Department for Transport permanent secretary Jo Shanmugalingam, newly-appointed ambassador to the US Christian Turner and UK permanent representative to the United Nations in New York Barbara Woodward are among the officials saluted in the latest New Year Honours.
Well over 100 civil servants and diplomats are included in the 2026 New Year Honours – as part of a wider cohort of more than 1,200 recipients on the domestic and overseas lists.
Woodward has led the UK Mission’s work at the UN since 2020. Prior to that she was ambassador to the People’s Republic of China. Already a Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, her latest honour elevates her to Dame Grand Cross of the order – and is the single highest accolade awarded to an official in the current batch.
Turner, who was announced as prime minister Sir Kier Starmer’s choice as the UK’s next permanent ambassador to the US last month – in the wake of Peter Mandelson’s sacking, gets a knighthood.
Being made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George recognises Turner’s service in advancing UK foreign policy and international relations “during some of the most challenging global events in recent years”.
Turner most recently served as director general for geopolitics and political director at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. He is also a former deputy national security adviser and a past high commissioner to Pakistan.
Simon Manley, former UK permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, is also made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, in recognition of his “outstanding 35-year diplomatic career”.
DfT perm sec Shanmugalingam is one eight officials made a Companion of the Order of the Bath – or CB for short. It is an honour just one level below that of a dame or knight in the category, which specifically recognises government officials and military leaders.
The honour crowns a year in which Shanmugalingam landed her first role as top departmental official, following the retirement of Dame Bernadette Kelly.
Shanmugalingam’s fellow CB recipients include Department for Work and Pensions directors general Sophie Dean and Katherine Green; Colum Boyle, permanent secretary of Northern Ireland’s Department for Communities; and Daljit Singh Rehal, chief digital information officer at HM Revenue and Customs.
Elsewhere in the honours, former Government Communication Service chief executive Simon Baugh is made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of his comms work.
Dan Corry, who was head of the No.10 Policy Unit under prime minister Gordon Brown and who recently led an independent review into the regulatory landscape overseen by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, is made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Former minister Anneliese Dodds, who resigned from the government last year over planned cuts to the foreign aid budget, is made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for political and parliamentary services.
Outside of government and politics, actor and activist Idris Elba has been given a knighthood for services to young people. Olympic gold-medal-winning ice skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean are made a dame and a knight respectively for services to ice skating and voluntary service.
Here is the full list of civil servants in the 2026 New Year Honours
Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Dame Barbara Woodward DCMG OBE. UK permanent representative to the United Nations, UK Mission to the United Nations, New York. For services to British foreign policy
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Simon Manley CMG, UK permanent representative to the United Nations, Geneva. For services to British foreign policy
- Dr Christian Turner CMG, lately director general, geopolitics, and political director, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Companion of the Order of the Bath
- Colum Boyle, permanent secretary, Department for Communities, Northern Ireland Civil Service. For public service
- Dr Richard William John Clarke, director general, Public Safety Group, Home Office. For public service
- Sophie Dean, director general, Department for Work and Pensions. For public service
- Katherine Green, director general, Department for Work and Pensions. For public service
- Nicholas Joyce, director general, Corporate Delivery Group, Department for Transport. For services to transport
- Daljit Singh Rehal, chief digital information officer, HM Revenue and Customs. For services to technology and to public service
- Andrew Charles Scott, second parliamentary counsel, Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, Cabinet Office. For services to government and the legislative process
- Joanna Elizabeth Clare Shanmugalingam. Lately second permanent secretary, Department for Transport. For services to transport and innovation
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Ronald William Armour, interim permanent secretary, Department of Education, Northern Ireland Civil Service. For public service
- Dr Edward James Baker, chair, Health Services Safety Investigations Body. For services to healthcare
- Simon Matthew Baugh, director general, Government Communication Service, Cabinet Office. For services to government communications
- James Alexander Fogg, programme director, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Catherine Francis, director of new towns, infrastructure and housing delivery, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. For public service
- Sarah Elizabeth Gawley, lately director, fire, resilience and major events, Home Office. For services to public protection
- Thomas George William Greig, director, passports, citizenship and civil registration and registrar general for England and Wales. For public service
- Prof Gideon Mark Henderson, professor of earth sciences, University of Oxford and lately chief scientific adviser, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. For services to science
- Edward George Holder, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence Shazia Hussain, director of children's social care, Department for Education. For services to children and families
- Rupesh Mohan Mehta, lately director, planning, Department for Transport. For services to transport planning
- Prof Jennifer Kateman Rubin, chief scientific adviser and director general, Home Office. For services to science and analysis
- Prof Sarah Catherine Sharples FREng, lately chief scientific adviser, Department for Transport. For services to transportation, to manufacturing research and to equality, diversity and inclusion
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
- Olukemi Helen Ademola, quality assurance performance specialist, Department for Work and Pensions. For public service
- Jeffrey David Asser, assistant director, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. For services to the North Sea transition
- Debbie Elizabeth Bartlett, lately deputy director, protect and prepare, Home Office. For public service
- Allison Elizabeth Booth, deputy director, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to national security
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Senay Bulbul, political counsellor, British Embassy Washington, United States of America. For services to British foreign policy
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Robbie Bulloch, lately director Gibraltar negotiations, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to Gibraltar negotiations with the European Commission and Spain
- Sarah Jane Burton, head of detention Progression Returns Command, Home Office. For public service
- Elizabeth Pamela Checkley, deputy director for Legal Aid, Policy Group, Ministry of Justice. For services to access to iustice
- Teresa Clay, head of local government and fire pensions, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. For public service
- Carol Ann Copstick, head of inspection, Education Scotland. For services to education
- Daniel Richard Corry, lately Lead, independent review of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regulatory landscape. For public service
- Nadine Jane Davies, group Director for Wales and the Marches, Department for Work and Pensions. For public service
- Samantha De Souza (Samantha Dowling), programme director, economic crime and cyber crime research and analysis, Home Office. For public service
- Nicholas Paul David Fowler, head of central resilience command, Home Office. For services to the protection of children
- John Edward Gormley, lately governor HM Prison The Mount, HM Prison and Probation Service. For public service
- Simon Grunwell, deputy director, Covert Operations Digital Exploitation. For public service
- Charlotte Hodges, principal forensic psychologist, HM Prison Isle of Wight, HM Prison and Probation Service. For services to rehabilitation in a prison setting
- Louise Holliday, deputy director, Home Office. For services to national security
- Joe William Homshaw, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Catherine Inglehearn MBE, British ambassador to Niger. For services to British foreign policy
- Helen Jacklin, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Dr Wyn Gwilym Jones, prison director and governor, HM Prison Fosse Way, HM Prison and Probation Service. For public service
- Colette Marion Kane, director, Northern Ireland Audit Office and Local Government Auditor. For services to the Northern Ireland Audit Office
- Stephen John Kerr, director, social security, the Scottish Government. For services to public service reform
- Sarah Lee, deputy director, education, employment and skills, HM Prison and Probation Service. For public service
- John Kingsley Maiden, deputy head operational spending, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Nicola Marfleet, lately governing governor, HM Prison Woodhill, HM Prison and Probation Service. For public service
- Jayne Louise McCann, deputy director, participation, Department for Business and Trade. For services to employment rights
- Alison McEwen, lately British deputy consul general, British Consulate-General Jerusalem. For services to British foreign policy
- Aled Miles, Welsh Government envoy to the United States of America. For services to the economy and the promotion of the Welsh technology sector
- Samantha Molyneux, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- James Anthony Nichols, deputy head of centre, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Richard Michael Nixon, team leader, Operations Directorate, Defence Equipment and Support. For services to defence
- Phillip Alexander Patterson, lately sector specialist, Department for Business and Trade. For services to export and to the music industry
- Charlotte Pierre, lately British high commissioner to Mauritius. For services to British foreign policy
- Robert Steven Razzell, lately chief financial officer, UK Government Investments. For services to public finance and to defence
- James Patrick Reville, lately community resilience manager, Community Resilience, Civil Contingencies Division, Scottish Government. For services to community resilience in Scotland
- Michael Robins, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Vivien Sanders, principal officer, Cabinet Office. For public service
- Narinder Kaur Shergill, security advisor, Serious Fraud Office. For services to the administration of justice
- Jeanette Margaret Smart, lately Development Officer, Food for Thought Education Fund, Education Scotland. For services to food and health education
- Francis Edwin Stuart, head of employee relations, HM Prison and Probation Service. For public service
- Katherine Amelia Stuart, team leader, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
- Richard James Grenville Turfitt, traffic commissioner, East of England and lately senior traffic commissioner. For services to road safety and justice
- Rory Wallacem, deputy director, steel sector, Department for Business and Trade. For services to the steel industry
- Gavin Webb, officer, National Crime Agency. For services to law enforcement
- Owen Huw Williams, team leader, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
- Thomas Woodlock, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence Team Leader, Ministry of Defence.
Members of the Order of the British Empire
- Paula Allerton, head of apprenticeships, HM Revenue and Customs. For services to apprenticeships
- Aimee Louise Anderson, project leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Rachel Askew-Sammut, head of corporate governance and strategy, Department for Business and Trade. For services to economic participation and equality of opportunity
- Maureen Berry, business analyst, HM Revenue and Customs. For services to inclusion
- Fiona Bloor, technical lead, geographical aspects of law of the sea, UK Hydrographic Office. For services to the law of the sea
- Paul Blundell, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Peter Charles Phillimore Boardman, effects analyst, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Stuart Carpenter, officer, National Crime Agency. For services to law enforcement
- Nicholas Michael Cawthra, policy adviser, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Hassan Chaabane, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Pauline Clarke, lately head, archive search, Information & Digital Directorate, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
- Carolyn Davidson, former British consul general, Osaka, Japan. For services to British foreign policy and British trade and investment
- Dean Mark Davies, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Donnalee Duffus Clayton, head of resourcing and people, Government Office for Science. For public service
- Nichola Claire Dugmore, unit welfare officer, Defence Serious Crime Command. For services to service police personnel
- William Thornley Edmunds, team leader, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to national security
- Prof Brian Angus Ferguson, public health strategic advisor, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Department of Health and Social Care. For services to public health research
- Harry Lubin Fitzgerald, team leader, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
- John Patrick Flatley, programme director, crime statistics production and analysis, Home Office. For public service
- Herbert Fryer, officer, National Crime Agency. For services to law enforcement
- Claudia Garland, lately first secretary, counterterrorism and strategic threats, British Embassy Washington, United States of America. For services to British foreign policy and national security
- Alison Gilchrist, enforcement officer, Trading Standards Service, Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland Civil Service. For public service
- Iain Andrew Haggis, lately senior scientist, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Elizabeth Rose Hamilton, security guard, Stormont Castle. For public service
- Paul Hennessy, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Hazrat Islam, senior manager, regions and providers directorate, Department for Education. For services to further education
- Steven Kidd, head of operational engagement, Home Office. For services to law enforcement
- Susan Lane, head of business management, programmes and directors private offices, HM Revenue and Customs. For charitable, voluntary and public service
- Kenneth Hamilton Lawton, disability services advocacy manager, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to vulnerable families and to the veteran community
- Gavin Thomas Mann, data lead for retirement services, Department for Work and Pensions. For public Service
- Tracey Claire Maund, team leader, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to national security
- Michael McDonnell, director, Road Safety Scotland. For services to road safety in Scotland
- Iain McInnes, officer, National Crime Agency. For services to law enforcement
- Sandra Jean McNeish, policy advisor, Department for Business and Trade. For services to consumer protection and to industry
- Sebastian Alexander McVicker-Orringe, portfolio lead, risk and intelligence service, HM Revenue and Customs. For services to tackling offshore tax noncompliance
- Christina Kim Miller, former head of UK Research Office, Brussels, Belgium. For services to UK foreign policy
- Beverley Gail Morris, rapid response co-ordinator, Department for Work and Pensions. For public service
- Patricia Moss, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Fiona Nicolson, lately officer, National Crime Agency. For services to law enforcement
- Dr Kevin Mark Palmer, deputy director professional learning, pedagogy and leadership, Welsh Government. For services to education
- Kim Marcelle Quaintrell, head of reducing reoffending, HM Prison Winchester, HM Prison and Probation Service. For public service
- George Rankin, lately officer, National Crime Agency. For services to Law Enforcement
- James John Reed, team leader, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to national security
- Caroline Amanda Rye, team leader, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
- Julian Anthony Trevor Smith, corporate lead, Home Office. For public service
- William Frank Gourlay Strang, lately deputy director, Europe Division, Scottish Government. For services to Intercultural dialogue and interfaith relations
- Kerry Ann Alice Tear,safer prisons death in custody liasion administrator, HM Prison Littlehey, HM Prison and Probation Service. For services to care and wellbeing
- Terry David Thatcher, geospatial specialist, submarine operations and Support, UK Hydrographic Office. For services to defence
- Alan Tully, asistant director, HM Revenue and Customs. For services to Law enforcement and combatting fiscal fraud
- Dr Angeline Turner, Iraq senior principal research analyst, Analysis Directorate, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
- Dr Julia Elvira Caroline Wanda Verne, lately head of health and social care epidemiology, Department of Health and Social Care. For services to end of life care and public health
- Andrew Watts, senior detentions adviser, Counter-Terrorism Department, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to national security
- Matthew Willmore, lately regional counter-terrorism officer for Central Asia, British Embassy Tashkent, Uzbekistan. For services to counter terrorism in Central Asia
Medallists of the Order of the British Empire
- Jordyn Aiden Jones Bond, senior scientist, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
- Alexander Canham, former head, corporate services and British consul, British Embassy Tehran, Iran. For services to British foreign policy
- Lee-Anne Chapman, senior marketing manager, the Scottish Government. For services to autistic people living in Scotland
- Peter David Clark, head of 16-19 funding and financial support policy, Department for Education. For services to further education
- Lee Edgar Davidson, desk officer, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
- Julie Fitzpatrick, project manager, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to local and national cancer care
- Clare Goodall, lately diary secretary to the British high commissioner to Pakistan. For services to British foreign policy
- Mary Hampson, lately Probation Service officer, Probation Board for Northern Ireland. For services to community safety
- Charlotte Anne Luckett, principal surveyor, Valuation Office Agency. For public service and to charity
- Prof David Campbell James Main, lately chair, Animals in Science Committee, Home Office. For services to animal welfare
- Jonathan McNee, senior marine officer, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Northern Ireland). For voluntary service to military aviation archaeology in Northern Ireland
- Susan Lynne Raymond, interview manager, Office for National Statistics. For services to statistics
- Jonathan Ross Tear, head of public body reviews, Department for Transport. For services to diversity and inclusion, and to charity
- Darren Wallace, clerk of works, Tenax, British Embassy Djibouti. For services to UK overseas infrastructure projects