Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

United Kingdom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
United Kingdom; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
	Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government
	Incumbent; Maeve Sherlock, Baroness Sherlock; since 9 July 2024
	Department for Work and Pensions
Style	Minister
Nominator	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Appointer	The Monarch; on advice of the Prime Minister
Term length	At His Majesty's pleasure
Website	www.gov.uk/dwp

The Minister for Work and Pensions, or Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in the House of Lords,^[1] is a junior position in the Department for Work and Pensions in the British government. It is currently held by Maeve Sherlock, Baroness Sherlock, who took the office on 9 July 2024.^[2]

Responsibilities

The minister's responsibilities include:

spokesperson for DWP business in the House of Lords
child maintenance
family test
parental conflict
legislation and statutory instruments strategy
Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) relationship management
Social Fund (Cold Weather Payments, Sure Start Maternity grants, Funeral Expenses Payment scheme and Budgeting loans)
bereavement benefits
supported accommodation
Support for Mortgage Interest
maternity benefits
departmental planning and performance management, including oversight of: the single departmental plan, including tracking progress against manifesto commitments other external reporting and governance requirements
departmental business, including oversight of: departmental capability in commercial and digital affairs commercial contracting policy
transparency and data-sharing issues
research and trialling
Office for Nuclear Regulation

Ministers for Work and Pensions

Name		Entered office	Left office	Political party
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Health and Social Security
	Reginald Wells-Pestell, Baron Wells-Pestell	3 January 1979	4 May 1979	Labour	Callaghan
	George Young	7 May 1979	15 September 1981	Conservative	Thatcher I
	Rodney Elton, 2nd Baron Elton	15 September 1981	6 April 1982
	David Trefgarne, 2nd Baron Trefgarne	6 April 1982	14 June 1983
	Simon Arthur, 4th Baron Glenarthur	14 June 1983	26 March 1985		Thatcher II
	Jean Barker, Baroness Trumpington	30 March 1985	13 June 1987		Thatcher II
	Roger Bootle-Wilbraham, 7th Baron Skelmersdale	13 June 1987	25 July 1988		Thatcher III
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Social Security
	Roger Bootle-Wilbraham, 7th Baron Skelmersdale	25 July 1988	26 July 1989	Conservative	Thatcher III
	Oliver Eden, 8th Baron Henley	25 July 1989	16 September 1993		Thatcher III
					Major I
					Major II
	William Astor, 4th Viscount Astor	16 September 1993	20 July 1994		Major II
Minister of State for Social Security
	John MacKay, Baron MacKay of Ardbrecknish	5 July 1995	4 May 1997	Conservative	Major II
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security
	Patricia Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham	6 May 1997	11 June 2001	Labour	Blair I
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
	Patricia Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham	11 June 2001	10 May 2005	Labour	Blair II
	Philip Hunt, Baron Hunt of Kings Heath	10 May 2005	4 January 2007	Labour	Blair III
	Bill McKenzie, Baron McKenzie of Luton	8 January 2007	6 May 2010	Labour	Brown
Minister of State for Welfare Reform^[3]
	David Freud, Baron Freud	11 May 2010	21 December 2016	Conservative	Cameron–Clegg
	David Freud, Baron Freud	11 May 2010	21 December 2016	Conservative	Cameron II
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
	Oliver Eden, 8th Baron Henley	21 December 2016	15 June 2017	Conservative	May I
	Peta Buscombe, Baroness Buscombe	11 June 2017	30 July 2019	Conservative	May II
	Deborah Stedman-Scott, Baroness Stedman-Scott	30 July 2019	1 January 2023	Conservative	Johnson I & II Truss Sunak
	James Younger, 5th Viscount Younger of Leckie	1 January 2023	5 July 2024	Conservative	Sunak
	Maeve Sherlock, Baroness Sherlock	9 July 2024	Incumbent	Labour	Starmer Burnham