All backgrounds and degree subjects are welcome.
You’ll receive a starting salary of £39,130 in London and £36,130 in Darlington, alongside the wider benefits of being an HM Treasury employee.
Your unique perspective can change lives. Become a Policy Adviser.
Our work touches every aspect of everyday life. As the Government’s economic and finance ministry, we influence policy across every government department.
You don’t need to be an economist or have studied a particular subject to make a difference here. What matters is your curiosity, your ability to think differently and your motivation to improve the lives of others.
Whatever your degree subject, skills or life experience, we’ll give you the training and support to help you make a real, positive and lasting impact on millions of people across the UK.
It all begins here.
Making an impact at HM Treasury
Our responsibilities include maintaining control over public spending, deciding how money is raised from taxpayers and ensuring that it’s spent responsibly. We ensure value for money, set the direction of the UK’s economic policy and work to achieve strong and sustainable economic growth. We’re also working to create a simpler, fairer tax system and, by making them easier to access and use, make financial services work for more people.
As a Policy Adviser, your work will help shape government decisions that affect millions of people across the UK every day. You could contribute to policy across a wide range of areas, including health, education, local government, banking and insurance, the criminal justice system and much more.
To ensure our advice reflects the needs of all our communities, it’s important that our graduates come from the widest possible range of backgrounds. That’s why we’re committed to equality and diversity, creating an open and inclusive department where people bring different perspectives, experiences and ways of thinking, while supporting and developing one another.
Join us if you want to make a real difference for your country. We’ll give you the support and training you need to become a Policy Adviser, with real responsibility and invaluable learning opportunities from the start.
Becoming a Policy Adviser
Our three-year Graduate Policy Programme is designed to help you grow quickly, build confidence and develop the skills you need for a successful career in policy, with no previous policy experience required.
You’ll start with a week of training covering how Parliament works, policy making and the legal framework, and developing skills such as project coordination and workplace communication. You’ll continue your learning on policy skills throughout your time on the programme.
Your work will include discussing ideas and coordinating work with colleagues, writing, researching and analysing information to develop or enhance policy ideas. You’ll gain real expertise in your specific policy area – which could be anything from higher education or international tax avoidance to public health or infrastructure spending.
As part of the programme, you’ll have access to a dedicated progression opportunity that supports your career development. After approximately two years, you’ll be given the opportunity to demonstrate your readiness for promotion to Senior Executive Officer (SEO) through a competitive assessment process.
Whichever policy area you work in, you'll take on meaningful responsibility early in your career. You'll be supported every step of the way to make the most of your potential and progress your career.
What you’ll bring
Great policy starts with different perspectives. To ensure we reflect the needs of all our communities, we must bring together people with a variety of perspectives to help us understand complex issues from different angles.
We value your expertise alongside your life experience as we navigate an ever-changing landscape and work to provide the best advice and policy on some of the most pressing issues this country faces. We’re looking for innovative thinkers who are proactive and feel comfortable in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. We therefore welcome applications from all academic backgrounds and universities.
As the cohort will be starting in September 2027, you will need to already hold an undergraduate degree by this point.
We encourage you to apply if you have:
- A 2:2 undergraduate degree in any discipline.
- The right to work in the UK as an EEA, Commonwealth, Swiss or Turkish national. You’ll also need to pass security clearance.
- The ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely, in writing and in person.
- The ability to look at problems from different angles.
- An interest in improving lives through public policy.
- The ability to think flexibly and cope with changes to situations and priorities.
In return, we offer a stimulating and encouraging environment, working with forward-thinking people who want to make a real difference throughout the UK. Our competitive benefits package reflects the important contribution you'll make and supports you throughout your career with us.
We’ll be holding two workshops during the application period to provide guidance on the application and selection process, alongside an insight into working in HM Treasury – these will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams and are open to all applicants:
Thursday 22 October – 13:00 – 13:50
Tuesday 26 October – 11:30 – 12:20
These are optional events which you can attend whether you have applied or not. The purpose of these webinars is to give you more information about the recruitment process and help you be confident in your application. The links can be found on the HM Treasury Careers website.
The closing date for applications is Thursday 5 November 2026.
Application advice
We want you to have the best opportunity to show us your natural skills and potential. That’s why it’s essential that the responses you provide during the selection process represent your own authentic abilities and thoughts, for us to determine if you are a good fit for a role, and for you to gain a better understanding of your strengths.
Whilst you can use AI tools to prepare for the application process — for example, to find out more about the scheme, understand what to expect, or get feedback on practice questions — you must not use AI during the assessment process itself. Remember, there’s no need to give a perfect answer. We’re interested in getting to know the real you, hearing your own ideas and perspective.
This approach reflects the values of HM Treasury and the Civil Service, including openness and integrity, while helping us create a fair and inclusive selection process for everyone.
HM Treasury is where change drivers find their purpose.
Applications are open. Apply now!
