Helen's Parliamentary Career
Helen Whately was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Faversham and Mid Kent at the 2015 general election. Early in her parliamentary career, she served on the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee and chaired All-Party Parliamentary Groups on mental health and on fruit and vegetable farmers, reflecting her strong interest in health and rural issues.
After being re-elected in 2017 and again at the 2019 general election, she joined the Government as Arts Minister at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, alongside roles as Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party and Vice Chair for Women. In 2020, she became Minister of State for Care at the Department of Health and Social Care, serving during the COVID-19 pandemic, before moving to HM Treasury as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from 2021 to 2022.
She returned as Minister of State for Care in October 2022, serving until the 2024 general election, when she was re-elected. Following the election, under Rishi Sunak, she served as Shadow Secretary of State for Transport. She now serves as Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, alongside her ongoing work as a local MP.
Biography
Helen grew up in Surrey and was educated at schools in Surrey and London before going on to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics at University of Oxford.
After graduating, she trained as a management accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers, before moving into the media and technology sector with AOL Time Warner, where she ran a business unit and negotiated deals across Europe.
Helen later built a career in healthcare consultancy, working for nearly a decade with NHS hospitals to help improve patient care and make the best use of resources. She has also advised healthcare regulators and commissioners, and contributed to the development of health policy.
Alongside her professional work, Helen has been actively involved in her community, volunteering with charities and serving as a school governor.
She was elected as the Member of Parliament for Faversham and Mid Kent at the 2015 general election, and in 2025 marked ten years of serving her constituents. Helen is married and has three children.