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Treasury accepts role in staff member's death

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In short

Chloe Moffat took her own life in May 2025, just one day after managers confronted her over allegations that she had leaked sensitive material. The coroner warned that the department's unauthorized practice of holding informal fact-finding meetings created severe distress and posed an ongoing risk to human life. In response, Whitehall will overhaul its workplace conflict protocols, and the Treasury has launched a comprehensive suicide prevention framework. Under the newly enacted rules, accused civil servants must be explicitly informed of likely disciplinary outcomes before answering any questions.

Key points

  • Informal fact-finding meetings for accused staff have been halted pending a thorough poli…: Informal fact-finding meetings for accused staff have been halted pending a thorough policy review by the department.
  • Staff members facing misconduct inquiries will now be informed of potential penalties bef…: Staff members facing misconduct inquiries will now be informed of potential penalties before being required to respond to allegations.
  • An independent review established that Treasury personnel acted in good faith despite the…: An independent review established that Treasury personnel acted in good faith despite the department accepting the coroner's severe findings.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

- Published

The Treasury has accepted it contributed to the death of a personal assistant and said "immediate steps" have been taken to tackle outstanding risks.

Chloe Moffat, 26, took her own life in May 2025, the day after managers told her of allegations that she had shared sensitive confidential information, which she denied.

A coroner found a practice within HM Treasury of "informal fact-finding" meetings with employees accused of misconduct had no basis in the ministry's policy and posed a risk of future death.

Responding, the Treasury and the Cabinet Office wrote that they "accept the concerns identified" and "take them extremely seriously".

The Cabinet Office said it would also undertake a wider review of workplace conflict and resolution across Whitehall within a year.

At Moffat's inquest in August, the Treasury was found to have "materially contributed" to her death by not telling her that the likely penalty if allegations against her were proven would be a written warning and not dismissal.

In a response to the coroner's report, external, the Treasury "accepted the findings in the report in…

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