Ministerial role

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Organisations: Department for Work and Pensions
Current role holder: The Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP

Responsibilities

The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the business of the department, including the Departmental Strategy, planning and performance, reporting and governance requirements. They have direct responsibility for departmental expenditure.

DWP is responsible for the administration of the State Pension and working age benefits system, providing support to:

  • people of working age
  • employers
  • pensioners
  • families and children
  • disabled people

Current role holder

The Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP

Pat McFadden was appointed Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 5 September 2025. He was previously Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between 5 July 2024 and 5 September 2025 and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations between 5 September 2024 and 6 September 2025.

He was elected as the MP for Wolverhampton South East in May 2005.

More about this person

Previous holders of this role

  1. The Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP

    2024 to 2025

  2. The Rt Hon Mel Stride MP

    2022 to 2024

  3. Chloe Smith

    2022 to 2022

  4. The Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey

    2019 to 2022

  5. The Rt Hon Amber Rudd

    2018 to 2019

  6. The Rt Hon Esther McVey MP

    2018 to 2018

  7. The Rt Hon David Gauke

    2017 to 2018

  8. The Rt Hon Damian Green

    2016 to 2017

  9. The Rt Hon Stephen Crabb

    2016 to 2016

  10. The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP

    2010 to 2016