Benefits Agency

{{Short description|Former executive agency in the UK}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}

{{Use British English|date=April 2015}}

{{Infobox Government agency

|agency_name = Benefits Agency

|type = Executive Agency

|nativename =

|nativename_a =

|nativename_r =

|logo =

|logo_width =

|logo_caption =

|seal =

|seal_width =

|seal_caption =

|formed = 1991

|preceding1 = Department of Social Security

|dissolved = 2001

|superseding = Jobcentre Plus

|jurisdiction = Great Britain

|headquarters =

|employees =

|budget =

|minister1_name =

|minister1_pfo =

|parent_department = Department of Social Security

}}

The Benefits Agency (BA) was an executive agency of the British Department of Social Security (subsequently the Department for Work and Pensions), set up in 1991 to "create and deliver an active modern social security service, which encourages and enables independence and aims to pay the right money at the right time".{{Cite news |title=Department for Education and Employment resource accounts 2000 to 2001 |language=en |work=GOV.UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-education-and-employment-resource-accounts-2000-to-2001 |access-date=2015-04-12}}{{Cite web |title=2010 to 2015 government policy: welfare reform |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-welfare-reform/2010-to-2015-government-policy-welfare-reform |access-date=2015-04-12 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}} The BA was merged with the Employment Service in April 2001 to form Jobcentre Plus.{{Cite web |title=Birth of the Welfare State |url=https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/history/history-science-technology-and-medicine/history-medicine/history-the-arts/history/history-science-technology-and-medicine/history-medicine/birth-the-welfare-state |access-date=2015-04-12 |website=Birth of the Welfare State |language=en}}