Mom of 26-year-old woman who died by suicide after work disciplinary makes urgent plea

Anne Moffat is now urging HM Treasury to strengthen its disciplinary procedures. Among her recommendations are mandatory assessments of employees’ mental well-being during disciplinary processes and ensuring that cases involving allegations of serious misconduct are treated as formal from the beginning, with employees fully informed of their rights.

She said her family’s goal is to ensure meaningful changes are introduced so that others do not experience a similar loss.

“Our hope is that lessons will be learned. The risks must be recognised so no other family will experience a loss like this.”

During the hearing, Moffat’s senior manager recalled that she had asked whether she was going to lose her job.

According to the manager, the response was:

“I said I couldn’t predict any outcome of any potential investigation.”

Her line manager described Moffat as being visibly distressed during the meeting, telling the court she appeared shocked, overwhelmed, and broke down in tears.

The coroner questioned why Moffat had not been informed in advance about the allegations, asking whether any consideration had been given to allowing her time to prepare, seek support, or arrange representation.

A manager responded that advance notice had not been provided because it was believed it could cause unnecessary stress.

The court also heard evidence from one of Moffat’s friends, who received a text message from her shortly after the meeting that read:

“I am going to be fired.”

The friend later met Moffat in London’s St James’s Park, where she reportedly broke down crying as she struggled to process what had happened.

Following the inquest, a spokesperson for His Majesty’s Treasury confirmed that the department would amend its disciplinary procedures in response to Moffat’s death, with the aim of improving support for employees facing workplace investigations.