DWP’s new top official to be questioned on Department accounts

Wednesday 4 November 2026, 09.30, Committee Room 6 

The Department for Work and Pensions' new Permanent Secretary, Dame Sarah Healey, will face questions from the Work and Pensions committee on the department's work and its annual accounts. 

The session, her first appearance since being appointed to the role in August, is likely to cover her approach to continuing the cultural change that the committee has said is sorely needed.  

Dame Sarah is also likely to be questioned on: 

• The handling of carer's allowance overpayments in light of the Sayce Review. 

• Raising awareness of the State Pension age increase and inflated State Pension forecasts; 

• How she will grapple with £2.3bn worth of DWP errors in payments. 

Witnesses 

From 09.30 

• Dame Sarah Healey, Permanent Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions; 
• Catherine Vaughan, Director General, Finance, DWP; 
• Neil Couling, Director General, DWP Services and Fraud, DWP; 
• Katherine Green, Director General, Labour Market and Skills, DWP.