Department for Work and Pensions

==Background==
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 various working age, disability and ill health benefits to over 22 million claimants and customers.
DWP is a ministerial department, supported by 13 agencies and public bodies. Department for Work and Pensions, GOV.UK, accessed 30 September 2014 
==Structure==
The Department has four operational organisations:
===Jobcentre Plus===
Jobcentre Plus helps people move from benefits into work and helps employers fill vacancies. It also deals with benefits for people who are unemployed or unable to work because of a health condition or disability. 
===The Pension Service===
The Pension Service provides pensions, benefits and retirement information for current and future pensioners in the UK and abroad. 
===Child Support Agency and Child Maintenance Service===
Child maintenance is financial support that helps towards a child’s everyday living costs when the parents have separated. For people who can’t make their own, family-based arrangements, the Child Support Agency and Child Maintenance Service calculate how much maintenance the paying parent should pay to the receiving parent and then collect the maintenance payments, if necessary. 
===Child Maintenance Options===
The Child Maintenance Options service provides impartial information and support to help both parents make informed choices about child maintenance. It can also help them to set up their own, family-based arrangements. 
==People==
===Ministers===
*Iain Duncan Smith - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
*Priti Patel - Minister of State for Employment
*Baroness Altmann CBE - Minister of State for Pensions
*Lord Freud - Minister of State for Welfare Reform
*Justin Tomlinson - Parliamentary Under Secretary
====Former====
*Esther McVey – Minister of State for Employment 
*Steve Webb – Minister of State for Pensions 
*Mark Harper – Minister of State for Disabled people
===Special Advisers===
*Lizzie Loudon - was appointed special adviser to Iain Duncan Smith in December 2013. Prior to this Loudon worked as the press officer at the DWP in 2012/13. Lizzie Loudon LinkedIn profile, accessed 7 October 2014 
*Flora Rose - was appointed spad to Iain Duncan Smith in May 2015. Has previously worked with the leader of the House of Lords Tina Stowell.
====Former====
*Philippa Stroud- special adviser from May 2010 to May 2015. Previous jobs include candidate for Sutton and Cheam for the Conservative Party, executive director at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) as well as chair of the CSJ Implementation Strategy Board. Philippa Stroud LinkedIn profile, accessed 7 October 2014 
*Romilly Dennys - worked as a special adviser for the DWP from October 2012 to May 2015. Previous roles include account director at Media Intelligence Partners, senior account executive at Raitt Orr & Associates and fundraiser and campaigner at Diabetes UK. Dennys also worked in policy & campaigns at Independent Age. Romilly Dennys LinkedIn profile, accessed 7 October 2014 
==Notes==
Category:UK Government Department