• Codes & guidance
• Civil Service policy
  • Pay and reward
  • Employment
    • Conditions of service
    • Codes of practice
    • Job evaluation
    • Trade union relations
    • Welfare bodies
  • People framework
  • Diversity policies
  • Efficiency & relocation
• Leadership
• Diversity
• Professional Skills for Government
• Groups & networks
• Communities
• Careers & Development
• Civil Service pensions
• Employee engagement
• Events

I am a civil servant

Conditions of service

Responsibility for terms and conditions for Civil Servants, outside of the Senior Civil Service, is delegated to departments and agencies. This ensures they can shape and manage their arrangements in ways that support their business and workforce needs.

To ensure a coherent and consistent approach across the Service, all departments must develop their arrangements within the conditions set out in the Civil Service Management Code (CSMC).

What the CSMC covers

The CSMC sets out regulations and instructions on terms and conditions for all organisations across the Civil Service. It contains a framework of rules and principles that all departments and agencies must adhere to when determining terms and conditions for their staff. The CSMC is supplemented by codes of practice and guidance that help to ensure a corporate approach to key employment issues.

Read the CSMC in full

The CSMC also incorporates the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code.

Find out more about the Civil Service Commissioners [External website] .

SCS contracts

Employment Practice maintain model contracts for Senior Civil Servants which you can access below:

• Model contract - Standard [MS Word, 83KB, 13 pages]
• Model contract - Permanent Secretary [MS Word, 84KB, 13 pages]
• Model contract - Fixed term [MS Word, 81KB, 12 pages]

Civil Service nationality rules

The vast majority of Home Civil Service posts (95%) are open to UK citizens and those from the Commonwealth (including British Overseas Territories citizens and British protected persons), the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, Turkey (and certain non-EEA, non-Swiss and non-Turkish family members). The other 5% require special allegiance to the state, and are reserved for UK nationals.

Very occasionally, someone outside the above groups may be considered for an appointment in the non-reserved category for up to five years. This would only happen if there was no suitably qualified person available, who met the relevant nationality criteria, or if the individual being considered had exceptional qualifications or experience.

The Civil Service nationality rules can be accessed at section 1.1 Annex B of the Civil Service Management Code. For further information, please contact: Mike Dawson on 020 7276 1636 or mike.dawson@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk.