Special adviser (United Kingdom)

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This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (April 2024)

A special adviser^[1] is a temporary civil servant who advises and assists UK government ministers^[2] or ministers in the Scottish and Welsh devolved governments.^[3] They differ from impartial civil servants in that they are political appointees.^[2]

Special advisers are paid by the government and appointed under Section 15 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. There are four pay bands for special advisers.^[4]