Senior Executive Officer (SEO) salary 2026/27
What Senior Executive Officers earn in each department, what it leaves after deductions, and what the job involves.
Across the whole civil service the median for HEO and SEO combined was £43,930 at 31 March 2026. That is about £2,769 a month after tax, NI and alpha, full time.
SEO pay in every department
Median full-time salary at 31 March 2026, from Cabinet Office Civil Service Statistics, with what it leaves a month after tax, NI and alpha at 2026/27 rates. 93 departments and agencies have a figure for this grade.
| # | Department | Median | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ofwat | £68,930* | £3,958 |
| 2 | HMPPS | £61,270* | £3,616 |
| 3 | Ofsted | £60,060* | £3,562 |
| 4 | UK Debt Management Office | £59,780* | £3,549 |
| 5 | NCA | £57,680* | £3,456 |
| 6 | Registers of Scotland | £57,400* | £3,443 |
| 7 | Accountant in Bankruptcy | £57,390* | £3,443 |
| 8 | Disclosure Scotland | £57,390* | £3,443 |
| 9 | Education Scotland | £57,390* | £3,443 |
| 10 | Food Standards Scotland | £57,390* | £3,443 |
| 11 | National Records of Scotland | £57,390* | £3,443 |
| 12 | Revenue Scotland | £57,390* | £3,443 |
| 13 | Scottish Government | £57,390* | £3,443 |
| 14 | Student Awards Agency for Scotland | £57,390* | £3,443 |
| 15 | Transport Scotland | £57,390* | £3,443 |
| 16 | Welsh Government | £56,850* | £3,419 |
| 17 | Forestry and Land Scotland | £56,830* | £3,418 |
| 18 | Government Actuary's Department | £56,120* | £3,386 |
| 19 | SPS | £55,990* | £3,433 |
| 20 | Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service | £55,720* | £3,421 |
| 21 | Scottish Forestry | £55,280* | £3,401 |
| 22 | Vehicle Certification Agency | £54,090* | £3,347 |
| 23 | FCDO Services | £52,320* | £3,253 |
| 24 | FCDO | £52,160* | £3,243 |
| 25 | Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service | £52,150* | £3,242 |
| 26 | UKEF | £51,980* | £3,232 |
| 27 | CMA | £51,830* | £3,223 |
| 28 | National Savings and Investments | £51,790* | £3,220 |
| 29 | Social Security Scotland | £51,670* | £3,213 |
| 30 | IPO | £51,340* | £3,193 |
| 31 | Crown Commercial Service | £50,770* | £3,158 |
| 32 | UK Hydrographic Office | £50,410* | £3,135 |
| 33 | Welsh Revenue Authority | £50,280* | £3,127 |
| 34 | VOA | £50,180* | £3,122 |
| 35 | HSE | £50,140* | £3,120 |
| 36 | Home Office | £49,980* | £3,111 |
| 37 | Submarine Delivery Agency | £49,960* | £3,109 |
| 38 | Ofgem | £49,630* | £3,091 |
| 39 | Scottish Public Pensions Agency | £49,330* | £3,074 |
| 40 | DfT | £49,300* | £3,072 |
| 41 | Government Internal Audit Agency | £49,250* | £3,069 |
| 42 | MoJ | £49,190* | £3,066 |
| 43 | DESNZ | £48,990* | £3,055 |
| 44 | DE&S | £48,810* | £3,045 |
| 45 | MoD | £48,520* | £3,028 |
| 46 | Office of Rail and Road | £48,320* | £3,017 |
| 47 | Cabinet Office | £48,220* | £3,011 |
| 48 | DVLA | £48,220* | £3,011 |
| 49 | HMRC | £48,170* | £3,008 |
| 50 | Insolvency Service | £48,160* | £3,008 |
| 51 | Planning Inspectorate | £48,150* | £3,007 |
| 52 | Charity Commission | £47,880* | £2,992 |
| 53 | Companies House | £47,820* | £2,989 |
| 54 | DHSC | £47,520* | £2,972 |
| 55 | Standards and Testing Agency | £47,510* | £2,971 |
| 56 | Acas | £47,480* | £2,970 |
| 57 | DBT | £47,460* | £2,968 |
| 58 | HM Land Registry | £47,350* | £2,962 |
| 59 | MHRA | £47,200* | £2,954 |
| 60 | UKHSA | £46,840* | £2,934 |
| 61 | Government Commercial Organisation | £46,790* | £2,931 |
| 62 | DVSA | £46,760* | £2,929 |
| 63 | MCA | £46,760* | £2,929 |
| 64 | Veterinary Medicines Directorate | £46,750* | £2,928 |
| 65 | HM Treasury | £46,610* | £2,921 |
| 66 | DSIT | £46,600* | £2,920 |
| 67 | UK Space Agency | £46,600* | £2,920 |
| 68 | LAA | £46,500* | £2,914 |
| 69 | MHCLG | £46,290* | £2,903 |
| 70 | Building Digital UK | £46,170* | £2,896 |
| 71 | Serious Fraud Office | £45,950* | £2,883 |
| 72 | Dstl | £45,770* | £2,873 |
| 73 | HMCTS | £45,570* | £2,862 |
| 74 | Northern Ireland Office | £45,560* | £2,861 |
| 75 | DCMS | £45,420* | £2,853 |
| 76 | Met Office | £45,350* | £2,850 |
| 77 | Ofqual | £45,170* | £2,839 |
| 78 | Government Property Agency | £44,960* | £2,828 |
| 79 | GLD | £44,910* | £2,825 |
| 80 | CPS | £44,640* | £2,810 |
| 81 | FSA | £44,640* | £2,810 |
| 82 | DWP | £44,500* | £2,802 |
| 83 | Active Travel England | £44,270 | £2,789 |
| 84 | The National Archives | £44,200* | £2,785 |
| 85 | ONS | £44,140* | £2,781 |
| 86 | OPG | £43,990* | £2,773 |
| 87 | Defra | £43,940* | £2,770 |
| 88 | Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority | £43,920* | £2,769 |
| 89 | DfE | £43,620* | £2,752 |
| 90 | APHA | £43,590* | £2,750 |
| 91 | RPA | £43,500* | £2,745 |
| 92 | Teaching Regulation Agency | £43,300* | £2,734 |
| 93 | Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science | £43,070* | £2,721 |
A median is the middle salary: half of staff earn more and half less. * Our estimate: the 2026 release combines some grades, so we raise the department’s 2025 figure for this grade by how much its level rose across the civil service. Figures without a star are official 2026 medians. Most departments have paid a 2026/27 award since. Some bodies, such as HMPPS, include allowances and map their own grades to these levels, so compare with care.
What an SEO does
Senior Executive Officers are experienced managers and specialists. They usually lead a team or a significant area of work and are trusted to deal with senior officials and ministers’ offices.
Typical jobs
- Managing several team leaders in a large operational centre.
- Senior policy adviser, leading on part of a policy area.
- Project manager on a programme, or a senior analyst.
- Senior Officer in HMRC, leading complex compliance or casework.
Moving up
The next step is Grade 7, which is a bigger jump in pay than most grade changes but also moves you into the 7.35% alpha tier once you pass £56,000.
Common questions
How much does an SEO earn?
Department medians run from £43,070 to £68,930 at 31 March 2026, depending on where you work.