The move is projected to bring £729 million worth of economic benefit to the 13 growth areas by 2030.

This initiative will see 12,000 jobs, including 50% of senior roles and Fast Streamers (UK Government’s fast-track graduate scheme) moved out of London, offering viable career paths from school leavers up to permanent secretaries in cities across the UK.

The relocation will also involve secondment opportunities between central and local government, contributing to a more integrated public service.

The establishment of a new hub in Cardiff is part of a UK Government strategy to exit from 11 buildings in London, saving £94 million and potentially involving 12,000 roles in total.

Cardiff is the only hub in Wales, joining Belfast, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol, Sheffield, Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, Greater Manchester, Darlington and York.

Currently, 9,230 civil service roles are based in Cardiff. More than 31,500 full time equivalent roles are based in Wales, with 14 major Government departments having a presence in the nation. Thousands more government jobs will now be moved to the 13 towns and cities across the UK.

Cardiff Council Leader, Cllr Huw Thomas, said: "This is a significant milestone for Cardiff and a testament to the long-term efforts we have put into preparing the ground for such opportunities. The new Civil Service hub will not only bring high-quality jobs to our city. It will also strengthen our position as a key player in the UK's public sector landscape. This could put real momentum into the Atlantic Wharf Office Campus, Central Square and Central Quay as top-class office locations attracting further investment."

Cabinet Member for Investment and Development, Cllr Russell Goodway, added: "I’m delighted to welcome the Civil Service hub to Cardiff. This move aligns perfectly with our economic development strategy, which has focused on creating a vibrant job market and fostering strong connections between local and central government. The career paths highlighted mirror our proposals presented at the recent civil service conference, which we called pathways. The hub will provide excellent career opportunities for our residents and contribute to the overall growth and prosperity of Cardiff. It also vindicates the focus we’ve put on the "More and Different "Civil Service programme in recent years where we have been able to highlight the new skills required by the civil service like Cyber, Fintech, and AI which can be met in Cardiff through the pathways created here to access and develop skills.”

Cardiff Council has been actively working to attract government jobs to the city, including the successful relocation of HMRC regional centre in Cardiff, located at Central Square. That saw around 4,000 employees, moved from various smaller offices into a single, state-of-the-art facility, improving efficiency and providing better services to the public.

The More and Different programme has been a key part of Cardiff Council's strategy to diversify and modernise the economy.

 Cardiff Council's economic development team has also been instrumental in several other successes, including:

• Metro Central Project: Secured in-principle funding through City Deal funding, with the potential to support up to 30,000 additional jobs  

• Cardiff Hendre Lakes/Parkway: A significant contribution to the regeneration of east Cardiff by bringing connectivity, jobs, and investment to the region  

• Atlantic Wharf Regeneration: Accelerating the regeneration of Cardiff Bay, building a new Arena and bringing more jobs and visitors to the city.