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Key figures › Departments › Department for Education

Department for Education

Lucy Powell has been Secretary of State for Education since 20 July 2026, according to the UK Parliament Members API. HM Treasury's PESA 2026 records total departmental expenditure limits of £97.3 billion in 2025-26, with plans of £102.4 billion for 2026-27. In 2025-26 prices, the department's total DEL was £87.6 billion in 2021-22 and £97.3 billion in 2025-26. The Cabinet Office's Civil Service Statistics 2026 count 8,090 civil servants (8,185 a year earlier) at 31 March 2026, by headcount. The median salary of its civil servants was £49,000, and 61.0% of those whose sex is recorded were women. The National Audit Office's most recent report listed for the department is "Increasing construction skills" (13 July 2026).

Secretary of State, Education
Lucy Powell
since 20 July 2026
Total DEL 2025-26
£97.3 billion
PESA 2026, outturn
Civil servants
8,090
headcount, 31 March 2026 · 7,750 full-time equivalent

Spending

Financial yearTotal DELResource DELCapital DELAdministration budgetTotal managed expenditureTotal DEL, 2025-26 prices
2021-22 outturn£72.2 billion£67.4 billion£4.7 billion£481 million£118.2 billion£87.6 billion
2022-23 outturn£78.0 billion£72.7 billion£5.3 billion£473 million£90.0 billion£88.4 billion
2023-24 outturn£84.1 billion£77.9 billion£6.2 billion£451 million£130.9 billion£90.5 billion
2024-25 outturn£90.5 billion£84.5 billion£5.9 billion£470 million£143.0 billion£93.6 billion
2025-26 outturn£97.3 billion£90.4 billion£6.9 billion£486 million£159.2 billion£97.3 billion
2026-27 plans£102.4 billion£94.2 billion£8.2 billion£506 million£146.9 billion£100.4 billion
2027-28 plans£104.0 billion£96.3 billion£7.7 billion£491 million£149.5 billion£100.0 billion
2028-29 plans£107.7 billion£100.0 billion£7.7 billion£482 million£153.4 billion£101.6 billion

Source: HM Treasury, PESA 2026, Chapter 1. What DEL and total managed expenditure cover.

Civil service staff

Measure31 March 202631 March 2025
Headcount8,0908,185
Full-time equivalent7,7507,860
Median salary£49,000–
Women, % of known sex61.0%–
Responsibility levelHeadcount
Senior Civil Service265
Grade 6 or Grade 73,305
Senior or Higher Executive Officer3,840
Executive Officer595
Administrative Assistant or Administrative Officer70
With an unreported grade15
OrganisationHeadcount
Department for Education (excl. agencies)7,630
Skills England235
Standards and Testing Agency140
Teaching Regulation Agency80

Source: Civil Service Statistics 2026 and 2025, Cabinet Office.

Secretary of State

Lucy Powell (Labour (Co-op), MP for Manchester Central) has held the post of Secretary of State for Education since 20 July 2026. UK Parliament: career · Lucy Powell's record in Parliament

National Audit Office reports

Related key figures: Pupils in schools in England · Teachers in state-funded schools in England.

All departments · Budgets and OBR forecasts · Department for Education on GOV.UK

Sources