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How Much Do Civil Servants Earn in the UK? — 2026 Salary Guide

Complete guide to civil service salaries in the UK for 2026. Administrative officer to Permanent Secretary pay, departmental differences, grade structures, Fast Stream, pension, and career progression.

· · 4 min read

Salary and income data is based on ONS and other official UK statistical sources. Figures are averages and may not reflect your individual circumstances.

The UK Civil Service employs over 500,000 people across hundreds of departments and agencies. Pay varies significantly by grade, department, and location. Here’s a complete breakdown.

For a broader comparison across occupations and pay bands, see our Salary by Profession hub.

Civil Service Grade Structure and Pay (2025/26)

Delegated Grades (Non-Senior)

Pay varies between departments, but typical ranges are:

GradeTypical Salary (National)Typical Salary (London)
Administrative Assistant (AA)£20,000-£23,500£23,000-£26,500
Administrative Officer (AO)£22,000-£27,000£25,000-£30,000
Executive Officer (EO)£28,000-£35,000£31,000-£38,000
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)£33,000-£42,000£37,000-£46,000
Senior Executive Officer (SEO)£40,000-£50,000£44,000-£55,000
Grade 7£50,000-£65,000£55,000-£70,000
Grade 6£60,000-£75,000£65,000-£80,000

Senior Civil Service (SCS)

GradeSalary Range
SCS Pay Band 1 (Deputy Director)£71,000-£117,800
SCS Pay Band 2 (Director)£93,000-£162,500
SCS Pay Band 3 (Director General)£120,000-£208,100
Permanent Secretary£150,000-£200,000+
Cabinet Secretary / Head of Civil Service£200,000+

Pay by Department (HEO Grade Example)

Departments set their own pay within delegated ranges:

DepartmentHEO Salary Range
HMRC£35,200-£40,500
DWP£33,500-£38,000
Home Office£36,000-£41,000
Ministry of Defence£35,400-£40,500
Department for Education£35,000-£40,000
DEFRA£33,900-£39,000
Cabinet Office£37,000-£43,000
HM Treasury£38,000-£45,000
Foreign Office (FCDO)£36,000-£42,000

London and Regional Pay

Location Allowances

LocationAllowance
Inner London£3,000-£4,000/year
Outer London£1,500-£2,500/year
National (outside London)Base salary

Some departments (e.g., HMRC, DWP) have large regional presences with adjusted pay bands.

Fast Stream (Graduate Programme)

Starting Salaries

StreamStarting Salary (National)Starting Salary (London)
Generalist Fast Stream£28,000£31,000
Digital, Data and Technology£29,000-£33,000£32,000-£36,000
Finance Fast Stream£28,000-£30,000£31,000-£33,000
Science and Engineering£28,000-£30,000£31,000-£33,000
Diplomatic Service£28,500-£30,000£31,500-£33,000
Houses of Parliament£28,000-£30,000£31,000-£33,000

Fast Stream Progression

YearGradeTypical Salary
EntryHEO equivalent£28,000-£33,000
After 2-3 yearsSEO equivalent£40,000-£50,000
After 3-5 years (post-scheme)Grade 7£50,000-£65,000
5-10 years post-schemeGrade 6£60,000-£75,000
10-15 years post-schemeSCS1 (Deputy Director)£71,000-£117,800

Specialist Roles and Pay

Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT)

RoleGradeSalary
Junior DeveloperHEO£33,000-£42,000
DeveloperSEO£40,000-£55,000
Senior DeveloperGrade 7£55,000-£70,000
Lead DeveloperGrade 6£65,000-£80,000
Head of TechnologySCS1£71,000-£117,800

Operational Delivery

RoleGradeSalary
DWP Work CoachEO£28,000-£32,000
HMRC Customer ServiceAO£22,000-£26,000
Border Force OfficerEO£28,000-£33,000
Prison Officer (HMPPS)Band 3£28,000-£32,000
Probation OfficerBand 4£30,000-£40,000

Analytical Professions

RoleGradeSalary
Statistician (Assistant)HEO£33,000-£40,000
Economist (Grade 7)Grade 7£55,000-£65,000
Social ResearcherHEO-G7£33,000-£65,000
ActuaryG7-G6£55,000-£80,000

Civil Service Pension (Alpha)

Key Features

FeatureDetails
Scheme nameAlpha
TypeCareer Average Revalued Earnings (CARE)
Accrual rate2.32% per year
Normal pension ageState Pension Age (currently 66, rising to 67/68)
RevaluationCPI each year
Employer contribution28.97%
Employee contribution4.6-8.05% depending on salary
Death in serviceLump sum (2x salary) + survivor pension

Employee Contribution Rates

Salary BandContribution Rate
Up to £24,2494.60%
£24,250-£56,4995.45%
£56,500-£153,2997.35%
£153,300+8.05%

Example Pensions

ScenarioAnnual Pension at SPA
AO, 30 years at average £25,000~£17,400
HEO, 30 years at average £38,000~£26,400
Grade 7, 25 years at average £58,000~£33,600
SCS1, 20 years at average £90,000~£41,800

Benefits and Working Conditions

BenefitDetails
Annual leave25 days rising to 30 days (with service)
Flexi-timeAvailable in most departments
Hybrid workingTypically 2-3 days in office
PensionOutstanding (28.97% employer contribution)
Childcare vouchersMay be available
Cycle to Work schemeAvailable
Season ticket loanInterest-free for commuting
Employee Assistance ProgrammeFree counselling and support
Learning and developmentExtensive opportunities
Job securityStrong

Career Progression

Standard Progression

StageYearsGradeSalary
Entry level0-2AO/EO£22,000-£35,000
First promotion2-5HEO£33,000-£42,000
Middle management5-10SEO£40,000-£50,000
Senior professional8-15Grade 7£50,000-£65,000
Senior management12-20Grade 6£60,000-£75,000
Director level15-25SCS1£71,000-£117,800

Fast Stream Progression

StageYearsGradeSalary
Entry0HEO£28,000-£33,000
Mid-scheme1-2SEO£40,000-£50,000
Post-scheme3-5Grade 7£50,000-£65,000
Senior roles5-10Grade 6£60,000-£75,000
Director track10-15SCS1£71,000-£117,800

How to Apply

RouteHow
Standard rolescivilservicejobs.service.gov.uk
Fast Streamfaststream.gov.uk (annual recruitment cycle)
Specialist rolesVia departmental campaigns
SecondmentsInternal cross-departmental opportunities
Agency workersVia recruitment agencies

Summary

GradeSalary Range
Administrative Officer (AO)£22,000-£27,000
Executive Officer (EO)£28,000-£35,000
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)£33,000-£42,000
Senior Executive Officer (SEO)£40,000-£50,000
Grade 7£50,000-£65,000
Grade 6£60,000-£75,000
Deputy Director (SCS1)£71,000-£117,800
Director (SCS2)£93,000-£162,500
Permanent Secretary£150,000-£200,000+
London weighting+£3,000-£4,000

Sources

  1. GOV.UK — Civil Service pay