Department for Work and Pensions
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The '''Department for Work and Pensions''' (or '''DWP''') ([[Welsh Language|Welsh]]: ''Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau'') is the largest government [[Ministry (government department)|department]] in the [[Government of the United Kingdom]], created on [[June 8]], [[2001]], from the merger of the employment part of the [[Department for Education and Employment]] and the [[Department of Social Security]]. It is currently headed by the [[Secretary of State for Work and Pensions]], a [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]] position.
==Purpose==
The department's stated purpose is "To promote opportunity and independence for all through modern, customer-focused services".
==Ministerial team==
''Source: [http://www.dwp.gov.uk/aboutus/ministers.asp]''
* [[Secretary of State for Work and Pensions]] - [[James Purnell]]
** [[Minister of State]] for Pensions Reform - [[Mike O'Brien]]
** [[Minister of State]] for Employment and Welfare Reform - [[Stephen Timms]]
*** [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State]] (Lords) - [[Lord McKenzie of Luton]]
*** [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State]] (Commons)- [[James Plaskitt]]
*** [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State]] for Disabled People - [[Anne McGuire]]
==Permanent Secretary==
The [[Permanent Secretary]] is [[Sir]] [[Leigh Lewis]] [[KCB]]. In November [[2005]], he replaced Sir [[Richard Mottram]], who moved to the [[Cabinet Office]]. Mottram had moved in 2002 from the same post at the [[Department for Transport]] to succeed [[Rachel Lomax]], who had followed the opposite route and who then moved to the [[Bank of England]] as deputy governor in 2003. [[Lesley Strathie]], director of [[Jobcentre Plus]] also holds the rank of permanent secretary at DWP.
==Services==
*[[Jobcentre Plus]], a service dedicated to helping people back into work and administering related and other, Social Security benefits (Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Income Support, Bereavement Benefits, Maternity Allowance, Industrial Injuries Benefits, Social Fund).
*[[The Pension Service]], facilitating the state pension and pension credit systems and providing information on other related issues.
*The [[Child Support Agency]], administering the child support scheme – maintenance payments for divorced couples and so on.
*The [[Disability and Carers Service]], providing financial and practical support to disabled people and their carers.
*Debt Management, recovering over or wrongly paid benefit, or outstanding Social Fund loans.
*[[The Rent Service]], assessing rents for [[Housing Benefit]] purposes and advising landlords on matters related to property letting.
*[[Age Positive]], the campaign that promotes the benefits of employing a mixed-age workforce that includes older and younger people and to help employers comply with legislation to outlaw age discrimination in employment.
The department also has responsibility for the [[Health and Safety Executive]].
==Location and staffing==
The department's central administrative office is in [[Whitehall]], [[London]]. There are a number of other regional offices and Jobcentres where members of the public can visit to find out information. The Pension Service has 133 specialised teams across the country called Local Service, who can visit pensioners in their homes if this is preferred.
The department's annual "expenditure limit" (budget) figures are, at the time of the 2004 Spending Review: 2004-05: £8,164m, 05-06: £8,432m, 06-07: £8,212m and 07-08: £8,105m.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
The DWP employed (in 2003) 131,000 members of staff to discharge all of its functions. This figure will be reduced by 30,000 by 2008, with a further 10,000 being moved to front-line services. This is part of the [[Government of the United Kingdom|Government's]] pledge to reduce [[Civil service|civil servant]] numbers by 100,000. Nevertheless, the department is still the largest (in staffing terms) Whitehall department.
==See also==
* [[Pensions Commission]]
* [[Office of Manpower Economics]]
* [[United Kingdom budget]]
* [[Benefit fraud]]
* [[ Welfare Rights]]
==External links==
*[http://www.dwp.gov.uk/ Department for Work and Pensions website]
*http://www.direct.gov.uk/disability Directgov disabled people - Part of Department for Work and Pensions
[[Category:Ministerial departments of the United Kingdom Government|Work and Pensions]]
[[Category:Pensions in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Social affairs ministries|United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Department for Work and Pensions]]
{{Departments of the United Kingdom Government|type=Ministerial}}
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