London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Sep 14, 2025

Recession? Coronavirus? Economic crisis? What are you talking about? UK's Senior civil servant's £650,000 retirement pay-off sets new Whitehall record for the most money pocketed by a mandarin in a single year

The new class that remain wealthy whatever bad happening to the poor tax payers, the civil servants: Clare Moriarty, 57, has retired after 35 years working across the Civil Service . Has been Permanent Secretary to Defra and Department for Exiting the EU. Landed redundancy payment of over £300,000 on top of her £180,000 salary. Sum is more than three times new public sector pay-off limit set to be introduced

A top civil servant received well over half a million pounds last year in what is thought to be the biggest retirement pay-off in Whitehall history.

Clare Moriarty landed a redundancy payment of more than £300,000 on top of her £180,000 salary – and pocketed a bonus of close to £20,000 for good measure.

The 57-year-old also received an extra £137,000 in her pension pot, taking its total value to a colossal £1,833,000, and her annual pay packet to almost £650,000.

Her redundancy payment alone – £260,000 plus £45,000 ‘in lieu of notice’ – is more than three times a new public sector pay-off limit which is being brought in after the Government admitted that huge pay-outs ‘incense’ the public.

Ms Moriarty had been in the Civil Service for 35 years, rising to the rank of Permanent Secretary at the Department for the Environment before moving to the same role at the Department for Exiting the EU last year.

When the Ministry was closed after Boris Johnson finally delivered Brexit in January, she briefly moved to the Cabinet Office before it was announced that she was leaving Whitehall at the end of March. Ms Moriarty paid gushing tribute to her colleagues, writing on Twitter: ‘I could not have asked for better, more committed colleagues in seven departments over 35 years.

‘I will always be a huge supporter of the Civil Service and its wonderful people… I salute you.’

Her departure took many by surprise as she had been tipped to take on another senior role, such as head of the entire Civil Service.

Asked in a later interview if she wished she had still been around to work on the response to the coronavirus crisis, Ms Moriarty replied: ‘The honest answer is, it’s really, really difficult not being part of something as big as this. But sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is not to get in the way.’

However, it is understood she had been unpopular among some Ministers, with one insisting that when she moved to the Brexit role most of the work had already been done.

The Cabinet Office report states her total remuneration for 2019-20, including pension contributions, was £645,000 to £650,000. A footnote reveals: ‘The combined figure includes salary of £180,000-£185,000; a redundancy payment of £262,185 and compensation in lieu of notice of £45,450.’

Her pay-out is even bigger than the £248,189 expected to be made to Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill after he was forced out by Boris Johnson. It dwarfs the £95,000 cap on severance payments the Government has repeatedly promised to introduce over the past five years.

Her total remuneration is thought to be the biggest ever received in a single year by a civil servant in central Government. However, it still falls below the record held by NHS bigwig David Flory, who got a £415,000 pay-off on top of a £240,000 pay and pension package in 2014.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
×