Government expands regional civil service hubs through Places for Growth programme

The UK Government has reaffirmed its commitment to relocating civil service roles out of London as part of its Places for Growth programme, a long-running initiative aimed at strengthening government presence across the UK and reducing reliance on the capital. Updated information published by the Cabinet Office outlines how the programme is intended to support regional economies and bring decision-making closer to communities by creating a more geographically distributed civil service workforce.

Places for Growth sits within the Office of Government Property and aims to create a more geographically balanced Civil Service, with decision-making and policy roles distributed across the English regions, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The initiative forms a central pillar of reforms to build what the government describes as a productive and agile state.

At the core of the programme are three objectives:

• Relocating senior and policy roles out of Whitehall to ensure that around 50 per cent of UK-based senior civil servants are located outside London by 2030.
• Strengthening government presence in regional hubs such as Greater Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow(pictured) and Cardiff.
• Growing Civil Service communities and regional career pathways, including ambitions for apprenticeships and fast-stream positions based outside the capital.

The programme also leads on the Plan for London, which seeks to rationalise the government estate in the capital. This includes matching the property portfolio to workforce needs and closing or repurposing surplus buildings to create more modern and flexible workplaces.

Data published as part of the Places for Growth portfolio includes quarterly relocation figures that track progress towards targets. The latest Places for Growth Data Tables cover role moves up to the second quarter of 2024.

Launched in 2020 with a headline aim to move 22,000 roles from London by 2027, the programme has accelerated moves in recent years, reflecting broader civil service reform goals and efforts to align government with the communities it serves.

Officials say embedding civil servants across the UK will help strengthen local partnerships, encourage cross-government collaboration on regional priorities and enhance access to government careers beyond the South East.

This shift also intersects with discussions about workplace design and culture in the public sector, as sites outside London are expected to become modern hubs for flexible and collaborative working — posing new challenges and opportunities for workplace planners and property professionals across the UK.