Verification Assurance Officer - Central

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a new and dynamic team which will introduce a Verification Assurance Officer (VAO) job role within selected Jobcentre and Service Centres.

The role will enable the VAO and Jobcentre colleagues to work together to identify and tackle fraud on the frontline, responding to potential fraud quickly and effectively at the outset. The aim is to prevent fraud entering the welfare system, reduce customer debt and to meet Fraud, Error and Debt strategy and strategic objectives.

As a VAO you will help improve the verification processes by strengthening our fraud controls on the front line. You will support the prevention of intentional fraud entering the welfare system, while actively increasing customer engagement and knowledge, educating them on their responsibilities.

As a great communicator you will also be responsible for raising Jobcentre colleagues' awareness of fraud and by providing practical support, making it clear that everyone has a responsibility to tackle fraud when they suspect it.

Due to the nature of the work, you will be required to carry out this role fully from a Jobcentre location, the critical part of the role will be interviewing claimants and collaborating with Jobcentre colleagues face to face, so hybrid and home working cannot be considered.

Job description

As a Verification Assurance Officer, your key tasks will be to:

• Work closely with Jobcentre and Service Centre colleagues conducting initial evidence interviews, further evidence interviews and verification activities by integrating within those teams in the sites.
• Conduct robust interviews where a colleague has a suspicion on the validity of documents produced for verification of Identification, housing costs, children and childcare costs elements of Universal Credit.
• Conduct review meetings with customers in scenarios where the Enhanced Review Team (ERT) and the customer have agreed to bring in evidence relating to their claim to a Jobcentre.
• Provide regular feedback at office meetings on trends, patterns of fraud, and how to detect them. Feed information into specialist risk and intelligence teams within DWP.
• Lead customer education sessions jointly with Jobcentre colleagues to provide clarity on customer responsibilities and the consequences of non-compliance.
• Collate and maintain accurate Management Information (MI) as directed by analysts and performance teams.

Frequent travel between sites may be required depending on business needs.

Person specification

The successful candidates will need to demonstrate:

• They are highly skilled in customer engagement and conducting effective face to face interviews, able to build rapport and gather relevant information. (First Lead criteria)
• They work at pace, often to tight deadlines, whilst maintaining a focus on continuous improvement and identifying new ways of working. (Second lead criteria)
• Proven people engagement skills, including collaborative working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders across wider teams and organisations.
• Excellent verbal, written communication and organisation skills.

Webinar event

We will be holding a webinar event to let you know more about this role. This will take place on Tuesday 13th October between 12 noon and 1pm. Please follow the link to register for the session.482735 EO VAO Central Candidate Information Session

** If the webinar page does not open, please check that pop-ups are enabled on your browser**.

Those who attend may be contacted following the event for evaluation purposes to improve our service.

Civil Service Careers

The attached link will take you to the Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt website which gives you further information about CFCD roles CFCD , Civil Service Careers.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

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).

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

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, Ability and Experience.

**Ensure that you read the full information about the selection process thoroughly before starting your application**. Please note the closing date for your full application (Application Form, Tests and Written Statements) is 23:55 on 20/10/2026**

Stage 1 – Application Form

Please complete the application form with your basic information, which includes your personal details, eligibility to apply and any reasonable adjustments required.

Stage 2 – Online Test

Following submission of your Application Form, you will be invited to complete Work Strengths Tests.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 20/10/2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. You will need to allow at least one hour to complete the testplus time to complete your written application (see below for details). Guidance and a practice test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.

Stage 3 - Curriculum Vitae (CV)

You will be asked to complete a CV with details of your job history, full qualification details, previous skills and experience. You are not required to upload your personal CV.

In the previous skills/experience section you should detail your employment and/or education history relevant to this vacancy (we recommend a maximum of 500 words).

The CV will also cover your work history (we recommend you include up to the last 3 roles of employment history, plus any others that you feel are relevant) and your qualifications.

Your CV will not be formally assessed, so please put the main evidence of your skills into your Personal Statement. Your CV will be used to add context to your personal statement.

Stage 4 – Personal Statement and Sift

If you pass the test with the required scores, you will also be asked to complete a personal statement in no more than 750 words detailing the relevant skills and experience you can bring to the role, based on the personal specification.

Please read and understand the personal specification thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Pay particular attention to the lead criteria as if you do not demonstrate this on your application, you will not progress to the interview stage.

Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address each criterion separately; however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several key criteria. You don’t have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used.

If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the first lead criteria or both the first lead and second criteria. If so, we will sift on:

• They are highly skilled in customer engagement and conducting effective face to face interviews, able to build rapport and gather relevant information. (First Lead criteria)
• They work at pace, often to tight deadlines, whilst maintaining a focus on continuous improvement and identifying new ways of working. (Second Lead criteria)

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to an interview.

In the event we don’t receive a high number of applications we may not undertake a sift and progress all candidates to interview. For these reasons, the timeline is subject to change depending on the approach we take.

**The closing date for all stages of your application is 23:55 on 20/10/2026. If you fail to complete all stages before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn**

The sift is scheduled to be held from 26/10/2026 to 06/11/2026. These dates may be subject to change.

Following completion of the sifting period above, results will be collated, and candidates will receive confirmation of the outcome. Those candidates who have met the agreed pass mark will be invited to interview. No feedback will be provided at this stage.

Stage 5 - Interview

If you pass the written application sift with the required score, you will be invited to a blended interview and will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account.

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark / score for candidates to proceed to the interview stage may be raised.

The interviews will be conducted face to face. Where possible the interviews will take place in Birmingham, Cambridge and Nottingham, however candidates may be expected to travel to an alternative location as required.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to attend a face-to-face interview, please ensure you state those on your application form when asked to do so.

Interviews are scheduled to take place from 30/11/2026 to 11/12/2026. Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change.

Interviews will be scheduled Monday to Friday, between 09:00 to 17:00.

Communications will be electronic and/or by SMS/telephone; therefore, it is important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder. Telephone calls may show as a withheld number, it is important that you answer so that your interview can be confirmed. If you wish to opt out of SMS messages, please email this address, including the vacancy reference and your candidate ID CFCD.RECRUITMENTINBOX@DWP.GOV.UK. As part of our commitment to improving the candidate experience, you may be contacted during the recruitment process to provide feedback.

Preparing for the Interview

The interview will take approximately 30 to 40 minutes and will consist of behaviour and strength-based questions. A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation offering a more inclusive approach. The questions explore what you, the candidate, can and have done, but also your potential.

Behaviours

You will be assessed against the Civil Service Behaviours listed at Executive Officer – Level 2. An example of a behavioural question would be “Tell me about a time when you have had to deal with a difficult customer.”

It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed, or a situation you have been in, and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:

• WHO - What it was, How you approached the work/situation and what the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? or
• STAR - What was the ituation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take? What were the Results of your actions?

Strengths

It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role. While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this.

If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.

If you withdraw your application at any stage, it will not progress further.

Stage 5 – Offer

Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email. Our current plan is that this will be week commencing 04/01/2027, but this may be subject to change. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first based on your location preferences and the geographical requirements of the business. Dependent on your position on the merit list, if none of your location preferences remain at the point we make a job offer, we may offer you a role at an alternative advertised location. If we are unable to offer you a role in any of your preferred locations, and you are unable to accept a role at an alternative advertised location, we will add you to the reserve list if one is being held. The successful candidates will be notified of a start date following successful pre-employment checks, which is likely to be during February 2027.

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 the case of serious ill health).
• If we make 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.

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 candidates seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role. We can never guarantee sponsorship; requests will be considered in line with the relevant DWP guidance and Home Office policy in place at the time.

Location

At the application stage candidates will be able to select 3 preferred locations from a drop down list of locations, additionally candidates can select a further 2 locations and include them in the further location preferences section of their application.

Candidates are not required to choose 5 locations and you should only apply for suitable posts and locations where you can travel to and from on a daily basis and within a reasonable time.

Candidates who select Birmingham as a location preference and who are successful in reaching the interview stage will be asked for their preferred locations in Birmingham via an offline email process.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed. Make sure the locations work for you before applying!

Hybrid working​

Successful candidates for these roles will be based in Jobcentre locations. Hybrid working / home working will not be available.

Working pattern​

Alternative working patterns will be considered but must meet business needs. We will do our best to let people with existing part-time contracts retain their contracted hours provided they are in line with current business needs. Please note that successful candidates will be required to work full time for specific periods to complete all training and consolidation. This will be discussed with successful candidates. Currently initial training can last for up to 8 weeks.

Hours of work

The full-time working week in DWP is 37 hours. You may be required to work at any time between the hours of: ​

• 7:45am and 8:00pm on any day between Monday to Friday, and​
• 8:45am to 5:00pm on Saturday.​

Managers will agree working patterns with successful candidates within these business hours and review these as appropriate. You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule.

Learning and Development

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.

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 candidates’ 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

To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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.

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.

Political Impartiality​

Due to the nature of our role, DWP is required to ensure that the political impartiality of its employees cannot be brought into question. The role you are applying for is classed by DWP as a ‘sensitive’ role because it involves contact with the public, so permission cannot be given to anyone in such a role to engage or remain politically active in any kind of local councillor role. There may also be restrictions applied to other political activities which are set out in the Department’s Standards of Behaviour Policy which is underpinned by the Civil Service Management Code. You may therefore wish to decide at application stage whether, if your job application was successful, there would be a conflict of interest with any political activity role you have and whether, knowing the restrictions we necessarily apply as an employer, you wish to pursue your application with DWP. If you have any questions about this or need further information about the restrictions, please contact CFCD.RECRUITMENTINBOX@DWP.GOV.UK.​

Important Information

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.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub. Click on the Application Guidance link for lots of help and guidance on making your application.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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 :

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