The Civil Service Fast Stream received a record 72,691 applications in 2025, an achievement worth celebrating. Attracting the most talented individuals not only strengthens the government’s ability to deliver, reform and improve public services, it also offers participants unrivalled development and career opportunities.
But this success was far from guaranteed. Only three years ago, the then-government sought to freeze Fast Stream recruitment – an incredibly short-sighted decision which was reversed following pressure from the FDA and others. As a result, just 26,899 people applied in 2023. In this context, the Cabinet Office cannot be complacent about future success.
Pay has improved but remains behind peers
Public service is a vocation, but people have bills to pay and the turnaround in application numbers (from near-nadir levels in 2023 to record numbers in 2025) was undoubtedly affected by pay. In 2023, the FDA secured a pay deal worth as much as 22.5% over two years and the 2025-26 pay deal builds on this progress. Indeed, as of today, a London-based first year fast steamer is paid £34,078 versus £28,840 in 2023.
Nonetheless, Fast Streamer pay continues to lag behind that of higher executive officers and senior executive officers – roles considered equivalent to Fast Stream postings, which is causing retention issues. Ultimately, the Fast Stream doesn’t struggle with getting people through the door – the challenge is keeping them.
Our own data, collected from a survey of almost 800 fast streamers, found that 64% of respondents were dissatisfied with their pay and that over 50% would consider leaving the scheme early – with 84.5% citing pay as a key factor. But our most striking finding was that 57% stated that, if they left the scheme early, they would be most likely to leave the civil service altogether or take up a HEO or SEO role.
Many fast streamers complete their first year, understand the civil service grading system, and conclude that the immediate pay rise from becoming an SEO is better than staying on the scheme and becoming a Grade 7 in two years’ time. Often, they calculate they could reach Grade 7 within a similar timeframe – although this is less certain than if they were to complete the Fast Stream.
This is obviously a dysfunctional situation. People checking out early to take a better-paid SEO role means they are not necessarily gaining the broad range of experiences, or entering the leadership positions, that the Fast Stream is designed to deliver.
These findings are echoed by the Institute for Government’s report: How to reform the Civil Service Fast Stream. It found that too many Fast Streamers leave the scheme early, with 36% of former fast streamers moving to another post within the civil service. The report calls for Fast Stream pay to be aligned with HEOs and SEOs, to remove the financial incentive to exit – something the FDA has long championed.
Structure and certainty
But pay is not the only cause of retention issues – uncertainty with offboarding also plays a role.
Currently, there are a myriad of Fast Stream schemes (e.g. digital, policy, cyber security), but there is no guarantee that a fast streamer will get a Grade 7 role within a relevant profession. This lack of certainty makes early exit attractive, as directly applying for civil service jobs gives individuals greater control over location and profession.
Clearly, while it is impossible to promise hundreds of fast streamers bespoke roles, it is a reasonable expectation that they should be offboarded into roles linked to their specialism. This would help retain expertise and reassure participants that the scheme is a reliable route to the career they want.
Looking ahead
The Fast Stream is one of the country’s most prestigious talent development programmes and the surge in applications in 2025 reflects the hard work of those designing and promoting it. But the real challenge lies in retention, not attraction. Low pay and structural uncertainty mean too many talented individuals leave early, undermining the programme’s purpose of developing future civil service leaders.
The FDA will continue working with the Cabinet Office to address these issues. Ultimately, with competitive pay and clearer career pathways, the Fast Stream can recruit and retain talented individuals. That can only improve the delivery of public services.
Robert Eagleton is the FDA union's national officer for the Fast Stream