WIREDGOV

The Department for Work and Pensions is today announcing that from 1 October 2011 the day-to-day operations of Jobcentre Plus and the Pension, Disability and Carers Service will be brought under the leadership of a single Chief Operating Officer, as part of the restructuring of DWP to make it more efficient and streamline its management. At that point Jobcentre Plus and the Pension, Disability and Carers Service will cease to have formal executive agency status.

The Department has already announced a stronger Departmental Board, chaired by the Secretary of State with strong non-executives led by Ian Cheshire (Group Chief Executive of Kingfisher plc). The changes announced today are reflected in a single, smaller, Executive Team for the whole Department, led by the Permanent Secretary and including the new Chief Operating Officer.

These changes will not affect the way help and support are provided to the public. Services under the brands of Jobcentre Plus, Pension, Disability and Carers Service will continue to be delivered to jobseekers, benefit claimants and pensioners as before, ahead of the introduction of Universal Credit in 2013. Ministerial accountability also remains unaffected by these changes.

Notes to Editors:

• As executive or “next steps” agencies JCP and PDCS have each had their own Boards, Chief Executives, senior management structures, annual accounts, annual business plans and annual reports. From 1 October the Department will have instead a single Departmental Board and Executive Team, and publish one business plan and set of accounts.
• These changes are part of delivering a 40% reduction in the cost of the corporate centre in the Department for Work and Pensions (which includes the headquarter functions of both executive agencies).

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