Department of Health and Social Security
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1968 |
| Preceding agencies |
|
| Dissolved | 1988 |
| Superseding agencies | |
| Jurisdiction | United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | London |
The Department of Health and Social Security (commonly known as the DHSS) was a ministry of the British government in existence for twenty years from 1968 until 1988, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Social Services.
Until 1968 the social security responsibilities had been split between the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, and the health responsibilities by the Ministry of Health.
In 1988 the department was split again into a separate Department of Health and the Department of Social Security.
In 2001 the Department for Work and Pensions was formed from the Department of Social Security, absorbing the employment functions which had previously been the responsibility of the Department for Education and Employment since the dissolution of the Department of Employment in 1995.
Even two and a half decades after its abolition, the initials 'DHSS' continued to be used by the general public to describe the Department for Work and Pensions or some of the benefits it provides (such as Income Support).
UB40 (a reggae group from Birmingham, whose first album was released in 1980) was named after the form issued by the DHSS to those claiming unemployment benefit, the full name of which was Unemployment Benefit form 40.
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