Coroner’s Findings on Disciplinary Failures
A coroner has concluded that the UK Treasury “materially contributed” to the death of Chloe Moffat, a 26-year-old personal assistant who took her own life following a flawed disciplinary process. Anna Crawford, the presiding coroner at Surrey Coroner’s Court, ruled that the Treasury’s reliance on “informal” meetings to address serious, anonymous allegations directly impacted Moffat’s mental state and sense of job security.
Moffat, who had an exemplary employment record at the Treasury, was summoned to an informal meeting on May 19, 2025, regarding allegations that she had shared sensitive information about colleagues. Despite the meeting being labeled as informal, the Treasury stripped her of responsibilities and removed her access to her manager’s diary. She died by suicide the following day.
Institutional Policy and Safeguards
The inquest heard that the Treasury’s own human resources policy—aligned with Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) guidelines—requires serious misconduct allegations to be handled through a formal process. This structure is designed to protect employees by providing notice, defining potential penalties, and allowing for the presence of a third party.
Coroner Crawford noted that the Treasury’s decision to bypass these safeguards left Moffat isolated and convinced she would be dismissed. During the hearing, the Treasury’s head of global issues, who led the investigation, admitted she did not give Moffat prior notice of the meeting because she “did not want Chloe to worry about it.” When asked if she would have acted differently, Moffat’s line manager testified that they believed they had done “all we could” with the advice provided.
Prevention of Future Deaths
Finding that the Treasury’s use of informal disciplinary meetings was “standard practice,” the coroner announced she would issue a formal report to prevent future deaths. This report will be directed at the head of the civil service, the Treasury, and Acas. Crawford rejected the Treasury’s assertion that their ongoing review of disciplinary processes was sufficient, stating that the risk of future deaths remains.
A Treasury spokesperson expressed mourning for Moffat’s passing and stated the department is “considering the findings carefully.” Meanwhile, Acas confirmed it is currently consulting on revisions to its disciplinary and grievance code of practice, which includes new guidance on handling concerns informally.