The Minister for Work and Pensions, or Minister of State for Work and Pensions in the House of Lords, 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.

Responsibilities The minister's responsibilities include: Poverty (including Child Poverty Strategy, Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF)) Child Maintenance Service Parental Leave and Pay Review Disadvantaged Groups Maternity and Bereavement Benefits Oversight of the Social Security Advisory Committee Family Policy Research (including Star Chamber) Oversight of departmental activity including People and Capability, Non-Executive Directors, Ministerial Correspondence and Freedom of Information (FOI) processes. Commercial functions Legislation coordination, including Statutory Instruments

Ministers for Work and Pensions Name Portrait Entered office Left office Political partyMinistryParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Health and Social SecurityReginald Wells-Pestell, Baron Wells-Pestell3 January 19794 May 1979LabourCallaghanGeorge Young7 May 197915 September 1981ConservativeThatcher IRodney Elton, 2nd Baron Elton15 September 19816 April 1982David Trefgarne, 2nd Baron Trefgarne6 April 198214 June 1983Simon Arthur, 4th Baron Glenarthur14 June 198326 March 1985Thatcher IIJean Barker, Baroness Trumpington30 March 198513 June 1987Roger Bootle-Wilbraham, 7th Baron Skelmersdale13 June 1987 25 July 1988Thatcher IIIParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Social SecurityRoger Bootle-Wilbraham, 7th Baron Skelmersdale25 July 1988 26 July 1989ConservativeThatcher IIIOliver Eden, 8th Baron Henley25 July 198916 September 1993Major IMajor IIWilliam Astor, 4th Viscount Astor16 September 199320 July 1994Minister of State for Social SecurityJohn MacKay, Baron MacKay of Ardbrecknish5 July 19954 May 1997ConservativeMajor IIParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social SecurityPatricia Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham6 May 199711 June 2001LabourBlair IParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Patricia Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham 11 June 2001 10 May 2005 LabourBlair II Philip Hunt, Baron Hunt of Kings Heath 10 May 2005 4 January 2007 LabourBlair III Bill McKenzie, Baron McKenzie of Luton 8 January 2007 6 May 2010 LabourBrownMinister of State for Welfare ReformParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (2010–15) David Freud, Baron Freud 11 May 2010 21 December 2016 ConservativeCameron–CleggCameron IIParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Oliver Eden, 8th Baron Henley 21 December 2016 15 June 2017 ConservativeMay I Peta Buscombe, Baroness Buscombe 11 June 2017 30 July 2019 ConservativeMay II Deborah Stedman-Scott, Baroness Stedman-Scott 30 July 2019 1 January 2023 ConservativeJohnson I & IITrussSunak James Younger, 5th Viscount Younger of Leckie 1 January 2023 5 July 2024 ConservativeSunak Maeve Sherlock, Baroness Sherlock 9 July 2024 17 December 2024 LabourStarmerMinister of State for Work and PensionsMaeve Sherlock, Baroness Sherlock17 December 2024IncumbentLabourStarmerBurnham

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