Keir Starmer Approved £860,000 Payout for Former Top Civil Servant

Former Prime Minister Keir Starmer approved a severance payment of £859,496 for Chris Wormald, the former top civil servant, following Wormald's departure in February. The payout was disclosed in the Cabinet Office's annual accounts and consisted of £332,897 in contractual compensation and £526,598 in discretionary payments intended to offset early pension penalties.

The payment required a ministerial direction because Catherine Little, the top civil servant in the Cabinet Office, stated she could not conclude whether the settlement represented value for money. Starmer issued the direction to proceed, stating he was satisfied that the public interest was met.

Following the disclosure, Gareth Davies, head of the National Audit Office, called for a review of exit payments for Permanent and Cabinet Secretaries. Davies noted that there is considerable variation in the size and nature of the payments made when these senior officials depart.