Guides to UK Civil Service jobs

What is a civil servant?

What a UK civil servant is, with real examples, and straight answers: are council workers, police officers, police staff, NHS staff and teachers civil servants?

Types of Civil Service jobs

The kinds of jobs civil servants do, the Civil Service professions, and how many roles are being advertised in each area right now.

Salaries and grades

Civil Service pay scales for 2026 by grade: AA, AO, EO, HEO, SEO, Grade 7, Grade 6 and the Senior Civil Service, from live UK adverts and the official SCS pay bands.

Departments and agencies

How the UK Civil Service is organised into ministerial departments, non-ministerial departments and agencies, and which are recruiting most.

Is there a Civil Service exam?

There's no single UK Civil Service entrance exam. Here's how selection works: Success Profiles, online tests, interviews, and who is eligible to apply.

The Fast Stream

Fast Stream 2027 applications open midday 8 October 2026. The £31,554 starting salary, all 18 schemes, who can apply, the selection stages, locations and how competitive it is, from official sources.

Can civil servants vote?

Civil servants can vote. What the rules say about political activity, standing for election and behaviour during election periods.

Civil Service behaviours

What each of the nine Success Profiles behaviours means, what's expected at your grade, and which ones adverts assess most often.

Behaviour examples

A worked STAR example for each Civil Service behaviour at HEO and SEO level, with what each shows against the official expectations. Fictional, for structure only: use your own experience.

Interview questions

The types of Civil Service interview (behaviour, strengths, technical), how answers are assessed, and how to prepare honest STAR examples.

Personal statements

What a Civil Service personal statement or statement of suitability is assessed on, typical word limits in live adverts, how to structure it, and how to show the essential criteria honestly.