The British Cabinet in 1981
| January 1, 1981 | January 5, 1981 | September 14, 1981 | |
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher | Margaret Thatcher | Margaret Thatcher |
| Foreign Secretary | Lord Carrington | Lord Carrington | Lord Carrington |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | Sir Geoffrey Howe | Sir Geoffrey Howe | Sir Geoffrey Howe |
| Lord Chancellor | Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone | Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone | Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone |
| Home Secretary | William Whitelaw | William Whitelaw | William Whitelaw |
| Secretary of State for Health and Social Security | Patrick Jenkin | Patrick Jenkin | Norman Fowler |
| Secretary of State for Defence | Francis Pym | John Nott | John Nott |
| Secretary of State for Scotland | George Younger | George Younger | George Younger |
| Secretary of State for Employment | James Prior | James Prior | Norman Tebbit |
| Secretary of State for Education and Science | Mark Carlisle | Mark Carlisle | Sir Keith Joseph |
| Secretary of State for Wales | Nicholas Edwards | Nicholas Edwards | Nicholas Edwards |
| Secretary of State for Trade | John Nott | John Biffen | John Biffen |
| Secretary of State for Industry | Sir Keith Joseph | Sir Keith Joseph | Patrick Jenkin |
| Secretary of State for the Environment | Michael Heseltine | Michael Heseltine | Michael Heseltine |
| Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Humphrey Atkins | Humphrey Atkins | James Prior |
| Secretary of State for Energy | David Howell | David Howell | Nigel Lawson |
| Paymaster-General | Angus Maude | Francis Pym | Cecil Parkinson |
| Chief Secretary to the Treasury | John Biffen | Leon Brittan | Leon Brittan |
| Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons | Lord Soames | Lord Soames | Francis Pym |
| Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords | Sir Ian Gilmour | Sir Ian Gilmour | Humphrey Atkins |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Norman St John-Stevas | Francis Pym | Francis Pym |
| Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food | Peter Walker | Peter Walker | Peter Walker |
| Minister for the Arts | Norman St John-Stevas | Paul Channon | Paul Channon |
