent residence of these citizens. They committed to further strengthen their cooperation on all pending citizens’ rights issues.

On the Windsor Framework, the co-chairs welcomed the positive trajectory in its implementation. They highlighted the new milestones reached for the benefit of people and businesses in Northern Ireland, including new simplified customs arrangements since May 2025 and reduced sanitary and phytosanitary checks since December 2025. They noted the transition to veterinary medicines arrangements in January 2026. They also noted positive developments in the delivery of safeguards for the protection of the EU Single Market, including customs IT access to all relevant UK systems and progress on sanitary and phytosanitary aspects. They agreed to continue work swiftly on delivery of all remaining safeguards.

The co-chairs welcomed a newly adopted Joint Committee decision on the implementation of the Windsor Framework. They also took stock of the ongoing exchange of views on the implications of the Artificial Intelligence and Cyber

Resilience Acts for the proper functioning of the Windsor Framework and agreed to work towards a conclusion at pace.

The co-chairs also discussed the Protocol relating to the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus and agreed to accelerate work to reach effective implementation of the Protocol in all areas.

TCA Partnership Council
The Partnership Council welcomed the Common Understanding agreed at the UK-EU Summit in May 2025 and the positive progress made in the implementation of the Trade & Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The co-chairs highlighted key deliverables achieved since the last meeting of the Partnership Council in May 2024, including the conclusion of the Competition Cooperation Agreement negotiations and decisions stemming from the UK-EU Summit. In particular, the UK and EU agreed to put reciprocal arrangements on fishing access on a long-term footing, to secure stability and continued access for both parties and to extend the TCA’s energy chapter on a continuous basis. The Partnership Council also noted the conclusion of negotiations between the Commission and the UK for the UK’s association to Erasmus+ in 2027 and the conclusion of exploratory talks on the UK’s participation in the EU’s internal electricity market. The EU and the UK will proceed swiftly on these issues in line with their respective procedures, legal frameworks and in respect of their decision-making autonomy.

The UK and the EU recalled that the Common Understanding led to a number of negotiations for new agreements. They aim to conclude by the time of the next EU-UK Summit the negotiations on the Youth Experience Scheme, on establishing a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area and on linking their Emissions Trading Systems.

In this light, the co-chairs also discussed the commitment under Article 776 of the TCA to jointly review the implementation of the agreement. They acknowledged the evaluation of implementation already undertaken by both sides, the on-going role of the Specialised Committees in considering and addressing new or outstanding points of implementation, and the agreement to hold annual summits. They also noted the importance of input from stakeholders, including the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly and the Domestic Advisory Groups.

The Partnership Council welcomed the third UK-EU dialogue on Cyber issues in December 2025, and discussed the next steps towards progressing cooperation on cyber security in line with Articles 704–707 of the TCA. The co-chairs looked forward to deepening the UK-EU partnership across these areas to address shared threats based on reciprocity and mutual interest.

In the area of trade and the economy, the co-chairs exchanged views on global challenges, including measures relating to global steel overcapacity, economic and

supply chain security, and parties’ respective industrial policy measures. They also discussed the development and implementation of their respective Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms.

The co-chairs also welcomed continued cooperation on security of supply and exchanges on clean energy technologies.

Finally, the Partnership Council took stock of the relationship on fisheries, acknowledging successful bilateral consultations, and discussing UK-EU cooperation in coastal state forums as well as upcoming fisheries management measures.

The co-chairs agreed that the joint bodies should continue to work at pace to take forward these priorities and reaffirmed their commitment to fully exploiting the potential of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 11 January 2026.

The Bona Vacantia unclaimed estates list has been reinstated following a review of its publication.

Publication of the list was suspended in July 2025 following allegations of fraud within the probate system.

The review found no evidence the Bona Vacantia unclaimed estates list has been the source of fraud.

However, the Bona Vacantia Division (BVD) has concluded it is prudent to restrict the data provided to protect the list’s integrity, whilst still providing sufficient information for people to identify a family member.

Information published may assist people to identify estates to which they could have an entitlement. To safeguard this list going forward, it will only display the deceased’s name, date of death, area where they died and BVD case reference number.

Any requests for more information will be considered in accordance with all relevant statutory requirements.

The Bona Vacantia Division will continue to keep the list’s publication under review and if there are any further allegations of fraud or misuse, access may be restricted or removed without notice.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 29 December 2025.

HM The King’s New Year Honours List 2026 recognises community champions who have made outstanding contributions to their communities across the UK.

Community champions up and down the country are being celebrated in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours List today. 

1157 recipients have been awarded from every part of the UK, with a particular focus this year on those who have gone above and beyond for their communities. 

From foster carers to health workers, Lionesses to Red Roses as well as champions of the arts and supporters of young people, this year’s recipients reflect the values that bind our country together – decency, compassion and a belief in the common good – as we build a Britain we can all be proud of.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

This year’s Honours list celebrates the very best of Britain – people who put the common good ahead of themselves to strengthen communities and change lives.

Their quiet dedication speaks to the decent, compassionate country we are proud to be. On behalf of the whole nation, thank you – and congratulations to everyone recognised today.

Recipients being honoured today are Idris Elba, who is being awarded a Knighthood for services to young people, Christopher Dean and Jayne Christensen (Torvill) are being awarded a Knighthood and Damehood respectively for their services to Ice Skating and Voluntary Service, and Cynthia Erivo, who is receiving an MBE for services to Music and Drama.   

Among the community champions being honoured are Hilary Alba, who has been awarded an MBE for her services to Community Midwifery, and Ffion Mitchell-Langford, who has been awarded a BEM for her services to the Natural Marine Environment and to the communities in North Wales. 

The oldest recipient this year is John Hearn, who at 102 receives a BEM for services to Judo and to the community in North East England. John is one of four centenarians on the New Year list. 

Aged 20, the youngest recipient this year is Toby Roberts, the first ever British Olympic Gold Medal winning sport climber at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He is being awarded with an MBE.

For the first time in a long time, there are two sets of twins in the list, Ryan Appleton and Dean Appleton from Colchester, who are both community first responders and are receiving BEMs for services to the community in the East of England. Alongside them, are twins Sonia Dixon and Adrienne Campbell who work together as VIP liaison officers at London Heathrow Airport and receive their BEMs for services to the Aviation Industry.

This list also sees a number of couples being recognised, and includes married couple Susan and David Cook are both receiving MBEs for services to Foster Care, having been foster carers since 2006 and cared for over 50 children in that time. 

It is also very encouraging to see that this year the ethnic minority representation on the list at higher awards has doubled from 7% in BD25 to 14% at NY26. 

Arts

The actor and comedian Meera Syal is being awarded a Damehood for services to Literature, Drama and Charity, while the composer Max Richter is being awarded a CBE for his services to Music. Warwick Davis is also being recognised for services to Drama and Charity with an OBE. 

Sports

Following a great summer of women’s sport, there are honours for a number of the Lionesses and Red Roses. Sarina Weigman is being awarded an honorary damehood, while Leah Williamson is being awarded a CBE for her services to Association Football. Alex Greenwood, Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone are all being awarded MBEs for services to Association Football. John Mitchell, Zoe Aldcroft and Marlie Packer are being awarded OBEs for their services to Rugby Union Football, with Ellie Kildunne, Megan Jones and Sadia Kabeya being among those being awarded MBEs for their services to Rugby Union Football. 

Business

Michelle Ferguson, the director of the Confederation British Industry Scotland is being awarded an OBE for her services to the economy. Akin Onal, founder and Chief Executive Officer of MORI, has also been awarded an OBE for his services to entrepreneurship.  

Entertainment

Gabrielle Logan is being awarded for her services to sports broadcasting and to charity. The author and television presenter Richard Osman is being awarded an OBE for his services to literature and broadcasting and Ellie Goulding receives an MBE for her work on Biodiversity and the Climate.

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour. If you know someone who has achieved fantastic things worthy of recognition, go to www.gov.uk/honours to find out more about how you can put them forward.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 22 December 2025.

In a major step forward for the modernisation of government communications, the UK Government has appointed media agency WPP Media, part of WPP, to provide media strategy, planning, and buying services across the public sector.

• British media agency WPP Media (part of WPP) appointed to lead government media strategy and support vital public sector campaigns.
• Innovative new approach will ensure that Government communications connect and engage with audiences directly on the platforms where they are most active.
• New agreement to focus on vital campaigns, including the National Blood Donation drive and Armed Forces and teacher recruitment.

In a major step forward for the modernisation of government communications the UK Government has appointed media agency WPP Media, part of WPP, to provide media strategy, planning, and buying services across the public sector. 

WPP Media will plan high-impact public sector campaigns to engage and inform citizens across the increasingly diverse media landscape. Additionally, WPP Media has also been awarded the out-of-home buying duties on behalf of the Government.

Public information campaigns and the efficient running of frontline services depend on good Government communications and it is vital that the Government keeps pace with the media landscape, especially on digital platforms. WPP Media will support recruitment campaigns for essential frontline roles such as nurses, teachers, social workers, and prison staff. It will also support life-saving campaigns for NHS blood, plasma, and organ donation, alongside initiatives such as the THINK! Road Safety, Fire Kills and Violence Against Women and Girls campaigns.

The media procurement agreement also promotes the UK globally through the GREAT campaign – the UK’s flagship international communications programme – which in 2024/25 delivered £218 million in foreign direct investment and more than £300 million in trade wins.

By uniting media planning and buying under a single agency, the Government will streamline its work to more effectively reach target audiences across the platforms it engages with, such as TikTok, Instagram and Reddit, as well as television, radio and print media. Government Communications will also benefit from advances in AI-powered advertising technologies and audience insight to personalise messaging to the public.

The changes will also: 

• Reduce the number of suppliers from 33 to 23 across the whole agreement:
• Reduce campaign planning times and management costs
• More effectively reach its citizens across the UK with messaging relevant to the platforms they use.
• Unify cross-government messaging to ensure every pound of public money is spent effectively.
• Support British jobs and investment through WPP’s extensive UK operations.

The Government is committed to using innovative technologies to transform the way the state and public services are run. WPP’s appointment will help the Government deliver modern, data-driven communications directly to citizens, broadening its reach beyond traditional politically-interested audiences. 

A new targeted online audience-led approach will move Government Communications beyond traditional advertising and PR. Government Communications’ New Media Unit has proven the value of this approach and this appointment gives the Government the ability to replicate this approach at scale across all government campaigns.

Crucially, the agreement managed by the Crown Commercial Service – will play an important role in ensuring that the UK public receives clear, accurate, and authoritative information from the Government.

Permanent Secretary for Government Communications, David Dinsmore said:

Today’s media landscape is unrecognisable when compared to even a decade ago. The public has changed where and how they get their information and Government needs to communicate its story with the best tools available. 

Our appointment of WPP Media means that we will transform how we deliver communications and secure the best value for money for the taxpayer. 

Cindy Rose, CEO of WPP, said: 

It’s a profound honour to be entrusted with the UK Government’s media strategy, planning and buying and OOH buying duties. We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership, combining the very best of British creativity and media innovation to support vital public service communications.

This decision is a powerful endorsement of our data capabilities and our AI-powered WPP Open platform to create a truly integrated and forward-thinking solution to connect the UK Government with the public it serves.

Kate Rowlinson, CEO of WPP Media UK, said: 

It is such a huge privilege to be the first agency group to bring government planning and buying together to oversee hundreds of vital national campaigns. Our deep expertise in planning public sector communications, combined with our exceptional talent and innovative WPP Open platform, puts us in a brilliant position to ensure every government message resonates and drives action.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 22 December 2025.

The Minister for Women and Equalities has appointed Ali Harris and Professor Shazia Choudhry as interim commissioners at the EHRC.

• Ali Harris and Professor Shazia Choudhry appointed as interim commissioners at Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
• They will ensure the EHRC can operate effectively while new commissioners are recruited.
• Appointments will run for 12 months from 1 January 2026. 
• Appointments will ensure the EHRC can continue upholding and promoting equality and human rights and safeguarding and enforcing the laws that protect people’s rights to fairness, dignity and respect.

The Minister for Women and Equalities has appointed Ali Harris and Professor Shazia Choudhry as interim commissioners at the EHRC. 

Ali Harris is Chief Executive of Equally Ours, a human rights charity. Shazia Choudhry is Professor of Law at the University of Oxford, and the Jeffrey Hackney Tutorial Fellow in Law at Wadham College. Their appointments ensure the EHRC can continue upholding and promoting equality and human rights while recruitment takes place for fixed commissioners. 

On 3 November the Minister for Equalities launched a full, open recruitment campaign for at least 4 commissioners. These commissioners will continue to develop the EHRC and support long-term change and improvements to equality and human rights issues. The minister is working with the devolved governments to recruit a Wales and Scotland Commissioner.

Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson said:

This government is committed to embedding fairness and equality into the heart of our agenda, and the EHRC has a key part to play in this.

Both Ali Harris and Professor Shazia Choudhry bring a wealth of experience and expertise in equality and human rights, and their appointments will ensure the EHRC can continue their crucial work as Britain’s independent equality and human rights regulator while recruitment is ongoing.

The EHRC is Britain’s equality and human rights regulator. They:

• regulate equality law in England, Scotland and Wales
• uphold human rights in England and Wales
• make their own decisions on enforcement and investigations

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 1 December 2025.

The Plan for London has reached a significant milestone after the Civil Service completed its exit from another building in the capital.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) is set to secure a further £8.8 million in annual savings with the imminent closure of another Civil Service office space in London.

On Thursday (November 27) all civil servants based at 10 Victoria Street officially completed their departure from the building, which is the third workspace being closed as part of the government’s Plan for London.

Approximately 1,000 staff from a number of Civil Service departments, including the Cabinet Office, had occupied the space.

They have now transferred to various offices in the capital, including 100 Parliament Street and 26 Whitehall.

The GPA is overseeing the closure of 10 Victoria Street, which will now be cleared of furniture and equipment before being handed back over to the landlord in February 2026.

Sean Webb, Plan for London Programme Manager at the GPA, said:

“The Civil Service exit from 10 Victoria Street is a significant milestone for the GPA and the Plan for London. We worked closely with our client departments to ensure staff affected by the building’s closure have been well-informed and supported throughout the move to their new workspaces as we looked to ensure a smooth transition across our portfolio. We aim to continue making strong progress on the consolidation of the office estate in the capital, supporting the government’s priorities and securing substantial savings.”

Staff began moving to their new bases in June, with the final teams completing their transfer last week.

In September, the GPA saved £8.7 million in annual costs after closing down both The Rookery and Clive House as approximately 1,500 civil servants in total were transferred to spaces in the office estate. 

The Plan for London was launched in May this year and will involve the closure of no fewer than 11 buildings by 2030, delivering annual savings of £94 million. Most notably, 102 Petty France, Caxton House and 39 Victoria Street will all be closed during the programme, as it consolidates the central London estate.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 3 November 2025.

We offer our sympathy to all those who have been affected by this horrific attack.

Victims injured in this attack can apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) for compensation.

Compensation is payable to applicants who meet the eligibility criteria of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.

You do not need a paid representative, such as a solicitor or claims management company, to apply for compensation. Free independent advice may be available from the Victim and Witness Information website or other charitable organisations.

If you have been directly affected by this attack you can find out more about the Scheme and apply online.