- 10 Victoria Street office officially closes its doors, saving £8.8 million per year for the taxpayer.
- Third London workspace closed in six months as part of the Government’s “Plan for London” efficiency drive, bringing total savings past £17 million a year.
- Upcoming closure of Caxton House expected to deliver a further £19 million in annual savings.
Over £17 million in costly rental payments has been saved for the taxpayer in the past six months, as the government closes expensive London offices to ensure public money is spent where it is needed most.
10 Victoria Street, which has now officially closed its doors, is the third central London office to close in the last six months and will achieve £8.8 million in annual savings for the taxpayer. It follows The Rookery and Clive House in September, with the three buildings combined securing approximately £17.5 million in annual savings.
Cabinet Office Minister, Anna Turley, said
This latest closure is another milestone in our commitment to securing further savings for the taxpayer. By reducing the number of buildings we rent in central London, we’ve already saved over £17 million in the past six months – money that can now be better spent delivering on the public’s priorities.
At the same time, we’re taking more decision-making out of Whitehall and moving it closer to communities all across the UK, making it easier for talented people, wherever they are, to join the Civil Service and help us rebuild Britain.
The closures are part of the Government’s Plan for London, delivered by the Government Property Agency (GPA), which moves staff out of high-cost rentals and into high-quality, available spaces within the existing government estate, to ensure it is utilised more efficiently.
11 buildings in central London will close by 2030, with over 14,000 civil servants relocated as part of the programme, delivering total annual savings of £94 million.
The move supports the wider Places for Growth strategy, strengthening the government’s presence across the country by moving roles from the capital to regional offices, and bringing the government closer to the communities it serves. Under these plans, 50% of Senior Civil Service roles will be based outside of London by 2030.
Over 23,000 roles have already been relocated under Places for Growth and around 34% of our Senior Civil Servants are now based outside the capital.
Around 1,000 staff from various departments have been relocated from 10 Victoria Street into high-quality, available spaces within the existing government estate, such as 100 Parliament Street and 26 Whitehall.
Under the plans, Caxton House, home to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), will be the next significant closure, achieving an additional £19 million in annual savings. As part of this, DWP staff will transfer to Sanctuary Buildings – ensuring that every square foot of the government estate is working for the taxpayer.
Notes to editors
- The Plan for London (PfL) is delivered by the Government Property Agency (GPA) to create a more efficient Civil Service.
- The Plan for London was launched in May last year and will involve the closure of no fewer than 11 buildings by 2030, relocating over 14,000 civil servants, and delivering annual savings of £94 million.
- The 10 Victoria Street closure follows the September closures of Clive House and The Rookery, which saved £8.7 million.
- Key upcoming closures under the strategy include Caxton House, 102 Petty France, and 39 Victoria Street, securing £72 million in annual savings.