Dad of woman who took her own life says Treasury failed in its duty of care

The father of a civil service employee who died by suicide has voiced his profound disappointment, stating that the Treasury "beggars belief" in its failure to provide adequate support to his daughter. Chloe Moffat, 26, a personal assistant to a Treasury director, died on May 20 last year shortly after a meeting where she was confronted with allegations of sharing sensitive confidential information about colleagues, claims she vehemently denied.

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it will learn the lessons from this tragedy.

David Moffat told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he does not believe the Treasury has accepted responsibility for its role in his daughter's death. He described her loss as "devastating" and having "torn such a big hole in our lives." The Treasury has responded by stating that it "will learn the lessons from this tragedy."

Chloe had attended what she believed was a routine one-to-one meeting on May 19, 2025, only to find a more senior manager present. During the meeting, she was presented with allegations of sharing confidential information. David Moffat recounted that Chloe repeatedly asked if she would lose her job and if she could have a friend present for support, but both requests were denied.

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Even though she asked, they said they could not determine the outcome.

A coroner's inquest in August found that the Treasury had not followed its written disciplinary policy. This policy would have indicated that a proven allegation would likely result in a written warning, not dismissal. Chloe was locked out of her emails immediately after the meeting, an action David described as part of the "shock and awe" tactics used against her. The coroner concluded that the meeting "materially contributed" to Chloe's death, finding that "there wasn't any duty of care" shown to her, with "no safeguarding, there was no support during or after that meeting."

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That was all part of the shock and awe of it all for Chloe.

While the Moffat family is unsure if they will pursue further legal action, they are seeking "redress" and want to ensure that "lessons are learned" from Chloe's "unbearable loss." A Treasury spokesperson reiterated the department's "deepest sympathies" and confirmed their commitment to learning from the incident.

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there wasn't any duty of care shown to Chloe by the Treasury.