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About DSD

In December 1999 the Department for Social Development was established as part of the Northern Ireland Executive.
It has strategic responsibility for urban regeneration, community and voluntary sector development, social legislation, housing, social security benefits, pensions and child support.
Around 8000 people are employed by the Department, approximately 91% of whom are located in the Social Security Agency and Child Maintenance and Enforcement Division. Public Expenditure allocation for 2009/2010 is £5,797.0 million, including £5,021.5 million Social Security Benefit Provision.
MISSION "Together, tackling disadvantage, building communities."

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Departmental Structure

The Department comprises three core groupings and one next steps agency:
The Department is responsible for three Executive and three non-Executive Non Departmental Public Bodies
and has oversight of

Strategic Priorities

In support of the mission statement, and to ensure a consistency of approach, the Department has three key strategic priorities:
  • To invest in housing and address the housing crisis;
  • To build communities, tackle disadvantage and encourage social responsibility; and
  • To create vibrant cities, towns and urban areas.

Departmental Management Board

The Departmental Management Board which forms part of the Departments' Corporate Governance Arrangements (Word 298KB) comprises the Permanent Secretary (Chair), the Deputy Secretaries for Resources, Housing and Social Security Group and Urban Regeneration and Community Development Group, the Social Security Agency Chief Executive, Head of Child Maintenance and Enforcement Division and two Independent Members.  
Information on the Board's remit and responsibilities is contained in the Departmental Management Board Terms of Reference (Word 103KB).
The Board has also established a Departmental Audit Committee (Word 66KB) to support the Accounting Officer in his responsibilities with issues of risk management, control and governance; and a Fraud Sub-Committee (Word 46KB) to provide strategic oversight of the Department's counter fraud activities across all spending programmes.