[2] Born in Paddington, London, she is the daughter of Jack and Doreen Margaret Scott and was educated at Ensham Secondary School for Girls, Southwark Technical College and the Salvation Army Training College.

Stedman-Scott has worked for National Westminster Bank 1972–1976, for the Salvation Army 1978–83 and for Tunbridge Wells Chamber of Commerce 1983–84.

[3] She was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for East Sussex in 2007 and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours.

[6] On 30 July 2019, Stedman-Scott was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in the first Johnson ministry.

On 17 September 2021, she took on additional responsibility as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, in the second cabinet reshuffle of the second Johnson ministry.