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Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

{{short description|Member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom}}

{{EngvarB|date=May 2015}}

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

{{more citations needed|date=May 2019}}

{{Infobox official post

| post = {{small|United Kingdom}}
Secretary of State
for Work and Pensions

| insignia = Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (2022, lesser arms).svg

| insigniasize =

| insigniacaption = Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government

| department = Department for Work and Pensions

| image = Liz Kendall Official Cabinet Portrait, July 2024 (cropped).jpg

| incumbent = Liz Kendall

| incumbentsince = 5 July 2024

| style = Work and Pensions Secretary
{{small|(informal)}}
The Right Honourable
{{small|(within the UK and Commonwealth)}}

| type = Minister of the Crown

| status = Secretary of State

| member_of = {{ubl|Cabinet|Privy Council}}

| reports_to = The Prime Minister

| seat = Westminster

| nominator = The Prime Minister

| appointer = The Monarch

| appointer_qualified = {{small|(on the advice of the Prime Minister)}}

| termlength = At His Majesty's Pleasure

| formation = * 10 December 1916:
{{small|(as Minister for Pensions)}}

  • 8 June 2001:
    {{small|(as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions)}}

| salary = £159,038 per annum {{small|(2022)}}{{Cite web |title=Salaries of Members of His Majesty's Government – Financial Year 2022–23 |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1124173/2022-12-07-Ministerial-Salaries-22-23-table.pdf |date=15 December 2022}}
(including £86,584 MP salary){{Cite web |title=Pay and expenses for MPs |url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/members/pay-mps/ |access-date=15 December 2022 |website=parliament.uk}}

| deputy = Minister of State for Employment

| first = George Barnes
{{small|(as Minister for Pensions)}}

}}

{{PoliticsUK}}

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.{{Cite web|title=Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-work-and-pensions|access-date=30 June 2021|website=gov.uk|language=}} 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. 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:

  • Support people of working age
  • Oversight of employers and pensions
  • Fiscal Consolidation
  • Providing support for disability
  • Support for families and children{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-work-and-pensions|title = Secretary of State for Work and Pensions - GOV.UK}}

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.{{cite web |last1=Department for Work and Pensions |title=A century of support: Department for Work and Pensions turns 100 years old |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a-century-of-support-department-for-work-and-pensions-turns-100-years-old |website=Department for Work and Pensions |access-date=29 May 2019}}

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. 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):
{{Legend2|{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|Labour|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} / {{Legend2|{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|Conservative|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} / {{Legend2|{{Party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}|Liberal|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} / {{Legend2|{{Party color|National Labour Organisation}}|National Labour|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} / {{Legend2|{{Party color|National Independent}}|National Independent|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

=Minister of Pensions (1916–1953)=

{{main|Ministry of Pensions#Ministers}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="height:1em"

! colspan=3 | Minister

! colspan=2 | Term of office

! Political party

!Cabinet

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| George Nicoll Barnes

| 10 December 1916

| 17 August 1917

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| rowspan="4" {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | Lloyd George

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| John Hodge

| 17 August 1917

| 10 January 1919

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Laming Worthington-Evans

| 10 January 1919

| 2 April 1920

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Ian Macpherson

| 2 April 1920

| 19 October 1922

| {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | Liberal

style="height:1em"

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan=2 | 60px

| rowspan=2 | George Tryon

| rowspan=2 | 31 October 1922

| rowspan=2 | 22 January 1924

| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Law

{{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Baldwin I
style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Frederick Roberts

| 23 January 1924

| 3 November 1924

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| {{Party shading/Labour}} |MacDonald I

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| George Tryon

| 11 November 1924

| 4 June 1929

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Baldwin II

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Frederick Roberts

| 7 June 1929

| 24 August 1931

|{{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| {{Party shading/Labour}} |MacDonald II

style="height:1em"

! rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan="2" | 60px

| rowspan="2" | George Tryon

| rowspan="2" | 3 September 1931

| rowspan="2" | 18 June 1935

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | National I

{{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | National II
style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Robert Hudson

| 18 June 1935

| 30 July 1936

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | National III

style="height:1em"

! rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan="2" | 60px

| rowspan="2" | Herwald Ramsbotham

| rowspan="2" | 30 July 1936

| rowspan="2" | 7 June 1939

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

style="height:1em"

| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | National IV

style="height:1em"

! rowspan="3" style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan="3" | 60px

| rowspan="3" | Walter Womersley

| rowspan="3" | 7 June 1939

| rowspan="3" | 26 July 1945

| rowspan="3" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | Chamberlain War

style="height:1em"

| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | Churchill War

{{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | Churchill Caretaker
style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Wilfred Paling

| 3 August 1945

| 17 April 1947

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| rowspan="5" {{Party shading/Labour}} |Attlee

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

|

| John Burns Hynd

| 17 April 1947

| 7 October 1947

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| George Buchanan

| 7 October 1947

| 2 July 1948

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Hilary Marquand

| 2 July 1948

| 17 January 1951

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| George Isaacs

| 17 January 1951

| 26 October 1951

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Derick Heathcoat-Amory

| 5 November 1951

| 3 September 1953

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Churchill III

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

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="height:1em"

! colspan="3" | Minister

! colspan="2" | Term of office

! Political party

! Cabinet

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| William Jowitt

| 8 October 1944

| 23 May 1945

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | Churchill War

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|National Independent}}" |

| 60px

| Leslie Hore-Belisha

| 25 May 1945

| 26 July 1945

| style="background-color:#eeeeee" | National Independent

| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | Churchill Caretaker

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Jim Griffiths

| 4 August 1945

| 28 February 1950

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Labour}} |Attlee

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Edith Summerskill

| 28 February 1950

| 26 October 1951

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Osbert Peake

| 31 October 1951

| 3 September 1953

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Churchill III

colspan="7" | Posts of Minister of Pensions and Minister of National Insurance merged in 1953.

=Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1953–1966)=

{{main|Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance#Ministers}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
colspan=3 | Minister

! colspan=2 | Term of office

! Political party

! Cabinet

style="height:1em"

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan=2 | 60px

| rowspan=2 | Osbert Peake

| rowspan=2 | 3 September 1953

| rowspan=2 | 20 December 1955

| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Churchill III

style="height:1em"

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Eden

style="height:1em"

! rowspan="3" style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan="3" | 60px

| rowspan="3" | John Boyd-Carpenter

| rowspan="3" | 20 December 1955

| rowspan="3" | 16 July 1962

| rowspan="3" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

style="height:1em"

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Macmillan I

rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Macmillan II
style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Niall Macpherson

| 16 July 1962

| 21 October 1963

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Richard Wood

| 21 October 1963

| 16 October 1964

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Douglas-Home

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

|

| Margaret Herbison

| 18 October 1964

| 6 August 1966

| {{Party shading/Labour}} |Labour

| {{Party shading/Labour}} |Wilson I

={{Anchor|Minister of Social Security}}Minister of Social Security (1966–1968)=

{{main|Ministry of Social Security (United Kingdom)#Ministers}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="height:1em"

! colspan=3 | Minister

! colspan=2 | Term of office

! Political party

! Cabinet

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

|

| Margaret Herbison

| 6 August 1966

| 26 July 1967

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Labour}} |Wilson II

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Judith Hart

| 26 July 1967

| 1 November 1968

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

=Secretary of State for Social Services (1968–1988)=

{{main|Secretary of State for Social Services}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="height:1em"

! colspan=3 | Secretary of State

! colspan=2 | Term of office

! Political party

! Cabinet

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Richard Crossman

| 1 November 1968

| 19 June 1970

| {{Party shading/Labour}} |Labour

| {{Party shading/Labour}} |Wilson II

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

|

| Keith Joseph

| 20 June 1970

| 4 March 1974

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Heath

style="height:1em"

! rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan="2" | 60px

| rowspan="2" | Barbara Castle

| rowspan="2" | 5 March 1974

| rowspan="2" | 8 April 1976

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| {{Party shading/Labour}} |Wilson III

{{Party shading/Labour}} |Wilson IV
style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| David Ennals

| 8 April 1976

| 4 May 1979

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| {{Party shading/Labour}} |Callaghan

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

|

| Patrick Jenkin{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/1097/career |title=Lord Jenkin of Roding |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}

| 5 May 1979

| 13 September 1981

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Thatcher I

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Norman Fowler{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/315/career |title=Lord Fowler |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}

| 14 September 1981

| 13 June 1987

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Thatcher II

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| John Moore{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/1022/career |title=Lord Moore of Lower Marsh |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}

| 13 June 1987

| 24 July 1988

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Thatcher III

colspan="7" | 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)=

{{main|Secretary of State for Social Security}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="height:1em"

! colspan=3 | Secretary of State

! colspan=2 | Term of office

! Political party

! Cabinet

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| John Moore

| 25 July 1988

| 22 July 1989

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Thatcher III

style="height:1em"

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan=2 | 60px

| rowspan=2 | Tony Newton{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/925/career |title=Lord Newton of Braintree |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}

| rowspan=2 | 23 July 1989

| rowspan=2 | 9 April 1992

| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

style="height:1em"

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Major I

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Peter Lilley{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/68/career |title=Lord Lilley |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}

| 10 April 1992

| 1 May 1997

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Major II

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Harriet Harman{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/150/career |title=Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}

| 1 May 1997

| 27 July 1998

| {{Party shading/Labour}} |Labour

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Labour}} |Blair I

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Alistair Darling{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/596/career |title=Lord Darling of Roulanish |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}

| 27 July 1998

| 8 June 2001

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

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

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="height:1em"

! colspan=3 | Secretary of State

! colspan=2 | Term of office

! Political party

!Cabinet

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Alistair Darling

| 8 June 2001

| 29 May 2002

| {{Party shading/Labour}} |Labour

| rowspan="3" {{Party shading/Labour}} |Blair II

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Andrew Smith{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/95/career |title=Rt Hon Andrew Smith |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}

| 29 May 2002

| 8 September 2004

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Alan Johnson{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/376/career |title=Rt Hon Alan Johnson |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}

| 8 September 2004

| 6 May 2005

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| David Blunkett{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/395/career |title=Lord Blunkett |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}

| 6 May 2005

| 2 November 2005

| Labo{{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Labour}} |Blair III

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| John Hutton{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/494/career |title=Lord Hutton of Furness |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}

| 2 November 2005

| 28 June 2007

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Peter Hain{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/567/career |title=Lord Hain |work=UK Parliament |access-date=31 August 2021}}

| 28 June 2007

| 24 January 2008

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| rowspan="3" {{Party shading/Labour}} |Brown

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| James Purnell{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/1455/career |title=James Purnell |work=UK Parliament |access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{Small|MP for Stalybridge and Hyde}}

| 24 January 2008

| 5 June 2009

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Yvette Cooper{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/420/career |title=Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP |work=UK Parliament |access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{Small|MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford}}

| 6 June 2009

| 6 May 2010

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

style="height:1em"

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan=2 | 60px

| rowspan=2 | Iain Duncan Smith{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/152/career |title=Rt Hon Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP |work=UK Parliament |access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{Small|MP for Chingford and Woodford Green}}

| 12 May 2010

| 18 March 2016

| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | Cameron-Clegg

colspan=2 style="text-align:center" |Duncan Smith's tenure

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Cameron II

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Stephen Crabb{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/1554/career |title=Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP |work=UK Parliament |access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{Small|MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire}}

| 19 March 2016

| 14 July 2016

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Damian Green{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/76/career |title=Rt Hon Damian Green MP |work=UK Parliament |access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{Small|MP for Ashford}}

| 14 July 2016

| 11 June 2017

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |May I

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| David Gauke{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/1529/career |title=Rt Hon David Gauke |work=UK Parliament |access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{Small|MP for South West Hertfordshire}}

| 11 June 2017

| 8 January 2018

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| rowspan="3" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |May II

style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Esther McVey{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4084/career |title=Rt Hon Esther McVey MP |work=UK Parliament |access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{Small|MP for Tatton}}

| 8 January 2018

| 15 November 2018

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

style="height:1em"

| rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan=2 | 60px

| rowspan=2 | Amber Rudd{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/3983/career |title=Rt Hon Amber Rudd |work=UK Parliament |access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{Small|MP for Hastings and Rye}}

| rowspan=2 | 16 November 2018

| rowspan=2 |7 September 2019

| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

style="height:1em"

| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Johnson I

style="height:1em"

| rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| rowspan=2 | File:Official portrait of Dr Thérèse Coffey crop 2.jpg

| rowspan=2 | Thérèse Coffey{{Cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4098/career |title=Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey MP |work=UK Parliament |access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{Small|MP for Coastal Suffolk}}

| rowspan=2 | 8 September 2019

| rowspan=2 | 6 September 2022

| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

{{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Johnson II
style="height:1em"

| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Chloe Smith{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/chloe-smith |title=Chloe Smith MP |access-date=6 September 2022}}
{{Small|MP for Norwich North}}

| 6 September 2022

| 25 October 2022

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Truss

style="height:1em"

| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Mel Stride
{{Small| MP for Central Devon}}

| 25 October 2022

| 5 July 2024

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | Conservative

| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} |Sunak

style="height:1em"

| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| 60px

| Liz Kendall
{{Small| MP for Leicester West}}

| 5 July 2024

| Incumbent

| {{Party shading/Labour}} | Labour

| {{Party shading/Labour}} |Starmer

* Incumbent's length of term last updated: {{Date}}.

Timeline

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id:liberal value:rgb(1,0.84,0) legend: Liberal_Party

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bar:Hodge

bar:Worthington-Evans

bar:Macpherson

bar:Tryon

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bar:Hore-Belisha

bar:Paling

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bar:Burns_Hynd

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PlotData=

width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till

bar:Nicoll_Barnes

from: 10/12/1916 till: 17/08/1917 color:Labour text:"George Nicoll Barnes"

bar:Hodge

from: 17/08/1917 till: 10/01/1919 color:Labour text:"John Hodge"

bar:Worthington-Evans

from: 10/01/1919 till: 02/04/1920 color:Conservative text:"Laming Worthington-Evans"

bar:Macpherson

from: 02/04/1920 till: 19/10/1922 color:Liberal text:"Ian Macpherson"

bar:Tryon

from: 31/10/1922 till: 22/01/1924 color:Conservative

from: 11/11/1924 till: 04/06/1929 color:Conservative

from: 03/09/1931 till: 18/06/1935 color:Conservative text:"George Tryon"

bar:Roberts

from: 23/01/1924 till: 03/11/1924 color:Labour

from: 07/06/1929 till: 24/08/1931 color:Labour text:"Frederick Roberts"

bar:Hudson

from: 18/06/1935 till: 30/07/1936 color:Conservative text:"Robert Hudson"

bar:Ramsbotham

from: 30/07/1936 till: 07/06/1939 color:Conservative text:"Herwald Ramsbotham"

bar:Womersley

from: 07/06/1939 till: 26/07/1945 color:Conservative text:"Walter Womersley"

bar:Jowitt

from: 08/10/1944 till: 23/05/1945 color:Labour text:"William Jowitt"

bar:Hore-Belisha

from: 25/05/1945 till: 26/07/1945 color:Independent text:"Leslie Hore-Belisha"

bar:Paling

from: 03/08/1945 till: 17/04/1947 color:Labour text:"Wilfred Paling"

bar:Griffiths

from: 04/08/1945 till: 28/01/1950 color:Labour text:"Jim Griffiths"

bar:Burns_Hynd

from: 17/04/1947 till: 07/10/1947 color:Labour text:"John Burns Hynd"

bar:Buchanan

from: 07/10/1947 till: 02/07/1948 color:Labour text:"George Buchanan"

bar:Marquand

from: 02/07/1948 till: 17/01/1951 color:Labour text:"Hilary Marquand"

bar:Summerskill

from: 28/02/1950 till: 26/10/1951 color:Labour text:"Edith Summerskill"

bar:Isaacs

from: 17/01/1951 till: 26/10/1951 color:Labour text:"George Isaacs"

bar:Heathcoat-Amory

from: 05/11/1951 till: 03/09/1953 color:Conservative text:"Derick Heathcoat-Amory"

bar:Peake

from: 31/10/1951 till: 20/12/1955 color:Conservative text:"Osbert Peake"

bar:Boyd-Carpenter

from: 20/12/1955 till: 16/07/1962 color:Conservative text:"John Boyd-Carpenter"

bar:NMacpherson

from: 16/07/1962 till: 21/10/1963 color:Conservative text:"Niall Macpherson"

bar:Wood

from: 21/10/1963 till: 16/10/1964 color:Conservative text:"Richard Wood"

bar:Herbison

from: 18/10/1964 till: 26/07/1967 color:Labour text:"Margaret Herbison"

bar:Hart

from: 26/07/1967 till: 01/11/1968 color:Labour text:"Judith Hart"

bar:Crossman

from: 01/11/1968 till: 19/06/1970 color:Labour text:"Richard Crossman"

bar:Joseph

from: 20/06/1970 till: 04/03/1974 color:Conservative text:"Keith Joseph"

bar:Castle

from: 05/03/1974 till: 08/04/1976 color:Labour text:"Barbara Castle"

bar:Ennals

from: 08/04/1976 till: 04/05/1979 color:Labour text:"David Ennals"

bar:Jenkin

from: 05/05/1979 till: 13/09/1981 color:Conservative text:"Patrick Jenkin"

bar:Fowler

from: 14/09/1981 till: 13/06/1987 color:Conservative text:"Norman Fowler"

bar:Moore

from: 13/06/1987 till: 22/07/1989 color:Conservative text:"John Moore"

bar:Newton

from: 23/07/1989 till: 09/04/1992 color:Conservative text:"Tony Newton"

bar:Lilley

from: 10/04/1992 till: 01/05/1997 color:Conservative text:"Peter Lilley"

bar:Harman

from: 01/05/1997 till: 27/07/1998 color:Labour text:"Harriet Harman"

bar:Darling

from: 27/07/1998 till: 29/05/2002 color:Labour text:"Alistair Darling"

bar:Smith

from: 29/05/2002 till: 08/09/2004 color:Labour text:"Andrew Smith"

bar:Johnson

from: 08/09/2004 till: 06/05/2005 color:Labour text:"Alan Johnson"

bar:Blunkett

from: 06/05/2005 till: 02/11/2005 color:Labour text:"David Blunkett"

bar:Hutton

from: 02/11/2005 till: 28/06/2007 color:Labour text:"John Hutton"

bar:Hain

from: 28/06/2007 till: 24/01/2008 color:Labour text:"Peter Hain"

bar:Purnell

from: 24/01/2008 till: 05/06/2009 color:Labour text:"James Purnell"

bar:Cooper

from: 06/06/2009 till: 06/05/2010 color:Labour text:"Yvette Cooper"

bar:Duncan_Smith

from: 06/05/2010 till: 18/03/2016 color:Conservative text:"Iain Duncan Smith"

bar:Crabb

from: 19/03/2016 till: 14/07/2016 color:Conservative text:"Stephen Crabb"

bar:Green

from: 14/07/2016 till: 11/06/2017 color:Conservative text:"Damian Green"

bar:Gauke

from: 11/06/2017 till: 08/01/2018 color:Conservative text:"David Gauke"

bar:McVey

from: 08/01/2018 till: 15/11/2018 color:Conservative text:"Esther McVey"

bar:Rudd

from: 16/11/2018 till: 07/09/2019 color:Conservative text:"Amber Rudd"

bar:Coffey

from: 08/09/2019 till: 06/09/2022 color:Conservative text:"Thérèse Coffey"

bar:CSmith

from: 06/09/2022 till: 25/10/2022 color:Conservative text:"Chloe Smith"

bar:Stride

from: 25/10/2022 till: 05/07/2024 color:Conservative text:"Mel Stride"

bar:Kendall

from: 05/07/2024 till: $today color:Labour text:"Liz Kendall"

}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{Secretary of State for Work and Pensions}}

{{Cabinet positions in the United Kingdom}}

Work and Pensions, Secretary of State

Category:Ministerial offices in the United Kingdom

Secretaries of State for Work and Pensions