Your guide to the department's cast of ministerial characters, and what’s in their in-trays
The Labour government has swiftly set its sights on transforming the Department for Work and Pensions, rebranding it as the “department for work” with a clear emphasis on employment rather than welfare. This shift aligns with prime minister Keir Starmer’s broader agenda on skills and jobs, spearheaded by the newly appointed work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall. Her ambitious target? Raising the employment rate to 80%, a significant leap from the current 74.4%, echoing the aspirations of Tony Blair’s government, which fell short of this goal.
Kendall, like her namesake in Succession, is a hip-hop fan and she has said she listens to Public Enemy before speaking in debates in the House of Commons.
She succeeded Jonathan Ashworth as shadow work and pensions secretary last year, and brings nearly a decade of frontbench experience from her time on the shadow health team. Despite her credentials, she has faced criticism from the left wing of her party for her stance on welfare. During her 2015 Labour leadership bid, she notably supported the Conservative government’s welfare reforms, refusing to oppose cuts unless a clear alternative could be funded, and endorsing the benefit cap.
Supporting Kendall at DWP is Stephen Timms, the new minister for social security and disability. Timms, as the former chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, was a persistent critic of the Conservative government’s welfare policies, particularly in relation to benefit sanctions and the treatment of disabled people.
Kendall’s ambitious target? Raising the employment rate to 80%, a significant leap from the current 74.4%
Timms consistently called for the abolition of the benefits sanctions regime, highlighting its detrimental impact on vulnerable claimants. He was also vocal about the failures of the Work-Related Activity Group – DWP’s name for claimants who are required to show they are completing work-related activity such as training or job interviews to receive benefits – especially concerning its inclusion of people with severe conditions like multiple sclerosis. Timms argued that such policies exacerbated hardships for those already struggling, and he pushed for significant changes to ensure that the welfare system offered genuine support rather than punitive measures.
Alison McGovern, the new minister for employment, complements Timms with her focus on fixing the social security system by achieving full employment. Known for her unconventional style – she was once cautioned for playing football in the House of Commons – McGovern has long argued that full employment is essential to a fair and effective welfare system, an ambition that aligns closely with Kendall’s goals.
Emma Reynolds is minister for pensions in DWP alongside her Treasury role. Her swift appointment following her re-election to parliament in July after a four-and-a-half-year absence echoes her promotion to the frontbench when she was first elected in 2010.
Andrew Western, as the new minister for transformation, faces the significant challenge of overseeing ongoing digital projects within DWP. Despite being relatively unknown, Western made headlines recently when he spoke out against the abuse of MPs after an incident at his home.
In the House of Lords, DWP will be represented by parliamentary under-secretary of state Baroness Maeve Sherlock. As a former chief executive of the Refugee Council and an ex-member of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, her appointment adds a strong voice for equality and human rights within the department.
Read up on ministers in other departments here