Several Whitehall officials, including advisers in No. 10 Downing Street, support an idea to fold the Brexit department into a souped-up Foreign Office (FCO) immediately after Brexit | Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images
The government is considering abolishing the Department for Exiting the European Union ( uk ) after the UK 's departure date of 29 march 2019 . The department , headed by David minister , was established by the prime minister , Theresa May , shortly after the EU referendum in 2016 to handle Brexit negotiations . Senior ministerial ministers are reported to be concerned that keeping it in place after the UK officially leaves would send the wrong signal to voters , and have suggested it could be absorbed into an enlarged Foreign Office . Alternatively DExEU will simply be renamed while it continues negotiating with the EU post - Brexit .