| Post: | Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions |
| Incumbent: | Mel Stride |
| Incumbentsince: | 8 July 2024 |
| Appointer: | Leader of the Opposition |
| Inaugural: | Michael Meacher |
| Formation: | 2 November 1989 |
| Website: | https://members.parliament.uk/Opposition/Cabinet |
The Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is an office within British politics held by a member of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition. The duty of the office holder is to scrutinise the actions of the government's Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and develop alternative policies. The office holder, currently vacant, is a member of the Shadow Cabinet.
Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Entered office | Left office | Political party | Shadow Cabinet | |||
| Michael Meacher1939–2015 | 2 November 1989 | 18 July 1992 | Labour | Kinnock | |||
| Donald Dewar1937–2000 | 18 July 1992 | 19 October 1995 | Labour | Smith | |||
| Beckett | |||||||
| Blair | |||||||
| Chris Smithborn 1951 | 19 October 1995 | 1 July 1996 | Labour | ||||
| Harriet Harmanborn 1950 | 1 July 1996 | 2 May 1997 | Labour | ||||
| Peter Lilleyborn 1943 | 2 May 1997 | 19 June 1997 | Conservative | Major | |||
| Iain Duncan Smithborn 1954 | 19 June 1997 | 15 June 1999 | Conservative | Hague | |||
| David Willettsborn 1956 | 15 June 1999 | 14 September 2001 | Conservative | ||||
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | |||||||
| David Willettsborn 1956 | 14 September 2001 | 6 May 2005 | Conservative | Duncan Smith | |||
| Howard | |||||||
| Malcolm Rifkindborn 1946 | 6 May 2005 | 6 December 2005 | Conservative | ||||
| Philip Hammondborn 1955 | 6 December 2005 | 2 July 2007 | Conservative | Cameron | |||
| Chris Graylingborn 1962 | 2 July 2007 | 19 January 2009 | Conservative | ||||
| Theresa Mayborn 1956 | 19 January 2009 | 11 May 2010 | Conservative | ||||
| Yvette Cooperborn 1969 | 11 May 2010 | 8 October 2010 | Labour | Harman I | |||
| Douglas Alexanderborn 1967 | 8 October 2010 | 20 January 2011 | Labour | Miliband | |||
| Liam Byrneborn 1970 | 20 January 2011 | 7 October 2013 | Labour | ||||
| Rachel Reevesborn 1979 | 7 October 2013 | 8 June 2015 | Labour | ||||
| Stephen Timms born 1955 | 8 June 2015 | 13 September 2015 | Labour | Harman II | |||
| Owen Smithborn 1970 | 14 September 2015 | 27 June 2016 | Labour | Corbyn | |||
| Debbie Abrahamsborn 1960 | 27 June 2016 | 11 March 2018 | Labour | ||||
| Margaret Greenwoodborn 1959 | 11 March 2018 | 6 April 2020 | Labour | ||||
| Jonathan Reynoldsborn 1980 | 6 April 2020 | 29 November 2021 | Labour & Co-op | Starmer | |||
| Jonathan Ashworthborn 1978 | 29 November 2021 | 4 September 2023 | Labour & Co-op | ||||
| Liz Kendallborn 1971 | 4 September 2023 | 5 July 2024 | Labour | ||||
| Mel Strideborn 1961 | 8 July 2024 | Incumbent | Conservative | Sunak | |||