Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

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.

List of Shadow Secretaries
{| class="wikitable" ! colspan=7|

Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security
! colspan=3|Name ! Entered office ! Left office ! Political party ! Shadow Cabinet ! style="background-color: " | 1939–2015 ! rowspan=3 style="background-color: " | 1937–2000 ! style="background-color: " | born 1951 ! style="background-color: " | born 1950 ! style="background-color: " | born 1943 ! style="background-color: " | born 1954 ! style="background-color: " | born 1956 ! colspan=7|
 * Michael Meacher
 * Michael_Meacher_MP.jpg
 * 2 November 1989
 * 18 July 1992
 * Labour
 * Kinnock
 * rowspan=3 | Donald Dewar
 * rowspan=3 | Donald Dewar.jpg
 * rowspan=3 | 18 July 1992
 * rowspan=3 | 19 October 1995
 * rowspan=3 | Labour
 * Smith
 * Beckett
 * rowspan=3 | Blair
 * rowspan=3 | Blair
 * rowspan=3 | Blair
 * Chris Smith
 * Official portrait of Lord Smith of Finsbury, 2020.jpg
 * 19 October 1995
 * 1 July 1996
 * Labour
 * Harriet Harman
 * Official portrait of Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP crop 2.jpg
 * 1 July 1996
 * 2 May 1997
 * Labour
 * Peter Lilley
 * Official portrait of Lord Lilley crop 2.jpg
 * 2 May 1997
 * 19 June 1997
 * Conservative
 * Major
 * Iain Duncan Smith
 * Official portrait of Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP crop 2.jpg
 * 19 June 1997
 * 15 June 1999
 * Conservative
 * rowspan=2 | Hague
 * David Willetts
 * Official portrait of Lord Willetts crop 2.jpg
 * 15 June 1999
 * 14 September 2001
 * Conservative

Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: " | born 1956 ! style="background-color: " | born 1946 ! style="background-color: " | born 1955 ! style="background-color: " | born 1962 ! style="background-color: " | born 1956 ! style="background-color: " | born 1969 ! style="background-color: " | born 1967 ! style="background-color: " | born 1970 ! style="background-color: " | born 1979 ! style="background-color: " | Acting born 1955 ! style="background-color: " | born 1970 ! style="background-color: " | born 1960 ! style="background-color: " | born 1959 ! style="background-color: " | born 1980 ! style="background-color: " | born 1978 ! style="background-color: " | born 1971 ! style="background-color: " | born 1961
 * rowspan=2 | David Willetts
 * rowspan=2 | Official portrait of Lord Willetts crop 2.jpg
 * rowspan=2 | 14 September 2001
 * rowspan=2 | 6 May 2005
 * rowspan=2 | Conservative
 * Duncan Smith
 * rowspan=2 | Howard
 * rowspan=2 | Howard
 * Malcolm Rifkind
 * Malcolm Rifkind 2011 (cropped).jpg
 * 6 May 2005
 * 6 December 2005
 * Conservative
 * Philip Hammond
 * Official portrait of Mr Philip Hammond crop 2.jpg
 * 6 December 2005
 * 2 July 2007
 * Conservative
 * rowspan=3 | Cameron
 * Chris Grayling
 * Official portrait of Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP crop 2.jpg
 * 2 July 2007
 * 19 January 2009
 * Conservative
 * Theresa May
 * Theresa May - Home Secretary and minister for women and equality.jpg
 * 19 January 2009
 * 11 May 2010
 * Conservative
 * Yvette Cooper
 * Official portrait of Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP crop 2.jpg
 * 11 May 2010
 * 8 October 2010
 * Labour
 * Harman I
 * Douglas Alexander
 * Douglas Alexander MP at Chatham House 2015 crop.jpg
 * 8 October 2010
 * 20 January 2011
 * Labour
 * rowspan=3 | Miliband
 * Liam Byrne
 * Official portrait of Liam Byrne crop 2.jpg
 * 20 January 2011
 * 7 October 2013
 * Labour
 * Rachel Reeves
 * Official portrait of Rachel Reeves crop 2.jpg
 * 7 October 2013
 * 8 June 2015
 * Labour
 * Stephen Timms
 * Official portrait of Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP crop 2.jpg
 * 8 June 2015
 * 13 September 2015
 * Labour
 * Harman II
 * Owen Smith
 * Official portrait of Owen Smith crop 2.jpg
 * 14 September 2015
 * 27 June 2016
 * Labour
 * rowspan=3 | Corbyn
 * Debbie Abrahams
 * Debbie Abrahams MP.jpg
 * 27 June 2016
 * 11 March 2018
 * Labour
 * Margaret Greenwood
 * Official portrait of Margaret Greenwood MP crop 2.jpg
 * 11 March 2018
 * 6 April 2020
 * Labour
 * Jonathan Reynolds
 * Official portrait of Jonathan Reynolds MP crop 2.jpg
 * 6 April 2020
 * 29 November 2021
 * Labour & Co-op
 * rowspan="3" |Starmer
 * Jonathan Ashworth
 * Official portrait of Jonathan Ashworth MP crop 2.jpg
 * 29 November 2021
 * 4 September 2023
 * Labour & Co-op
 * Liz Kendall
 * Official portrait of Liz Kendall crop 2.jpg
 * 4 September 2023
 * 5 July 2024
 * Labour
 * Mel Stride
 * Official_portrait_of_Rt_Hon_Mel_Stride_MP_crop_2.jpg
 * 8 July 2024
 * Incumbent
 * Conservative
 * Sunak
 * }