扒哥吃瓜

The Department for Work and Pensions听(DWP)听has appointed听Dr听Sam Royston听to the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC).听Sam has听been appointed to听serve a five-year term, starting on 1听July听2026.听听

Confirming the appointment, DWP Minister of听Lords, Baroness Sherlock OBE, said:听听

鈥淚 am delighted to welcome Sam to the Committee. He brings extensive experience in research and policy, with a strong focus on how social security policy and its delivery affect people鈥檚 lives. This will add further depth to SSAC鈥檚 advice.鈥澨�

Dr Stephen Brien, Chair of SSAC, added:听

鈥淪am听is a very welcome addition to听the team, and听I听am delighted that the Committee will be able to听benefit听from听his听considerable experience. The听combination听and breadth of the research, policy and practical insight听Sam will bring听will听be valuable听in听all aspects of听our work, especially when we examine听how听aspects听of听the Department鈥檚听policies听operate听in practice.鈥澨�

The Department has听also听confirmed the reappointments听of听existing members听Daphne Hall and Dr Suzy Walton, extending听their membership听to 31听December听2031.听

About the Committee听

Established in 1980, the Social Security Advisory Committee is an independent statutory body. It provides advice to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on proposals for the amendment of secondary legislation and on general social security matters.听

The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates all appointments made to鈥�SSAC鈥痓y the Secretary of State. All such appointments are made听in accordance with听the鈥�Governance Code for Public Appointments.听

SSAC鈥痬embers receive a daily fee of 拢256.80, for a time commitment of 2 to 3 days a month.听

About the appointees听

Dr听Sam Royston听

Sam is the Executive Director of Research and Policy at Marie Curie. He听was previously Policy Director at The Children鈥檚听Society, and听is also a former chair of the End Child Poverty coalition. Prior to that, Sam completed his PhD in the Social Policy department at the University of York, at which point he was also an adviser at听a Citizens Advice Bureau.听He is also author of the book 鈥淏roken Benefits: What鈥檚 gone wrong with welfare reform鈥�, and a trustee of the charity Turn2Us.听听

Sam听has been appointed from 1听July听2026听to听30 June听2031.听

Daphne Hall

Daphne is an editor at听Rightsnet听and is the Vice Chair of the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers.听Previously, Daphne spent 25 years working as a frontline adviser for Bristol City Council, Springfield Psychiatric Hospital and Citizens Advice. For many years, she was also a contributing author to Child Poverty Action Group鈥檚 Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook, and to Disability Rights UK鈥檚 Disability Rights Handbook.听听Daphne has been reappointed from 1 January 2027 to听31 December 2031.听

Dr Suzy Walton

Suzy Walton is a chartered director, occupational psychologist, and scientist. As a former senior civil servant, she has worked in the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Defence. She was awarded a PhD for research into military suicide.听Her current roles include听Vice-President of Combat Stress,听disciplinary panel member of the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (Ministry of Justice), a member of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (Department of Health)听and a member of the听Security听Vetting听Appeals听Panel听(Cabinet Office).听Suzy has sat on multiple boards including听as听a non-executive director/lay member on听multiple听government committees.听

Suzy has been reappointed from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2031.听

颁辞苍迟补肠迟鈥�SSAC听

贰尘补颈濒:鈥�ssac@ssac.gov.uk听

Committee Secretary: 0300 046 0323