Simon RidleySecond Permanent Secretary

Simon Ridley is the Second Permanent Secretary for the Home Office leading on all Migration and Borders issues and systems.

Simon began his career at HM Treasury where he held various roles, predominantly focused on public spending and economic reform. He moved on to hold a number of roles in and connected to the department for local government, including Director of Local Government Finance, Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate, and DG Decentralisation and Growth.

He then became DG Future Economic Partnership with the EU at DEXEU and then DG Withdrawal Agreement in the Transition Taskforce, before leading the Government's response to the pandemic as Head of the Cabinet Office Covid Taskforce.

Lately he was head of the joint DLUHC / Home Office Ukraine Humanitarian Taskforce before moving to his current role in April 2023.