Coroner Says Treasury's Handling of Allegations Contributed to Young Assistant's Suicide

During a Surrey Coroner's Court hearing, evidence showed that Chloe Moffat, a 26-year-old personal assistant to a Treasury director, was confronted with unproven allegations of sharing sensitive information during a routine one-to-one meeting that also included a senior manager. The Treasury failed to use its written disciplinary policy, which would have clarified that the likely outcome, if the accusations were proven, would be a written warning rather than dismissal.

Shocked and told she might be sacked, Moffat was allowed to leave work early, contacted a friend, and later stayed with her parents before ending her life the next day. Assistant coroner Anna Crawford highlighted the practice of fact-finding meetings as a concern and announced a Prevention of Future Deaths report to the Treasury, the head of the civil service and Acas. Moffat's family called for reforms to protect employee welfare, while the Treasury said it was reviewing the findings and had already introduced improvements to guidance and wellbeing support.