FDA (trade union)

What FDA (trade union) does

The FDA is a UK trade union representing more than 26,000 senior managers and professionals working in the civil service and wider public sector. Founded over 100 years ago and headquartered in London, with regional offices in Cardiff and Edinburgh, the union holds formal recognition agreements at over 200 employers including HMRC, the Cabinet Office, FCDO, Ofsted, the Public and Commercial Services Union group, the Welsh Government, and the Northern Ireland Civil Service. It is the only recognized union for Fast Streamers and CPS lawyers, and secured recognition for special advisers in 2026.

The union's product surface combines workplace representation with a digital member-services platform. Core offerings include the Member Portal, FDA On (member engagement platform), PSDMS, FDA Networks (sector-specific peer groups including overseas FCDO staff), and the FDA Learn professional development programme, which delivers more than 250 courses annually to over 8,000 learners. Member benefits extend to FDA Portfolio (commercial discounts), the Alpha Pension Calculator, Into Leadership conferences, and partner-provided services (Slater and Gordon legal support, Total Events, IDR). In 2026 the union co-signed a Partnership Framework Agreement with the Cabinet Office, jointly with Prospect Union, and published the 'Adopt, Innovate, Transform' AI policy report.

FDA operates as a private, non-profit organization with 11-50 staff, funded entirely through monthly membership subscriptions set on a salary-banded scale. Pricing tiers include Grade 7+ at up to £33.75/month, lower bands for HEO/SEO equivalents, free initial membership transitioning to £12/month for Fast Streamers, and a £3.99/month associate tier. Ancillary revenue is generated through partner commissions (e.g., legal services, events, pension calculators) and member discount programmes. Its go-to-market relies on employer-level recognition, in-person officer networks, devolved-nation offices, and digital member channels.

Name

FDA (trade union)

Legal name

FDA Trade Union

Website

https://fda.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The FDA is a UK trade union representing more than 26,000 senior managers and professionals across the civil service and wider public sector, providing workplace representation, collective bargaining, professional development, and member services through subscription-funded recognition at 200+ employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: The FDA generates revenue exclusively through monthly membership subscription fees collected from civil servants and public sector professionals. Subscriptions are charged on a sliding scale based on salary grade and are collected one month in arrears. There are distinct pricing tiers for Grade 7 and above (salary-banded), HEO/SEO and equivalent (hours-based), Fast Stream members (free for first 6 months then £12/month), and associate members (£3.99/month).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The FDA is a trade union for senior civil servants and public sector professionals in the UK. Its core offerings are collective bargaining on pay and conditions, individual workplace representation and casework, legal advice, professional development training through FDA Learn, mentoring under PSDMS, and member benefits such as discounts via FDA Portfolio and pension support through the Alpha Pension Calculator.

Product overview

The FDA is a trade union representing professionals and managers in UK public service, operating from HEO grades through to Senior Civil Service. The union's offering consists of its core Members' Portal platform supplemented by multiple service modules: FDA Learn provides professional training and development with over 250 courses annually; FDA Portfolio delivers member discounts and financial/legal services; FDA On serves as an organizing network for workplace activists; various professional Networks connect members across disciplines; and specialized tools like the Alpha Pension Calculator support members. The union also offers individual representation, collective bargaining, and career development through the Public Sector Development and Mentoring Scheme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FDA Learn
• FDA Portfolio
• PSDMS (Public Sector Development and Mentoring Scheme)
• FDA On
• FDA Networks
• Alpha Pension Calculator
• Into Leadership conferences
• FDA Members' Portal
• Individual workplace representation and legal advice
• Collective bargaining service

Quantifiable outcome

• FDA won pay rises of up to 22.5% for Fast Streamers in 2023 – the biggest uplift in the scheme's history.
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Cabinet OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026The FDA signed a Partnership Framework with the Cabinet Office alongside Prospect and the Prison Officers' Association. The framework commits both sides to co-creating solutions to challenges facing the UK civil service, enhancing FDA influence over decisions affecting members and improving their working lives and public services. Launched by Satvir Kaur MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office.
• Prospect UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDA and Prospect jointly campaigned for an independent pay review body for delegated grades, commissioned research with Incomes Data Research (IDR), and co-signed the Partnership Framework with the Cabinet Office. Both unions also called together for party leaders to commit to action on precautionary exclusion at Westminster.
• Slater and GordoncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFDA has partnered with Slater and Gordon law firm to provide independent legal advice to members (will writing, estate planning, legal helpline, accident helpline, family law) and to run the FDA Personal Injury Compensation Scheme, which offers free legal support to members who have suffered personal injury due to third-party negligence.
• Total Events (formerly Dods Events)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDA partners with Total Events to host professional development conferences including Women into Leadership and Ethnic Minorities into Leadership. These events are held across the UK and feature speeches, workshops, and networking opportunities. FDA members receive significantly discounted tickets.
• Incomes Data Research (IDR)secondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe FDA commissioned research alongside Prospect with Incomes Data Research (IDR) to analyse pay review bodies across the public sector and understand how they work and their effectiveness, as part of the campaign for an independent pay review body for delegated grades.
• Transport for WalessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe FDA and other trade unions signed a partnership agreement with Transport for Wales, representing workers in the Welsh transport sector.
• Wales Union Learning FundsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerThe FDA receives funding from the Wales Union Learning Fund, which supports the union's focus on the fair work agenda in Wales and increasing diversity of access to senior roles at Welsh Government and Welsh sponsored bodies.
• Capita (Civil Service Pension Scheme Administrator)minorOthersCapita took over administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme from MyCSP. The FDA is actively holding Capita to account for service levels and has been working to ensure members receive support following issues with the transfer. £9.9 million was withheld from Capita due to their failures.
• Managers in Partnership (MiP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe FDA, in partnership with Unison, founded Managers in Partnership (MiP), a joint venture to represent and support managers working in health or care organisations. The FDA also maintains representation on the Civil Service Pensions Board, the Civil Service Pension Scheme Advisory Board, and the Joint Superannuation Committee with the Cabinet Office.
• Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerThe FDA takes a lead on pay for the Senior Civil Service through its yearly evidence to the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) and has submitted evidence to the National Crime Agency Remuneration Review Body (NCARRB) since 2016.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• UNISON: One of the UK's largest trade unions covering public services including health, local government, and utilities. UNISON co-founded Managers in Partnership (MiP) with the FDA and overlaps in NHS/health management and devolved public sector work, making it a broad incumbent rather than direct competitor.
• Unite the Union: The UK's largest trade union with private and public sector coverage. Unite is a broad incumbent — it competes with FDA only indirectly, mainly through overlapping devolved-government and public-body representation rather than core SCS/Fast Stream grades.
• GMB Union: Large UK general trade union with significant public-sector membership across local government and health. GMB is a broad incumbent that occasionally overlaps with FDA in devolved administrations and arms-length bodies but does not target Senior Civil Service grades.

Regional players

• British Medical Association (BMA): UK trade union and professional body representing doctors and medical students. BMA is comparable as a UK professional association/trade union offering collective bargaining, representation, and a content/training library — though it operates in a separate occupational vertical (healthcare rather than civil service).
• National Association of Probation Officers (NAPO): Smaller UK union representing probation officers and professionals in the justice system. NAPO is comparable in scale and function (public-sector professional representation, collective bargaining, individual casework) but operates in a distinct vertical.

Emerging players

• Managers in Partnership (MiP): Joint venture co-founded by FDA and UNISON to represent health and care managers. MiP is comparable because it is a subsidiary-like vehicle of the FDA focused on a specific sub-constituency (NHS/care managers), making it the most directly affiliated peer.

Direct peers

• Prospect Union: Direct peer representing specialists, managers, and professionals across the UK civil service and public sector. Prospect and FDA jointly campaign on delegated pay grades, co-signed the Cabinet Office Partnership Framework, and frequently co-petition the SSRB, making them the closest functional comparator.
• Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS): Direct peer representing UK civil servants, primarily in lower grades (below HEO) and operational roles. PCS and FDA share employer counterparties across the same government departments but cover largely non-overlapping grades, making them adjacent rather than head-to-head competitors in most workplaces.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FDA_union
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fdaunion7545
• Facebookfacebook.com/FDAUnion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fda-trade-union

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FDA (trade union)