Organisation: Social Security Advisory Committee
3 day per month
Daily fee: £256.80
Location: London / online meetings
Deadline: 10 February, 2025
The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) is recruiting for four committee members.
About the Committee
SSAC is an independent statutory body, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It is the UK Government’s advisory body on social security matters. In addition to providing advice and assistance to the Secretary of State on matters relating to social security, it performs mandatory scrutiny of most secondary legislation laid before Parliament that underpin the welfare system, ensuring that the legislative proposals deliver the government’s policy intent. Thus, much of the Department's policy and service delivery activity, including the welfare agenda, comes before the Committee.
In addition to the scrutiny of proposals for secondary legislation, the Committee has general advisory functions which are deployed to:
Ministers may seek the Committee’s views on specific issues or SSAC may itself select issues itself which it wishes to research and provide advice on. The Chair and Committee members meet regularly with Ministers and senior officials to discuss topical issues, and also engage with front-line staff and customers during their visits to operational sites
The Committee is independent of Government, the Department and sectional interests. It has a strong track record in offering informed, expert advice. Members come from a variety of backgrounds, but collectively they have a considerable depth of knowledge and expertise in social security policy, law and the wider social policy agenda.
It undertakes a similar statutory role for the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.
The roles
There are four posts available -
Candidates must demonstrate the following skills and experience -
In addition to the above, candidates must also be able to demonstrate one or more of the following areas of experience:
Workers role: Strong understanding of the benefit system’s impact on various workers, including low-paid, self-employed, and those with fluctuating or flexible contracts. Candidates must be able to represent these perspectives effectively, either through an existing network or the ability to build and maintain one
Scotland role: Current and detailed insight of issues relating to the benefits system in Scotland - including those aspects that have been devolved to the Scottish Government - and able to represent credibly a wide range of communities and stakeholders in Scotland.
Generalist role: For these posts, candidates will be expected to demonstrate one of the following: (i) Extensive knowledge of social security legislation and its implementation, with current insights into the UK benefits system and an understanding of the challenges and opportunities related to policy changes; (ii) Ability to credibly understand and represent the impact of social security policy on a range of stakeholders, including claimants, operational delivery teams, employers, workers, and those affected by health and employment support interactions.
Meetings
SSAC meets ten times every year, although may change dependent on business need. These meetings currently alternate between online meetings and face-to-face meetings where members are expected to attend in person at Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9NA. Members also have an opportunity to visit other locations, for example visits to operational sites
Terms of Appointment
The appointment will be made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for a fixed term of up to five years. Reappointment may be considered but will be the exception rather than the rule. Participation in an annual appraisal process with the Chair is required.
We would like the successful candidates to take up appointment from August 2025.
More information
For more information, please see: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/7776
Address: For more information, please see: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/7776
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