Two thirds of new civil service jobs now created outside London as relocation target beaten early

More than two thirds of all new full-time civil service jobs are now being created in regional hubs outside London, according to new government figures that point to more public sector careers on offer in cities such as Birmingham.

The Cabinet Office says four in five civil servants now work outside the capital, and the Places for Growth programme, which moves government roles to regional centres, has beaten its target three years early.

Target beaten early

Places for Growth set out to move 22,000 civil service roles out of London. The latest data shows that from its launch to March 2025, 24,621 roles had moved, comfortably above the goal and well ahead of schedule.

Around 67% of all new full-time civil service positions are in the programme's key regional locations.

Progress is also being made on moving senior leaders. The government wants half of the Senior Civil Service to be based in the regions and nations, and as of March 2026, 36.6% of UK-based senior civil servants were outside London. The Cabinet Office says having senior leaders on the ground is important for building strong relationships with local government and industry.

"Devolution by design"

Cabinet Office minister Mark Ferguson said: "We are shifting power and decision making to local communities to ensure that we have a truly UK-wide Civil Service.

"Policy and decision makers must reflect the country we live in, so those making decisions understand how these are felt in the communities they impact.

"This is devolution by design and devolution by default, and we will unlock talent across the country to ensure the inner workings of government move with the times."

Officials posted to mayors' offices

The figures follow the Prime Minister's announcement in August that high-performing civil servants would be seconded into mayoral authorities, to build their capability and speed up the transfer of power to local areas. For Birmingham, that means the combined authority and the regional mayor, Richard Parker, are among those who stand to gain extra Whitehall capacity.

A new civil service Fast Stream pilot has also been launched in Yorkshire and the Humber, so that young people can begin a government career without having to move to London.

The government describes No.10 North, its new base outside the capital, as "the beating heart" of these policies, bringing departments together behind a shared mission to devolve power and unlock growth.

What it means for Birmingham

As the UK's second city, Birmingham already hosts large government offices, including HMRC's regional centre in the city centre. Every civil service job that is based locally is a skilled, stable job that brings spending into the city's shops, cafés and transport network, and gives young people a route into public service without leaving home.

The release does not break the figures down by city, so it is not yet clear how many of the new roles are in Birmingham itself. But the direction of travel is clear: more of the work of government is being done outside London, and the regions are getting a larger share of the jobs that come with it.