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Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

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United Kingdom
Secretary of State
for Work and Pensions
Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government
Incumbent
Liz Kendall
since 5 July 2024
Department for Work and Pensions
StyleWork and Pensions Secretary
(informal)
The Right Honourable
(within the UK and Commonwealth)
TypeMinister of the Crown
StatusSecretary of State
Member of
Reports toThe Prime Minister
SeatWestminster
NominatorThe Prime Minister
AppointerThe Monarch
(on the advice of the Prime Minister)
Term lengthAt His Majesty's Pleasure
Formation
  • 10 December 1916:
    (as Minister for Pensions)
  • 8 June 2001:
    (as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions)
First holderGeorge Barnes
(as Minister for Pensions)
DeputyMinister of State for Employment
Salary£159,038 per annum (2022)[1]
(including £86,584 MP salary)[2]
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The secretary of state for work and pensions, also referred to as the work and pensions secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the business of the Department for Work and Pensions.[3] The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom.

The office holder works alongside the other work and pensions ministers. The corresponding shadow minister is the shadow secretary of state for work and pensions and the shadow secretary of state for the future of work. The performance of the secretary of state is also scrutinised by the Work and Pensions Select Committee.

The office is currently held by Liz Kendall.

Responsibilities

[edit]

Corresponding to what is generally known as a labour minister in many other countries, the work and pensions secretary's remit includes:

History

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It was created on 8 June 2001 by the merger of the employment division of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security.[5]

The Ministry of Pensions was created in 1916 to handle the payment of war pensions to former members of the Armed Forces and their dependants. In 1944 a separate Ministry of National Insurance (titled the Ministry of Social Insurance until 17 November 1944) was formed; the two merged in 1953 as the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance.[5] In 1966 the Ministry was renamed the Ministry of Social Security, but this was short-lived, as the ministry merged with the Ministry of Health in 1968 to form the Department of Health and Social Security. Confusingly, the secretary of state responsible for this department was titled the Secretary of State for Social Services. The department was de-merged in 1988, creating the separate Department of Health and Department of Social Security.

List of ministers and secretaries of state

[edit]

Colour key (for political parties):
  Labour /   Conservative /   Liberal /   National Labour /   National Independent

Minister of Pensions (1916–1953)

[edit]
Main article: Ministry of Pensions § Ministers
Minister Term of office Political party Cabinet
George Nicoll Barnes 10 December 1916 17 August 1917 Labour Lloyd George
John Hodge 17 August 1917 10 January 1919 Labour
Laming Worthington-Evans 10 January 1919 2 April 1920 Conservative
Ian Macpherson 2 April 1920 19 October 1922 Liberal
George Tryon 31 October 1922 22 January 1924 Conservative Law
Baldwin I
Frederick Roberts 23 January 1924 3 November 1924 Labour MacDonald I
George Tryon 11 November 1924 4 June 1929 Conservative Baldwin II
Frederick Roberts 7 June 1929 24 August 1931 Labour MacDonald II
George Tryon 3 September 1931 18 June 1935 Conservative National I
National II
Robert Hudson 18 June 1935 30 July 1936 Conservative National III
Herwald Ramsbotham 30 July 1936 7 June 1939 Conservative
National IV
Walter Womersley 7 June 1939 26 July 1945 Conservative Chamberlain War
Churchill War
Churchill Caretaker
Wilfred Paling 3 August 1945 17 April 1947 Labour Attlee
John Burns Hynd 17 April 1947 7 October 1947 Labour
George Buchanan 7 October 1947 2 July 1948 Labour
Hilary Marquand 2 July 1948 17 January 1951 Labour
George Isaacs 17 January 1951 26 October 1951 Labour
Derick Heathcoat-Amory 5 November 1951 3 September 1953 Conservative Churchill III

Minister of Social Insurance/National Insurance (1944–1953)

[edit]
Minister Term of office Political party Cabinet
William Jowitt 8 October 1944 23 May 1945 Labour Churchill War
Leslie Hore-Belisha 25 May 1945 26 July 1945 National Independent Churchill Caretaker
Jim Griffiths 4 August 1945 28 February 1950 Labour Attlee
Edith Summerskill 28 February 1950 26 October 1951 Labour
Osbert Peake 31 October 1951 3 September 1953 Conservative Churchill III
Posts of Minister of Pensions and Minister of National Insurance merged in 1953.

Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1953–1966)

[edit]
Main article: Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance § Ministers
Minister Term of office Political party Cabinet
Osbert Peake 3 September 1953 20 December 1955 Conservative Churchill III
Eden
John Boyd-Carpenter 20 December 1955 16 July 1962 Conservative
Macmillan I
Macmillan II
Niall Macpherson 16 July 1962 21 October 1963 Conservative
Richard Wood 21 October 1963 16 October 1964 Conservative Douglas-Home
Margaret Herbison 18 October 1964 6 August 1966 Labour Wilson I

Minister of Social Security (1966–1968)

[edit]
Main article: Ministry of Social Security (United Kingdom) § Ministers
Minister Term of office Political party Cabinet
Margaret Herbison 6 August 1966 26 July 1967 Labour Wilson II
Judith Hart 26 July 1967 1 November 1968 Labour

Secretary of State for Social Services (1968–1988)

[edit]
Main article: Secretary of State for Social Services
Secretary of State Term of office Political party Cabinet
Richard Crossman 1 November 1968 19 June 1970 Labour Wilson II
Keith Joseph 20 June 1970 4 March 1974 Conservative Heath
Barbara Castle 5 March 1974 8 April 1976 Labour Wilson III
Wilson IV
David Ennals 8 April 1976 4 May 1979 Labour Callaghan
Patrick Jenkin[6] 5 May 1979 13 September 1981 Conservative Thatcher I
Norman Fowler[7] 14 September 1981 13 June 1987 Conservative Thatcher II
John Moore[8] 13 June 1987 24 July 1988 Conservative Thatcher III
Post split into the Secretary of State for Social Security and the Secretary of State for Health in 1988.

Secretary of State for Social Security (1988–2001)

[edit]
Main article: Secretary of State for Social Security
Secretary of State Term of office Political party Cabinet
John Moore[8] 25 July 1988 22 July 1989 Conservative Thatcher III
Tony Newton[9] 23 July 1989 9 April 1992 Conservative
Major I
Peter Lilley[10] 10 April 1992 1 May 1997 Conservative Major II
Harriet Harman[11] 1 May 1997 27 July 1998 Labour Blair I
Alistair Darling[12] 27 July 1998 8 June 2001 Labour

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2001–present)

[edit]
Secretary of State Term of office Political party Cabinet
Alistair Darling[12] 8 June 2001 29 May 2002 Labour Blair II
Andrew Smith[13] 29 May 2002 8 September 2004 Labour
Alan Johnson[14] 8 September 2004 6 May 2005 Labour
David Blunkett[15] 6 May 2005 2 November 2005 Labourur Blair III
John Hutton[16] 2 November 2005 28 June 2007 Labour
Peter Hain[17] 28 June 2007 24 January 2008 Labour Brown
James Purnell[18]
MP for Stalybridge and Hyde 		24 January 2008 5 June 2009 Labour
Yvette Cooper[19]
MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford 		6 June 2009 6 May 2010 Labour
Iain Duncan Smith[20]
MP for Chingford and Woodford Green 		12 May 2010 18 March 2016 Conservative Cameron-Clegg
Duncan Smith's tenure Cameron II
Stephen Crabb[21]
MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire 		19 March 2016 14 July 2016 Conservative
Damian Green[22]
MP for Ashford 		14 July 2016 11 June 2017 Conservative May I
David Gauke[23]
MP for South West Hertfordshire 		11 June 2017 8 January 2018 Conservative May II
Esther McVey[24]
MP for Tatton 		8 January 2018 15 November 2018 Conservative
Amber Rudd[25]
MP for Hastings and Rye 		16 November 2018 7 September 2019 Conservative
Johnson I
Thérèse Coffey[26]
MP for Coastal Suffolk 		8 September 2019 6 September 2022 Conservative
Johnson II
Chloe Smith[27]
MP for Norwich North 		6 September 2022 25 October 2022 Conservative Truss
Mel Stride
MP for Central Devon 		25 October 2022 5 July 2024 Conservative Sunak
Liz Kendall
MP for Leicester West 		5 July 2024 Incumbent Labour Starmer

* Incumbent's length of term last updated: 24 November 2024.

Timeline

[edit]
Liz KendallMel StrideChloe SmithThérèse CoffeyAmber RuddEsther McVeyDavid GaukeDamian GreenStephen CrabbIain Duncan SmithYvette CooperJames PurnellPeter HainJohn Hutton, Baron Hutton of FurnessDavid BlunkettAlan JohnsonAndrew Smith (British politician)Alistair DarlingHarriet HarmanPeter LilleyTony Newton, Baron Newton of BraintreeJohn Moore, Baron Moore of Lower MarshNorman FowlerPatrick JenkinDavid EnnalsBarbara CastleKeith JosephRichard CrossmanJudith HartMargaret HerbisonRichard Wood, Baron HoldernessNiall MacphersonJohn Boyd-CarpenterOsbert PeakeDerick Heathcoat-AmoryGeorge IsaacsEdith SummerskillHilary MarquandGeorge BuchananJohn Burns HyndJim GriffithsWilfred PalingLeslie Hore-BelishaWilliam JowittWalter WomersleyHerwald RamsbothamRobert Hudson, 1st Viscount HudsonFrederick Roberts (British politician)George TryonIan MacphersonLaming Worthington-EvansJohn Hodge (politician)George Nicoll Barnes

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Salaries of Members of His Majesty's Government – Financial Year 2022–23" (PDF). 15 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Pay and expenses for MPs". parliament.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Secretary of State for Work and Pensions". gov.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Secretary of State for Work and Pensions - GOV.UK".
  5. ^ a b Department for Work and Pensions. "A century of support: Department for Work and Pensions turns 100 years old". Department for Work and Pensions. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Lord Jenkin of Roding". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Lord Fowler". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Lord Moore of Lower Marsh". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Lord Newton of Braintree". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Lord Lilley". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Lord Darling of Roulanish". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Rt Hon Andrew Smith". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Rt Hon Alan Johnson". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Lord Blunkett". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  16. ^ "Lord Hutton of Furness". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  17. ^ "Lord Hain". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  18. ^ "James Purnell". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  20. ^ "Rt Hon Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  21. ^ "Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Rt Hon Damian Green MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  23. ^ "Rt Hon David Gauke". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  24. ^ "Rt Hon Esther McVey MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  25. ^ "Rt Hon Amber Rudd". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  26. ^ "Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  27. ^ "Chloe Smith MP". Retrieved 6 September 2022.
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