Child Maintenance Service Financial Investigations Unit Investigator

Job summary

As the UK government’s largest public service provider, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policies.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) supports parents who are unable to reach a private financial agreement by ensuring – and when necessary, enforcing – their legal responsibility to contribute to their child’s living costs. Our mission is simple: to get money to children, because it makes a real difference in their lives.

While we’ve made significant progress in transforming our service, we remain ambitious about what more we can achieve for the families who rely on us. CMS is a dynamic and rewarding place to work. Step into any of our service centres and you’ll find passionate, dedicated professionals committed to supporting our customers.

We are proud to foster an inclusive and diverse workforce where everyone can thrive.

If you're looking to make a difference, this could be the career for you.

This is a fantastic opportunity to start or grow a fulfilling career in the Civil Service. We offer a flexible work-life balance, along with opportunities for growth, challenge, and personal development.

Take a look at the DWP you tube channel to find out morehttps://youtu.be/DwG6S1XQy2Y

Job description

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is offering exciting opportunities for motivated individuals to join us as FIU Investigators. These are key roles where you’ll have the chance to make a real difference in the lives of children and families across the UK.

The Financial Investigations Unit (FIU) are a nationally based team with responsibility for both criminal and financial investigations, including where clients have complicated tax arrangements which minimise their liability to pay maintenance.

The FIU is at the heart of DWP’s front line operations helping to change people lives. FIU for the first time brings together our strategy, policy and analysis for fraud, error and financial correctness in the child maintenance arena.

Our Executive Officers support the Directorate in ensuring that Fraud and Error is kept to an absolute minimum, that maintenance calculations accurately reflect the financial status of our parents whilst protecting some of the most vulnerable in our society. We work closely with stakeholders to deliver the very best service possible to each customer.

We’re looking for people who are committed to delivering outstanding customer service. You’ll need to be adaptable and resilient, capable of making sound decisions, and confident in driving and implementing change in a high-profile, fast-paced environment.

Your leadership will be instrumental in achieving our core mission: ensuring that children receive the financial support they deserve.

Your work will involve several aspects; all subject to changing business priorities. You will undertake a range of duties with the following provided as an example.

Working as an Investigator in the Financial Investigations Unit with responsibility for:

• Leading on financial and or, criminal investigations, to establish such things as the correct income to use in the calculation of child maintenance payments
• Managing investigations on an end-to-end basis, including gathering, analysing and evaluating evidence to effectively progress investigations to an outcome, including decision making.
• Managing and conducting fraud investigations, in accordance with all legal and policy requirements, pursuing all reasonable lines of enquiry including appropriate use of surveillance and visiting customers and witnesses.
• Conduct robust and challenging interviews by telephone or in person in accordance with all legal and policy requirements, pursuing all reasonable lines of enquiry. Ensuring declarations and changes have been reported at the right time and taking appropriate corrective action if errors are found.
• Developing and preparing prosecution cases, representing the department by attending court and giving evidence in criminal cases and appeal tribunals.
• Working collaboratively, effectively and flexibly within a team, contributing towards team expectations.
• Liaising with other departments/organisations such as Local Authorities (LAs), Police and HMRC within the framework of any existing partnership agreements.

Important: During the initial 11 weeks of your employment, you are required to participate in full-time, 100% office-based training.

Person specification

An FIU Investigator should be able to demonstrate:

• Effective, flexible leadership and communication skills with an ability to reach a diverse audience and be prepared to engage effectively with our partners.
• Excellent organisational and planning capabilities.
• Strong judgement and decision-making skills.
• Ability to present information to internal and external audiences in a professional and credible manner.
• Ability to work effectively as an individual and as part of a team.
• Ability to deal appropriately with challenging and vulnerable individuals.
• Ability to analyse data at pace, establishing patterns of behaviour.
• Ability to work in a demanding and complex environment with changing priorities.

Essential Requirements - Please note:

This role requires frequent travel to other CMS sites and potentially to sites across DWP nationally. Applicants must be flexible with their working pattern, day to day work location and be able to manage overnight stays or early starts whenever operationally required to do so. You must be able to work a minimum of 30 hours per week.

• Due to the nature of the role and the requirement to give evidence in court on behalf of DWP, all successful candidates will be subject to a rigorous background check and any past, present or pending convictions or previous dismissals are likely to result in you being considered as unsuitable for the role.
• Due to the geographical disbursement of the team and the potential requirement to undertake fieldwork, the ability to drive is essential.

Learning requirements

Candidates must also commit to taking a Level 3 Public Sector Compliance Inspector Apprenticeship or equivalent (ACFIP).

• The DWP is committed to investing in people and ensuring their teams are a professional workforce. It is a requirement of counter fraud post holders within DWP to attain, and retain, membership of the Government Counter Fraud Profession (GCFP) at Practitioner level. This means if you are successful in applying for this role you will need to undertake an annual self-assessment to evidence your knowledge, skills, and experience within your role to attain and retain practitioner level membership. We provide post holders with a learning routeway to support them in achieving as well as any workplace adjustments they may require. Failure to attain membership of the GCFP at practitioner level may result in DWP seeking an alternative role for you.

Licences

Full UK Driving License

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,137, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £9,310 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Working for DWP will include benefits such as learning and development tailored to your role, an environment with flexible working options, a culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.

Annual Leave

23 days annual leave rising with service to 30 days, plus public holidays.

Flexi Time

Access to flexible working hours scheme will be available.

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Working Hours

The Department’s contracted working hours are:

• Monday to Friday: 07:45 to 20:00
• Saturday: 08:45 to 17:00

Employees are contracted to work a set number of hours per week within these timeframes.

• For full-time employees, this is 37 net hours per week (equivalent to 42 gross hours, including meal breaks).
• For part-time employees, the number of hours will be proportionally less, based on their contract.

Employees are expected to work the full number of hours for which they are contracted.

See the Candidate Pack for more of the benefits available to as a Civil Servant.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Eligibility

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that these vacancies are not currently eligible for new applications for Visa Sponsorship on the Skilled Worker route, for any candidates who do not currently have permission to be in the UK as a Skilled Worker where they were sponsored before 4 April 2024, even if relying on tradeable points (including the new entrant tradeable points option) as they are not included in the published Immigration Salary List. This information is offered as guidance only, and we recommend that applicants seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role.

Location

Applicants should only apply for roles where they can reasonably commute to and from their selected home office location daily.

Training

During the initial 11 weeks of your employment, you must attend full-time (42 hours per week), 100% office-based training. This will be immediately followed by a 3-month consolidation period, which will also be office based.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit a CV and 750 -word Personal Statement.

Important Information Regarding Anonymisation​

When completing your application form, CV and personal statement you must remove any personal details that could be used to identify you. This includes name and contact details which might usually appear on a CV or personal statement.

Failure to do so will result in your application being withdrawn.

Personal Statement

Write an evidence-based statement demonstrating your suitability for the role, reflecting on the essential criteria outlined in the Job Description.

Your evidence-based statement should be no longer than 750 words. Avoid generalised claims – focus instead on specific examples that highlight your achievements. For each example, explain the context, the challenges you faced, the actions you took, and the outcomes you achieved.

Sift

The sift panel will assess your evidence-based statement to evaluate your experience, skills, and knowledge against the essential criteria outlined in the job advert. To progress to the next stage of the application process, you must provide clear and sufficient evidence demonstrating how you meet these criteria.

If we receive a high volume of applications, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead criterion: Effective, flexible leadership and communication skills with an ability to reach a diverse audience and be prepared to engage effectively with our partners. Candidates who pass this initial sift may either proceed to a full sift or be invited directly to interview.

CV

Your CV is for reference/context only and is not scored, put the main content of your evidence and skills in your personal statement.

Interview

The interview will assess your behaviours and strengths.

Your interview will be conducted face to face at the location you have selected.

See the Personal Statement Guidance and Candidate Pack attachments for full details of the application and selection process.

Approximate campaign timeline:

Sift Period: 7 - 8 July 2026

Interviews: 20 July - 24 July 2026

Results/Offers: From 30 July 2026

Security & ID Checks: August 2026 onwards

Start Dates: September 2026

Sometimes we might decide to invite all candidates straight to interview without assessing the written application evidence, therefore sift and interview dates are subject to change.

Provisional Offer of Employment

If you receive a provisional offer of employment, please note that the pre-employment checking process can take up to 8 weeks for external candidates. (Refer to the candidate pack for details regarding the required documentation.)

In some cases, a conditional offer may be made. This means you could begin your role before all checks are completed. However, if any of the outstanding checks are unsuccessful, your employment may be terminated.

Further Information​

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 3 months from which further appointments can be made.

If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Disability Confident Scheme

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Integrity, plagiarism and Civil Service Principles

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles.

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.

Examples of plagiarism can include:

• Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
• Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out.

Important

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP’s Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at the Childcare Choices Website.

DWP takes development seriously. Our aim is for our colleagues in these roles to be appropriately skilled and qualified – as determined by the business. To support this aim you may be required to undertake a work based qualification, which may be in the form of an apprenticeship, which will support you in further developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and your future career development. The qualification can be undertaken in work time, you agree to take this job on the basis that you may be required to undertake a work based qualification; a candidate’s failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of their employment contract.

Important

If you hold a level 3 qualification (2 A levels or equivalent) then please bring your certificates with you to the interview if you have them.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Tina Ward
• Email : TINA.WARD1@DWP.GOV.UK

Recruitment team

• Email : dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.GOV.UK.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

EO Candidate Pack FIU Investigator 465065 Opens in new window (pdf, 1039kB)Personal Statement Guidance Opens in new window (docx, 57kB)DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 49kB)Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 616kB)