Guidance

Devolution: Guidance for civil servants

A guide for UK Government civil servants explaining devolution and how to take account of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland when working on policies and managing services.

• From: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Cabinet Office, Civil Service and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Published: 29 July 2015
• Last updated: 28 November 2025 — See all updates

Documents

Devolution: Guidance for civil servants

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Devolution factsheet

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Details

This guidance provides a very brief overview of: devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; why it is important for civil servants to understand how devolution operates in the UK; and best practice for intergovernmental working.

Published 29 July 2015

Last updated 28 November 2025 + show all updates

1. 28 November 2025

   Updated the guidance

2. 21 June 2023

   Updated the Home Office contact details in section 4: Devolution coordinator contact details

3. 24 September 2019

   Some contact details updated.

4. 12 July 2019

   Updated devolution contact details for Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Department of Health and Social Care and Department for International Trade.

5. 9 May 2019

   Added 'Competition and Markets Authority' contact to the devolution coordinator contact details section.

6. 24 April 2019

   Added Food Standards Agency to 'Devolution coordinator contact details' section.

7. 14 March 2019

   Updated section 2 of attachment.

8. 8 March 2019

   Updated contact details for Ministry of Defence devolution contact.

9. 4 March 2019

   Updated devolution coordinator contact details.

10. 4 February 2019

    Updated attachment.

11. 17 April 2018

    Contact updated

12. 11 April 2018

    Updated the guidance

13. 9 March 2017

    Updated contact details

14. 29 July 2015

    First published.