Treasury failures contributed to death of personal assistant, coroner rules
Published on 08/10/2026 at 22:17 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
A Surrey coroner has ruled that HM Treasury materially contributed to the death of a 26-year-old personal assistant by failing to follow its own disciplinary procedures during an investigation into workplace allegations.
Chloe Moffat, who worked as a personal assistant to a director at the department, took her own life on May 20, 2025. The inquest at Surrey Coroner's Court heard that her death came one day after a meeting on May 19 regarding a complaint made against her.
The ruling serves as a stark reminder to UK employers that failing to adhere to internal disciplinary policies can have devastating consequences — and that tribunals and coroners will scrutinise procedural breaches closely.
When workplace investigations and disciplinary processes go wrong, the consequences can be severe — for employees and employers alike. A free Health & Safety Toolkit provides ready-to-use risk assessments, checklists and templates that help UK businesses meet their legal duties and protect staff wellbeing throughout every process. Download the free Health & Safety Toolkit
Coroner finds policy breach left employee fearing for her job
Coroner Anna Crawford determined that the Treasury failed to apply its written disciplinary policy when handling the allegations against Moffat. The court heard that, had the department followed its established procedures, Moffat would have been informed in writing that the likely outcome of the complaint was a written warning.
The coroner noted that this failure to communicate the probable penalty left Moffat fearing for her job security. Crucially, she was not told that dismissal was an unlikely consequence of the investigation.
Crawford concluded that the lack of procedural clarity, and the distress it caused, materially contributed to her death.
Prevention of Future Deaths report issued
Following the inquest, Crawford announced the issuance of a Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) report — a formal mechanism used by coroners to highlight systemic failures and prompt action to prevent similar tragedies.
The report will be sent to the Treasury, the head of the civil service, and the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), the body that provides guidance on workplace disputes and disciplinary practice.
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The inquest emphasised that the department's failure to implement its own written policies represented a critical breakdown in employee welfare during the disciplinary process. For UK employers, the case underscores the importance of following internal procedures to the letter — not only to meet legal obligations, but to protect staff wellbeing throughout any investigation.
