FDA union

Pay progression for Senior Civil Servants is welcome, but remains ‘top pay priority’ for other grades after ‘lack of meaningful change for two decades’ @Lauren_Crowley responds to the publication of the Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance and today's announcements regarding changes to Senior Civil Service pay.

Hood also provides an update on the FDA’s wider work on reforming civil service pay, including designing a pay review body to encourage long-term and strategic thinking.

At the close of day 1, FDA Assistant General Secretary Alice Hood addresses delegates and celebrates the 20% growth ARC have seen over the last decade.

FDA’s HMRC section - Association of Revenue and Customs - kick off their National AGM in Liverpool. ARC delegates from across the UK are debating and moving motions which will set the agenda for the union’s engagement with HMRC across the next year.

The FDA delegation had a successful day 1 at TUC Disabled Workers Conference yesterday in Bournemouth, moving our motion ‘Supporting workers awaiting diagnosis and treatment’, and are ready for day 2 of the Conference.

FDA National Officer and delegation leader Jane Runeckles with FDA delegates at the first day of the @TUCCymru Congress, held this year at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

FDA’s Matt Newman tells Schools Week that the union has been “consistently flagging concerns around the effectiveness of the Electronic Evidence-Gathering system. “We welcome the news that the system may be completely replaced… It’s essential members have access to reliable and top class digital tools to deliver for parents and children”. schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-conside…

We need a government where our staff are freed up from unnecessary form filling and bureaucracy, and are using tech to get stuff done quicker. Great to speak civil servants at the @FDA_union conference this lunchtime on how I want us to do that and continue the hard work together.

Congratulations to the FDA Ofsted Section, winners of the Collective Impact Award for their work to deliver the FDA's 'Beyond the Framework' report, highlighting the value of HM Inspectors and pushing to tackle excessive working hours.

Congratulations to Matt Brown from DWP Branch, winner of the Individual Impact Award for his tireless work to improve health and safety across DWP offices.

Congratulations to Anna Whittaker from Welsh Govt, winner of the 2026 FDA Wendy Jones Equality Award, presented by Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister @darrenpjones As leader of the Equality, Diversity, and Workplace Adjustments Team, Anna conducted primary research into social mobility within HMRC during the pandemic and is working on enhancing access to workplace adjustments and building organisational knowledge.

Responding to a question from @FDAGenSec on how civil servants can be expected to take risks after the sacking of Sir Olly Robbins, @darrenpjones said: “We do as ministers want civil servants to take more risk but it has to be a shared risk. I don’t mind taking more risk if it means we’re innovating. Don’t discount risk. Highlight it, ask and put it in front of the minister.”

You can read more about the report and its recommendations on how civil servants can help deliver a smarter state here: fda.org.uk/news/back-civi…

"Our job as ministers is to give you the tools that you need to succeed" Referring to the FDA and @thefabians Adopt, Innovate, Transform report, @darrenpjones announced new AI training for civil servants to "seize the promise of technology" to improve public services.

Telling FDA's ADC he wants the civil service to "prize delivery of real world change" as much policy development, @darrenpjones announced that every department across Whitehall will be setting up new senior led delivery teams to "help identify barriers" and make it easier to escalate to No.10.

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister @darrenpjones opened his address to ADC by thanking FDA members "for your service and all of your work" and defending the impartiality of the civil service as one of the "foundations of our democracy".

Wheeler also outlines the importance of mentoring, including her work in the Women’s Lobby. She says that in journalism, as well as in the civil service, “barriers do still exist and we have to be conscious of them”, and emphasises the importance of encouraging people from different backgrounds to enter those professions.

Discussing attacks against the civil service from this and previous govts, Wheeler says such incidents have increased over the past decade: “It’s very fashionable at the moment for civil servants to be attacked, to be blamed for things that are going wrong. “There does seem to be a real culture of blame everything but yourself… it is fashionable to blame systems.”

At this year’s ADC we are pleased to be joined by @cazjwheeler for an ‘in conversation’ discussion on the state of the political landscape. Wheeler discusses what lies behind the “fragmentation” and “polarisation” of the past few years, and the “clashes between deliverism and populism.”