Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Last updated

United Kingdom
Secretary of State
for Work and Pensions
Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (2022, lesser arms).svg
Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government
Liz Kendall Official Cabinet Portrait, July 2024 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Liz Kendall
since 5 July 2024
Department for Work and Pensions
Style Work and Pensions Secretary
(informal)
The Right Honourable
(within the UK and Commonwealth)
Type Minister of the Crown
Status Secretary of State
Member of
Reports to The Prime Minister
Seat Westminster
NominatorThe Prime Minister
Appointer The Monarch
(on the advice of the Prime Minister)
Term length At His Majesty's Pleasure
Formation
  • 10 December 1916:
    (as Minister for Pensions)
  • 8 June 2001:
    (as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions)
First holder George Barnes
(as Minister for Pensions)
Deputy Minister of State for Employment
Salary£159,038 per annum (2022) [1]
(including £86,584 MP salary) [2]

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.

Contents

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

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

History

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

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

Minister of Pensions (1916–1953)

MinisterTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet
George Nicoll Barnes.png George Nicoll Barnes 10 December 191617 August 1917 Labour Lloyd George
John Hodge.JPG John Hodge 17 August 191710 January 1919 Labour
Worthington-Evans MP.jpg Laming Worthington-Evans 10 January 19192 April 1920 Conservative
Ian Macpherson.jpg Ian Macpherson 2 April 192019 October 1922 Liberal
Lord Tyron.jpg George Tryon 31 October 192222 January 1924 Conservative Law
Baldwin I
Frederick Owen Rogers.png Frederick Roberts 23 January 19243 November 1924 Labour MacDonald I
Lord Tyron.jpg George Tryon 11 November 19244 June 1929 Conservative Baldwin II
Frederick Owen Rogers.png Frederick Roberts 7 June 192924 August 1931 Labour MacDonald II
Lord Tyron.jpg George Tryon 3 September 193118 June 1935 Conservative National I
National II
Viscount Hudson.jpg Robert Hudson 18 June 193530 July 1936 Conservative National III
Herwald Ramsbotham, 1st Viscount Soulbury.jpg Herwald Ramsbotham 30 July 19367 June 1939 Conservative
National IV
Sir Walter Womersley.jpg Walter Womersley 7 June 193926 July 1945 Conservative Chamberlain War
Churchill War
Churchill Caretaker
Wilfred Paling.jpg Wilfred Paling 3 August 194517 April 1947 Labour Attlee
John Burns Hynd 17 April 19477 October 1947 Labour
George Buchanan.jpg George Buchanan 7 October 19472 July 1948 Labour
Hilary Marquand.png Hilary Marquand 2 July 194817 January 1951 Labour
Blank.png George Isaacs 17 January 195126 October 1951 Labour
Derick Heathcoat-Amory.png Derick Heathcoat-Amory 5 November 19513 September 1953 Conservative Churchill III

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

MinisterTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet
William Jowitt.png William Jowitt 8 October 194423 May 1945 Labour Churchill War
Blank.png Leslie Hore-Belisha 25 May 194526 July 1945 National Independent Churchill Caretaker
Blank.png Jim Griffiths 4 August 194528 February 1950 Labour Attlee
Blank.png Edith Summerskill 28 February 195026 October 1951 Labour
Blank.png Osbert Peake 31 October 19513 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)

MinisterTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet
Blank.png Osbert Peake 3 September 195320 December 1955 Conservative Churchill III
Eden
Blank.png John Boyd-Carpenter 20 December 195516 July 1962 Conservative
Macmillan I
Macmillan II
Blank.png Niall Macpherson 16 July 196221 October 1963 Conservative
Blank.png Richard Wood 21 October 196316 October 1964 Conservative Douglas-Home
Margaret Herbison 18 October 19646 August 1966 Labour Wilson I

Minister of Social Security (1966–1968)

MinisterTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet
Margaret Herbison 6 August 196626 July 1967 Labour Wilson II
Blank.png Judith Hart 26 July 19671 November 1968 Labour

Secretary of State for Social Services (1968–1988)

Secretary of StateTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet
Crossland MP.jpg Richard Crossman 1 November 196819 June 1970 Labour Wilson II
Keith Joseph 20 June 19704 March 1974 Conservative Heath
Mme Barbara Castle, Ministre britannique du developpement outre-mer.jpg Barbara Castle 5 March 19748 April 1976 Labour Wilson III
Wilson IV
David Ennals.jpg David Ennals 8 April 19764 May 1979 Labour Callaghan
Patrick Jenkin [6] 5 May 197913 September 1981 Conservative Thatcher I
Official portrait of Lord Fowler crop 2.jpg Norman Fowler [7] 14 September 198113 June 1987 Conservative Thatcher II
Mr John Moore M.P. addressing the Annual LSE Society Dinner, 5th June, 1985.jpg John Moore [8] 13 June 198724 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)

Secretary of StateTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet
Mr John Moore M.P. addressing the Annual LSE Society Dinner, 5th June, 1985.jpg John Moore [8] 25 July 198822 July 1989 Conservative Thatcher III
Tony Newton 1995.png Tony Newton [9] 23 July 19899 April 1992 Conservative
Major I
Official portrait of Lord Lilley, 2022.jpg Peter Lilley [10] 10 April 19921 May 1997 Conservative Major II
Official portrait of Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP crop 2.jpg Harriet Harman [11] 1 May 199727 July 1998 Labour Blair I
AlistairDarlingABr cropped.jpg Alistair Darling [12] 27 July 19988 June 2001 Labour

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

Secretary of StateTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet
AlistairDarlingABr cropped.jpg Alistair Darling [12] 8 June 200129 May 2002 Labour Blair II
Andrew Smith MP 20050127.jpg Andrew Smith [13] 29 May 20028 September 2004 Labour
Alan Johnson MP.jpg Alan Johnson [14] 8 September 20046 May 2005 Labour
Official Portrait of Lord Blunkett crop 1.jpg David Blunkett [15] 6 May 20052 November 2005 Labourur Blair III
Msc 2009-Sunday, 11.00 - 12.30 Uhr-Zwez 005 Hutton detail.jpg John Hutton [16] 2 November 200528 June 2007 Labour
Official portrait of Lord Hain crop 2, 2019.jpg Peter Hain [17] 28 June 200724 January 2008 Labour Brown
James Purnell Ministerial portrait.jpg James Purnell [18]
MP for Stalybridge and Hyde 		24 January 20085 June 2009 Labour
Official portrait of Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP crop 2.jpg Yvette Cooper [19]
MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford 		6 June 20096 May 2010 Labour
Official portrait of Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP crop 2.jpg Iain Duncan Smith [20]
MP for Chingford and Woodford Green 		12 May 201018 March 2016 Conservative Cameron-Clegg
Duncan Smith's tenure Cameron II
Official portrait of Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP crop 2.jpg Stephen Crabb [21]
MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire 		19 March 201614 July 2016 Conservative
Official portrait of Rt Hon Damian Green MP crop 2.jpg Damian Green [22]
MP for Ashford 		14 July 201611 June 2017 Conservative May I
Official portrait of Mr David Gauke crop 2.jpg David Gauke [23]
MP for South West Hertfordshire 		11 June 2017 8 January 2018 Conservative May II
Official portrait of Esther McVey crop 2.jpg Esther McVey [24]
MP for Tatton 		8 January 2018 15 November 2018 Conservative
Official portrait of Amber Rudd crop 2.jpg Amber Rudd [25]
MP for Hastings and Rye 		16 November 2018 7 September 2019 Conservative
Johnson I
Official portrait of Dr Therese Coffey crop 2.jpg Thérèse Coffey [26]
MP for Coastal Suffolk 		8 September 2019 6 September 2022 Conservative
Johnson II
Official portrait of Chloe Smith MP crop 2.jpg Chloe Smith [27]
MP for Norwich North 		6 September 202225 October 2022 Conservative Truss
Official portrait of Rt Hon Mel Stride MP crop 2.jpg Mel Stride
MP for Central Devon 		25 October 20225 July 2024 Conservative Sunak
Liz Kendall Official Cabinet Portrait, July 2024 (cropped) 2.jpg Liz Kendall
MP for Leicester West 		5 July 2024Incumbent Labour Starmer

* Incumbent's length of term last updated: 4 November 2024.

Timeline

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 BarnesSecretary of State for Work and Pensions

See also

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References

  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. 1 2 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. 1 2 "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. 1 2 "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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