National Security Adviser (United Kingdom)


The National Security Adviser is a senior official in the Cabinet Office, based in Whitehall who serves as the chief adviser to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Cabinet of the United Kingdom on national security issues. The NSA post was created in May 2010 as part of the reforms that also saw the creation of the National Security Council. There have been four holders of the office to date, of whom two served more than two years in the post.
The NSA is secretary to the National Security Council, which is chaired by the Prime Minister, and head of National Security and Intelligence, which is part of the Cabinet Office. The NSA will also advise Secretaries of State and other government ministers on issues of national security when necessary. The NSA was the Senior Responsible Officer for the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, with a budget of over £1 billion. This role has been passed to the Deputy National Security Adviser.
The first National Security Adviser of the United Kingdom was Sir Peter Ricketts, who was previously Permanent Secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee. He handed over to Sir Kim Darroch in January 2012. On 7 July 2015, it was announced that Sir Mark Lyall Grant would replace Darroch as National Security Adviser in early September 2015. Mark Sedwill assumed the role in April 2017.
It was announced in June 2020 that Mark Sedwill will step down from his role as NSA in September, and that current chief Brexit negotiator, David Frost, will take over.
The NSA is supported by at least two Deputy National Security Advisers.

List of National Security Advisers