u/Chance_Bluejay5117

I have a 6 months loan on double promotion and also a permanent role in my current grade. The promotion gets me back to my specialism pre civil service but the lateral move is FLM same as my current role.

I cannot stress how much hate I have for my current job. I appreciate myblife could be worse if I have a different manager but I am in a toxic work enviroment and been trying to leave.

I have 2 merit lists in the double promotion as well but as we know they may run out without an offer.

I dont want the permanent role to go without a start date for the loan but the loan requires a CTC dunno how long it will take.

What should I do?

Advice please.

Hi all, looking for some advice from anyone familiar with Civil Service loans/internal moves.

I am currently a civil servant in DWP, based in the midlands. I recently secured a permanent internal move to another DWP role in Manchester, with a confirmed start date in September. It was a multiple-vacancy internal campaign and the onboarding/training period is around 4 weeks.

I have now also received a provisional offer for a 6-month SEO loan role in another government department, based in Leeds. When I originally applied for the loan, my current manager was aware and approved it. However, my circumstances have since changed because I now have the permanent Manchester role lined up.

I do not want to give up the permanent DWP role. My main concern is making sure Manchester becomes my substantive return base, rather than taking the loan and then being expected to return to my current midlands role afterwards.

My current manager is on leave and I have not yet spoken properly with the new Manchester manager. I understand from internal guidance that release for a loan may need senior approval, potentially G7 and/or HR Business Partner sign-off.

My ideal proposal would be:

• start the permanent DWP role in Manchester as planned;
• complete the 4-week onboarding/training;
• then, subject to formal release and loan agreement, start the 6-month SEO loan around 8 weeks from now;
• return to the Manchester DWP role at the end of the loan.

The host department role is advertised as fixed term externally, but for existing civil servants it says it must be taken as a loan, so I do not think simply taking it as a fixed-term appointment is an option without risking my substantive Civil Service position.

Has anyone seen this kind of situation before? Is it realistic to ask for the Manchester role to become/remain my substantive post before being released on loan? And who is usually the right person to push this through — current manager, new manager, vacancy holder, G7, HRBP, or recruitment?

I am not trying to bypass the process or give up my permanent role. I am just trying to understand the cleanest way to handle the loan, release and return-base position properly.