Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office

Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office
Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office
	Royal Arms as used by the Home Office
	Incumbent; Dame Antonia Romeo; since 14 April 2025
	Home Office
Reports to	Home Secretary
Term length	At His Majesty's pleasure
First holder	J. Bell
Website	www.gov.uk

The permanent under-secretary of state at the Home Office^[1]^[2] is the permanent secretary at the Home Office, the most senior civil servant in the department, charged with running its affairs on a day-to-day basis.

List of permanent secretaries

March 1782: J. Bell
December 1791: John King
February 1806 – 1817: John Beckett [later Sir John Beckett, Bart.]
June 1817 – 1827: Henry Hobhouse
July 1827 – 1848: Samuel March Phillipps^[3]
1848–1867: Horatio Waddington
1867–1885: Sir Adolphus Frederick Octavius Liddell^[4]
June 1885: Sir H. Maine
July 1885 – 1895: Sir Godfrey Lushington
1895–1903: Sir Kenelm Digby
1903–1908: Sir Mackenzie Dalzell Chalmers
1908–1922: Sir Edward Troup
1922–1932: Sir John Anderson
1932–1938: Sir Russell Scott
1938–1948: Sir Alexander Maxwell
1948–1957: Sir Frank Newsam
1957–1966: Sir Charles Cunningham
1966–1972: Sir Philip Allen
1972–1977: Sir Arthur Peterson
1977–1979: Sir Robert Armstrong
1979–1988: Sir Brian Cubbon
1988–1994: Sir Clive Whitmore
1994–1997: Sir Richard Wilson
1997–2001: Sir David Omand
2001–2005: Sir John Gieve
2005–2011: Sir David Normington
2011–2012: Dame Helen Ghosh
2012–2013: Helen Kilpatrick (acting)
2013–2017: Mark Sedwill^[5]
2017–2020: Sir Philip Rutnam
2020–2025: Sir Matthew Rycroft^[6]
28 March 2025 – 14 April 2025: Simon Ridley (acting)^[7]
Since 14 April 2025: Dame Antonia Romeo^[8]

References

^ "William Davidson". The National Archives. Retrieved 26 March 2022. Henry Hobhouse, permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office 1817-1827
^ "MI5 saved royal fascist from jail". BBC News. 5 March 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2022. Sir Alexander Maxwell, then Permanent Under Secretary of State at the Home Office
^ Lee, Sidney, ed. (1896). "Phillipps, Samuel March" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 45. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
^ Source for Liddell and all his predecessors – Newsam F. (Newsam F (1954) The Home Office (London, Allen and Unwin), p.215)
^ "Home Office boss quits over 'campaign against him'". BBC News. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
^ "Matthew Rycroft CBE appointed Permanent Secretary at the Home Office". Cabinet Office and Home Office. 17 March 2020.
^ "Simon Ridley". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 24 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
^ "Antonia Romeo appointed as new Home Office Permanent Secretary". Cabinet Office. 12 March 2025.

[1] "William Davidson". The National Archives. Retrieved 26 March 2022. Henry Hobhouse, permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office 1817-1827

[2] "MI5 saved royal fascist from jail". BBC News. 5 March 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2022. Sir Alexander Maxwell, then Permanent Under Secretary of State at the Home Office

[3] Lee, Sidney, ed. (1896). "Phillipps, Samuel March" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 45. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

[4] Source for Liddell and all his predecessors – Newsam F. (Newsam F (1954) The Home Office (London, Allen and Unwin), p.215)

[5] "Home Office boss quits over 'campaign against him'". BBC News. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.

[6] "Matthew Rycroft CBE appointed Permanent Secretary at the Home Office". Cabinet Office and Home Office. 17 March 2020.

[7] "Simon Ridley". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 24 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

[8] "Antonia Romeo appointed as new Home Office Permanent Secretary". Cabinet Office. 12 March 2025.

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v t e Home Office
Ministers	Home Secretary Minister of State for Security Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum Minister of State for Home Affairs Minister of State for Policing and Crime Prevention Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Migration and Citizenship Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls
Civil Service	Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office
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Non-departmental public bodies	Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs Animals in Science Committee Biometrics and Forensic Ethics Group Disclosure and Barring Service Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority Migration Advisory Committee Independent Office for Police Conduct Investigatory Powers Tribunal Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner Security Industry Authority

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Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office
Royal Arms as used by the Home Office
Incumbent Dame Antonia Romeo since 14 April 2025
Home Office
Reports to	Home Secretary
Term length	At His Majesty's pleasure
First holder	J. Bell
Website	www.gov.uk