Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers.
Secretary of State
Thérèse Coffey
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)Will Quince - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Baroness Stedman-Scott - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Latest News (from Department Twitter Feed)
- 8 Apr 2021, 12:10 p.m.
- We understand that working can be difficult if you have a mental health condition. Access to Work could provide support to help you stay in work. Find out more https://t.co/bnLvgNYmyT https://t.co/qTysS62fnx - Link
- 8 Apr 2021, 11 a.m.
- EEA or Swiss Citizen? Have you applied for the EU Settlement Scheme yet? Don’t miss the 30 June 2021 deadline. Find out more at https://t.co/xGFPPkIMQ6 https://t.co/xoX2mqGCYA - Link View All Department for Work and Pensions Tweets
Department for Work and Pensions Commons Appearances
Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs
Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:- Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
- Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
- Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.
Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue
Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.
Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
| Date | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Mar. 08 | Oral Questions | Oral Answers to Questions |
| Jun. 25 | Urgent Questions | Universal Credit: Court of Appeal Judgment |
| Apr. 14 | Written Statements | Covid-19 Local Support Measures: Extension |
| Apr. 15 | Westminster Hall | Covronavirus, Disability and Access to Services |
| Mar. 02 | Adjournment Debate | Covid-19: Statutory Sick Pay |
Department for Work and Pensions - Bills and Acts in the Current Session
A Bill to make provision about pension schemes
This Bill received Royal Assent on Thursday 11th February 2021 and was enacted into law.
A Bill To make provision relating to the up-rating of certain social security benefits.
This Bill received Royal Assent on Monday 23rd November 2020 and was enacted into law.
Department for Work and Pensions - Draft Secondary Legislation
| Dates | Department | Title | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Published 14 Jan 2021, 12:11 p.m. |
Department for Work and Pensions | The Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 | |
| Under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979 (c. 41) (“the Act”) lump sum payments may be made to certain persons disabled by a disease to which the Act applies, or to dependants of persons who were so disabled before they died. The diseases to which the Act applies are pneumoconiosis, byssinosis, diffuse mesothelioma, primary carcinoma of the lung (where accompanied by asbestosis or diffuse pleural thickening) and diffuse pleural thickening. | |||
|
Published 6 Sep 2019, 3:01 a.m. |
Department for Work and Pensions | The Jobseekers (Back to Work Schemes) Act 2013 (Remedial) Order 2019 | |
| This Order amends the Jobseekers (Back to Work Schemes) Act 2013 (“the 2013 Act”) to remedy the incompatibility of the 2013 Act with a Convention right. The 2013 Act removed what would otherwise have been a conclusive ground of appeal from Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants (“JSA claimants”) who had pending appeals against a penalty imposed for failing to comply with the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Employment, Skills and Enterprise Scheme) Regulations 2011 (“the 2011 Regulations”) at the time that the 2013 Act came into force. This Order extends to England and Wales and Scotland. | |||
Department for Work and Pensions - Laid Secondary Legislation
| Dates | Department | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Laid 13 Apr 2021 In Force 4 May 2021 |
Department for Work and Pensions |
Social Security (Claims and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 Parliamentary Status - Text of Legislation |
Made negative procedure |
| These Regulations amend Schedule 9 to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/1968). Schedule 9 contains provisions which allow for deductions to be made from benefit and for direct payment to third parties. | |||
|
Laid 16 Mar 2021 In Force 6 Apr 2021 |
Department for Work and Pensions |
Universal Credit (Extension of Coronavirus Measures) Regulations 2021 Parliamentary Status - Text of Legislation |
Made negative procedure |
| These Regulations provide for further measures in response to the present outbreak of coronavirus disease in Great Britain. | |||
Petitions addressed by Department for Work and Pensions
| Current Signatures | Final Signatures | Title | Petition Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
|
117,716 Petition Closed |
Make fair transitional state pension arrangements for 1950’s women Gov Responded - 27 Sep 2017 Debated on - 14 Dec 2017 |
13 Mar 2018 closed 3 years, 1 month ago |
|
|
That this Government without delay recognises the need for a non-means tested bridging pension for women born on or after 6/4/1950 who are affected by the 1995 and 2011 Pension Acts and compensate those at risk of losing up to around £45,000, to also give proper notification for any future changes. |
|||
Departmental Select Committee
Work and Pensions Committee
Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.
At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.
Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.
11 Members of the Work and Pensions Committee
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 29 Jan 2020
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 2 Mar 2020
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 2 Mar 2020
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 2 Mar 2020
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 2 Mar 2020
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 2 Mar 2020
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 2 Mar 2020
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 2 Mar 2020
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 2 Mar 2020
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 2 Mar 2020
Work and Pensions Committee Member since 2 Mar 2020
Work and Pensions Committee: Upcoming Events
<i>At 9.30am: Oral evidence</i><br/>Sarah Smart, Government’s preferred candidate for Chair of the Pensions Regulator<br/>
21 Apr 2021, 9:15 a.m.
Appointment of the Chair of the Pensions Regulator
View calendar
Work and Pensions Committee: 7 Current Inquiries
Work and Pensions Committee: Previous Inquiries
Department for Work and Pensions Publications
Most Recent Publications
| Date | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Apr. 13 | Support for Mortgage Interest statistics: May 2018 to November 2020 | Statistics |
| Apr. 13 | Support for Mortgage Interest statistics: background and methodology | Guidance and Regulation |
| Apr. 09 | DWP: workforce management information February 2021 | Transparency |
Department for Work and Pensions Written Questions
Written Questions are submitted by Members of Parliament and the House of Lords to receive information or updates from a Department.
Departments are required to respond in a timely fashion and provide a response or requested information. Written Questions can compel detailed and specific information to be produced, and are frequently used as the source of news stories about the work of a Department.
Latest Written Question
| Date | Title | Questioner |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr 2021, midnight | Coronavirus: Disability | Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon) |
|
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of recognising long covid as a disability. Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions) Given Long COVID is an emerging condition, the Government cannot comment whether consideration should be given to its addition to the list of conditions classed as a disability under the Equality Act 2020. An individual is defined as disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a “substantial” and “long-term” negative effect on their ability to carry out normal daily activities. The Act defines “long-term” as where an impairment has lasted, or is likely to last for at least 12 months, or where the impairment is likely to last for the rest of a person’s life. “Substantial” on the other hand is defined as an impairment that is more than minor or trivial.
COVID-19 is a new disease and therefore it is not yet clear what the physical, psychological and rehabilitation needs will be for those experiencing long-term effects of the virus. The Government is funding ambitious and comprehensive research into the long-term physical and mental health effects of COVID-19 to better understand how to help and support those affected, with the most recent research call published on 25 March 2021 by the National Institute of Health Research/UK Research Institute. |
||