The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is preparing to strip staff of their bonuses as part of a major government shake-up aimed at tackling mediocre performance within the Civil Service.
Major Overhaul Announced for Civil Service Rewards
The Labour government is set to promise a complete overhaul of how it rewards civil servants, with an announcement scheduled for Tuesday. The plans, reported by the Telegraph, include a strong drive to dismiss staff who consistently underperform.
The announcement will be delivered by Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister. He is expected to warn that public sector delivery has “fallen unacceptably behind the private sector” and is providing “poor outcomes” for British taxpayers.
Cracking Down on Underperformance
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously criticised the Civil Service, stating too many officials were comfortable in what he termed the “tepid bath of managed decline.” The new reforms seek to address this perceived culture.
Data reveals that between 2022 and 2025, 76 DWP staff members were dismissed for poor performance or had their contracts terminated. This figure underscores the scale of the issue the government aims to tackle.
“Everyone agrees that the status quo is not working. The public, politicians and civil servants are all frustrated by the pace of change,” Mr Jones is set to say in his statement.
Political Reaction and the Road Ahead
The proposed changes have already sparked political debate. Alex Burghart MP, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, criticised the plan, stating: “Under Labour, the Civil Service is growing in size and cost, whilst new quangos are being created by the day.”
He added, “Ministers just don’t have a grip on Whitehall. There’s been a lot of bleating about ‘delivery’ but absolutely no evidence of it. This Labour ‘reset’ after their previous failures will do nothing to streamline governance.”
Mr Jones will argue that decades of stagnant productivity and unsustainable costs have led to an unacceptable customer experience. He is expected to pose a pointed question on behalf of the public: “if you can bank and shop online, in a quick and convenient way, then why can’t it be done for public services too?”
The success of this civil service reform will be closely watched, as it represents a significant attempt by the government to improve public sector productivity and value for money for taxpayers.
