Leigh Lewis

Who is Leigh Lewis?

Sir Leigh Lewis KCB is a retired senior British civil servant, who served as the Permanent Secretary for the British Department for Work and Pensions from 2006-2011.

Having graduated in Hispanic studies from Liverpool University, Leigh Lewis joined the then Department of Employment as an Administrative Trainee in September 1973. He became Director of Operations for the Unemployment Benefit Service in 1986.

On returning to the Department of Employment in 1991, he became Director of the International Division and later, in 1994, Director of Finance. He retained that post when the Department for Education and the Employment Department Group merged in July 1995.

Leigh Lewis was appointed as Chief Executive of the Employment Service following an open competition in January 1997. In January 2001 he was appointed Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, a new business of the Department for Work and Pensions. From April 2002 Jobcentre Plus brought together the Employment Service and those parts of the Benefits Agency which deal with customers of working age, into a single work focused organisation.