Who decides what at DWP? A simple who’s who (Timms and Milburn reviews)

These are politically appointed ministers who lead specific DWP policy areas and report to the Secretary of State. 

Minister of State for Social Security and Disability – Sir Stephen Timms MP 

• Leads on social security policy, including disability benefits (Personal Independence Payment or ‘PIP’) and other working-age benefits, which are all relevant to the Miburn Review of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). 
• Co-chairs the Timms Review of PIP alongside a steering group largely made up of disabled people.

Minister of State for Employment – Andrew Western MP 

• Leads on employment policy, jobcentres and work-related programmes, which are all relevant to the Miburn Review of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). 

Other Ministers of State cover pensions, skills and corporate functions.  

Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State 

Below the Ministers of State are Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State, who handle more specific policy portfolios (for example, particular benefit areas or employment schemes) and support the senior ministers. They help to develop and implement policy, represent the department in Parliament, and engage with stakeholders.  

Civil servants 

The overwhelming majority of people working in DWP are civil servants, who are politically neutral and serve whichever government is in power. 

Permanent Secretary – Dame Sarah Healey 

• Recently appointed under Andy Burnham’s new leadership as Prime Minister 
• The most senior civil servant in DWP and the DWP’s accounting officer. 
• Responsible for ensuring the department runs effectively, spends money lawfully, and implements ministers’ decisions. 

Director Generals and senior officials 

• Lead big groups such as Welfare and Pensions, Labour Market and Skills, DWP Services and Fraud, Digital and Transformation, etc. 
• Oversee major programmes (including health and disability transformation) and ensure policy is turned into operational reality. 

Civil servants: 

• Advise ministers on what is possible, legal and affordable. 
• Design and run assessments, contracts and delivery (for example, PIP assessment contracts are awarded and managed by DWP civil servants). 
• Implement whatever the Secretary of State and ministers decide, even if they personally disagree.  

Where the Timms and Milburn reviews sit 

Both reviews were commissioned by the DWP. They cannot set government policy themselves: they can only make recommendations to the government. 

Timms Review (disability benefits/PIP) 

What it is: A government review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), looking at how the benefit works and how it could be reformed. 

Who leads it: Co-chaired by Sir Stephen Timms MP (Minister of State for Social Security and Disability) plus disabled people and other stakeholders. 

Who sets the scope: The Terms of Reference are set by DWP ministers and civil servants. The review can only look at what DWP allows it to consider. For example, the Timms Review’s Terms of Reference have specified that the Review cannot recommend changes that would increase spending on PIP. 

Power: It can make recommendations to the Secretary of State, but cannot force changes. Pat McFadden can accept, modify or reject any recommendation. In practice, the review team and DWP are in constant dialogue, but final decisions rest with ministers. 

Z2K’s participation: We are actively working to influence the recommendations of the Timms Review.  

• In 2025, we published Ending the Culture of Fear, a report arguing that the PIP assessment system is punitive, often gets decisions wrong, and discourages disabled people from trying work.  
• We submitted a detailed response to the Timms Review’s call for evidence (March–May 2026), setting out 16 recommendations coproduced with our group of Experts by Experience.  
• Z2K also co‑ordinated and supported an open letter from over 40 disabled people’s organisations and charities in early 2026, calling for strong representation of people on both PIP and means‑tested benefits, and for the review to operate transparently (including publishing written evidence).  
• The Timms Review’s interim report (July 2026) echoed many of the themes of our research, like in our report Prove It Again: The Cost of Unnecessary PIP reassessments.  
• We have also submitted additional evidence through workshops with Experts by Experience, direct meetings with the Review team, and are about to launch a new briefing on challenging PIP decisions.  

Milburn Review (young people and work / NEET) 

What it is: An independent inquiry into why more young people (16–24) are not in education, employment or training, and what could change that. 

Who leads it: Led by Alan Milburn (former Labour minister and chair of the Social Mobility Foundation), commissioned by the Secretary of State.  

Who sets the scope: Like Timms, the Terms of Reference are set by DWP.  

Power: It can recommend changes to policy, programmes and funding, but only the Secretary of State can approve and implement them. 

Z2K’s participation: We are part of a coalition of charities working together to influence the Universal Credit health element and the impact of welfare policy on young people. 

• Z2K submitted evidence to the Milburn Review’s call for evidence, focusing on how the design of health and disability benefit assessments can discourage young people from trying work, education or training. 
• The Milburn review’s interim report (May 2026) drew on inputs from charities and the voluntary sector as part of its evidence base, alongside employers, education providers, health bodies and young people themselves. 
• Z2K contributed to a joint letter alongside 40 fellow charities, calling on the UK government to work with the sector to create pathways into meaningful employment, education, training and volunteering for young disabled people. The letter was shared with the Secretary of State, Stephen Timms and with the Milburn Review team.  

Where decisions about money are really made 

For any recommendation that costs significant new money (for example, scrapping the two‑child limit or substantially expanding PIP): 

• Civil servants work up the evidence, costs and options. 
• The Treasury and No. 10 decide whether funding will be made available. 
• If agreed, announcements are usually made at the Budget or Spring Statement alongside other major spending decisions.