PERM-SEC (United Kingdom) vs GS-12 (United States)
Permanent Secretary — Permanent Head of a ministerial department. Tier set centrally by the Cabinet Secretary; pay above the published ceiling requires Chief Secretary to the Treasury approval.
Senior specialist and first-line supervisor level. Most common grade for experienced federal professionals.
How they compare
A PERM-SEC in the United Kingdom federal civil service earns between £174,000 and £208,100 per year at base rates, while a GS-12 in the United States federal civil service earns between $76,463 and $99,404. Both figures are annual base in each country’s currency, before locality adjustments, allowances, or bonuses.
Responsibilities at these grades are not directly comparable — each country’s civil service uses its own classification framework. See the linked authoritative sources for role scoping.