The grieving parents of Treasury employee Chloe Moffat have demanded answers after a coroner found that the department “materially contributed” to their daughter’s death by failing to follow its own policies.
Chloe, 26, took her own life on May 20 last year, one day after she was unexpectedly called into a disciplinary meeting and accused of sharing confidential information about colleagues — allegations she denied.
Her parents, Anne and David Moffat, have since questioned why their daughter was confronted with the allegations without being given adequate reassurance or support, particularly when her managers were unlikely to dismiss her.
‘Why ambush her with a meeting like this?’
Chloe worked as a personal assistant at the Treasury and was described as someone who “loved her job” and had an “exemplary employment record.”
On May 19, she was given only five minutes’ notice before being called into a meeting with senior managers.
During the meeting, she was told that two colleagues had alleged she had disclosed confidential information concerning other employees.
Chloe denied the accusations.
Her mother questioned why the allegations had not first been assessed to determine whether they were credible, consistent with Chloe’s character or potentially malicious.
“When her line manager heard them, she said they didn’t sound like the Chloe she knew,” Anne said.
“So why ambush her with a meeting like this without checking if they were vexatious, unfounded or simply not true?”
When Chloe asked whether she was going to lose her job, a senior manager told her they “could not predict the outcome at this stage.”
Following the meeting, Chloe temporarily lost access to her director’s email inbox and diary. She was also advised not to discuss the allegations or potential investigation with colleagues.
Chloe believed she was going to be fired
The events left Chloe deeply distressed.
One friend received a text from her that same day saying: “I am going to be fired.”
The friend later met Chloe in central London, where she reportedly “broke down crying” and was visibly distressed by what had happened.
Chloe also spoke with her mother, telling her that she believed she would not be able to return to her role even if she kept her job because she no longer knew who she could trust.
After speaking with her father, Chloe agreed to stay at the family home in Surrey. They even discussed taking a weekend trip to Oxford.
But the following morning, David tragically found his daughter’s body. A coroner subsequently ruled that she had died by suicide.
David said his daughter had become so overwhelmed by the situation that, in her eyes, “her life was destroyed.”
He described what happened as “unforgivable” and questioned why the Treasury had not taken greater responsibility.
Parents questioned the seriousness of the allegations
After Chloe’s death, her parents sought to understand exactly what had prompted the disciplinary meeting.
When they eventually saw the allegations, David said they were shocked by how minor they appeared.
“Was that it?” he recalled thinking.
According to David, Chloe’s colleagues described the accusations as “nothing more than office gossip.”
He questioned why Chloe had not been reassured that the allegations were not as serious as she feared.
The family has continued to seek answers over how the situation was handled and whether Chloe could have been better supported.
Coroner found Treasury had contributed to her death
Earlier this month, Assistant Coroner Anna Crawford found that HM Treasury had “materially contributed” to Chloe’s death after failing to follow its own procedures.
She said the evidence showed a clear sequence of events leading from the disciplinary process to Chloe becoming increasingly devastated and isolated.
“Had Chloe been properly supported and advised of her rights before the meeting, she would not have been so devastated and isolated,” Crawford told Surrey Coroners’ Court.
The assistant coroner said she would issue a prevention of future deaths report to HM Treasury, the head of the civil service and Acas.
Chloe’s father said he did not believe the Treasury had yet fully accepted responsibility for what happened. However, permanent secretary James Bowler has agreed to meet with the family in September.
Treasury says changes have been introduced
A Treasury spokesperson expressed sympathy to Chloe’s family and said the department continued to mourn her death.
The department said it was taking the concerns seriously and was carefully considering the coroner’s findings.
It also said improvements had been made to its guidance, support and wellbeing arrangements, while acknowledging that further action was needed to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again.
