Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of staff in her Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions her Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

On 24 October 2024 the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time.

If people do not meet that reasonable expectation, as with any management instruction it will be dealt with via existing performance management processes and ultimately with disciplinary action should there be sustained failure to comply.

Published data on office attendance is available on Civil Service Headquarters occupancy data.

Should disciplinary action be taken, the sanctions will be the standard disciplinary outcomes, which are a first written warning, final written warning and ultimately dismissal.