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Key figures › Departments › Department for Work and Pensions

Department for Work and Pensions

Pat McFadden has been Secretary of State for Work and Pensions since 5 September 2025, according to the UK Parliament Members API. HM Treasury's PESA 2026 records total departmental expenditure limits of £14.8 billion in 2025-26, with plans of £14.9 billion for 2026-27. In 2025-26 prices, the department's total DEL was £16.1 billion in 2021-22 and £14.8 billion in 2025-26. The Cabinet Office's Civil Service Statistics 2026 count 96,930 civil servants (96,890 a year earlier) at 31 March 2026, by headcount. The median salary of its civil servants was £32,140, and 61.6% of those whose sex is recorded were women. The National Audit Office's most recent report listed for the department is "Increasing construction skills" (13 July 2026).

Secretary of State, Work and Pensions
Pat McFadden
since 5 September 2025
Total DEL 2025-26
£14.8 billion
PESA 2026, outturn
Civil servants
96,930
headcount, 31 March 2026 · 87,220 full-time equivalent

Spending

Financial yearTotal DELResource DELCapital DELAdministration budgetTotal managed expenditureTotal DEL, 2025-26 prices
2021-22 outturn£13.3 billion£12.6 billion£632 million£906 million£229.9 billion£16.1 billion
2022-23 outturn£12.6 billion£12.2 billion£455 million£859 million£244.0 billion£14.3 billion
2023-24 outturn£13.1 billion£12.5 billion£637 million£976 million£280.1 billion£14.1 billion
2024-25 outturn£14.1 billion£13.5 billion£529 million£1.0 billion£302.3 billion£14.6 billion
2025-26 outturn£14.8 billion£14.1 billion£636 million£1.1 billion£323.4 billion£14.8 billion
2026-27 plans£14.9 billion£13.9 billion£999 million£1.4 billion£343.7 billion£14.6 billion
2027-28 plans£16.1 billion£15.3 billion£817 million£1.4 billion£354.6 billion£15.5 billion
2028-29 plans£15.6 billion£15.0 billion£582 million£1.3 billion£364.3 billion£14.7 billion

Source: HM Treasury, PESA 2026, Chapter 1. What DEL and total managed expenditure cover.

Civil service staff

Measure31 March 202631 March 2025
Headcount96,93096,890
Full-time equivalent87,22087,345
Median salary£32,140–
Women, % of known sex61.6%–
Responsibility levelHeadcount
Senior Civil Service365
Grade 6 or Grade 75,980
Senior or Higher Executive Officer17,720
Executive Officer49,360
Administrative Assistant or Administrative Officer23,505
With an unreported grade0
OrganisationHeadcount
Department for Work and Pensions (excl. agencies)93,655
Health and Safety Executive3,270

Source: Civil Service Statistics 2026 and 2025, Cabinet Office.

Secretary of State

Pat McFadden (Labour, MP for Wolverhampton South East) has held the post of Secretary of State for Work and Pensions since 5 September 2025. UK Parliament: career · Pat McFadden's record in Parliament

National Audit Office reports

Related key figures: People on Universal Credit (Great Britain) · UK unemployment rate.

All departments · Budgets and OBR forecasts · Department for Work and Pensions on GOV.UK

Sources