Ministerial role

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Organisations: Department for Work and Pensions
Current role holder: The Rt Hon Mel Stride 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 Mel Stride MP

The Rt Hon Mel Stride was appointed Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 25 October 2022.

He was previously Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons from 23 May 2019 to 24 July 2019, and Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General from June 2017 to May 2019.

He was elected the Conservative MP for Central Devon in 2010.

Education

Mel was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School and Oxford University, where he was elected President of the Oxford Union.

Political career

In October 2011 Mel was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, John Hayes. He later served as an Assistant Government Whip from July 2014 until May 2015 and as Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) from May 2015 until July 2016.

More about this person

Previous holders of this role

  1. Chloe Smith MP

    2022 to 2022

  2. The Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey MP

    2019 to 2022

  3. The Rt Hon Amber Rudd

    2018 to 2019

  4. The Rt Hon Esther McVey MP

    2018 to 2018

  5. The Rt Hon David Gauke

    2017 to 2018

  6. The Rt Hon Damian Green MP

    2016 to 2017

  7. The Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP

    2016 to 2016

  8. The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP

    2010 to 2016