Hundreds of civil service jobs are set to relocate from London to Scotland as part of a major UK Government overhaul, with Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen among the key beneficiaries. The move is part of a broader strategy to decentralise government operations, drive local economic growth, and bring decision-making closer to communities across the UK.
Currently, Scotland hosts 25,135 UK Government civil service positions, with 22 departments already present north of the border. Glasgow is home to the Cabinet Office’s second headquarters, supporting 9,970 full-time equivalent jobs, while Edinburgh and Aberdeen have 3,485 and 645 posts respectively.
Announcing the plans, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said:
“To deliver our Plan for Change, we are taking more decision-making out of Whitehall and moving it closer to communities all across the UK. By relocating thousands of civil service roles we will not only save taxpayers money, we will make this Government one that better reflects the country it serves. We will also be making sure that Government jobs support economic growth throughout the country.”
The UK Government estimates that relocating these roles will bring £729 million in economic benefits to the 13 named growth areas-including the three Scottish cities-by 2030.
Aberdeen, in particular, will see a significant boost, with the establishment of a new energy campus. The city will become home to the second headquarters for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, as well as the base for GB Energy.
UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks commented:
“Scotland is the beating heart of our mission to become a clean energy superpower. With our energy campus and Great British Energy HQ, we are bringing decision makers, investment and jobs of the future to the North Sea – the front line of our clean energy transition – to deliver our Plan for Change.”
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray also welcomed the announcement:
“It is great news that we are creating more and more civil service roles in Scotland, pushing power and opportunity out of Whitehall and into communities across the UK. And our new energy campus in Aberdeen, alongside GB Energy, will create more opportunities for people in Aberdeen as we move to clean power. This is all part of the UK government’s Plan for Change – driving growth and creating jobs right across Scotland and the UK.”
The government’s wider “Places for Growth” programme aims to move 22,000 civil service jobs out of London by 2030, with nearly 1,000 already relocated to Scotland since 2020 and plans for at least 600 more by 2025. The Cabinet Office intends to more than double its Glasgow workforce to around 750 by 2025.
Unions have cautiously welcomed the proposals, with Fran Heathcote, general secretary of the PCS union, stating:
“If these government proposals are to be successful however, it’s important they do the right thing by workers currently based in London. That must include guarantees of no compulsory redundancies, no compulsory relocations and access to more flexible working arrangements to enable them to continue their careers should they wish to do so.”
Government departments will now submit detailed plans for how many roles will be moved to each location as part of the ongoing spending review.
