Verification Assurance Officer – Central
Department: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Reference: 482735
Salary: £32,137 per year
Grade: Executive Officer
Contract: Permanent
Jobs available: 50
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Job share
Closing date: 20 October 2026 at 11:55pm
Locations
The role is available across a large number of locations, including Birmingham, Cambridge, Coventry, Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham, Norwich, Northampton, Peterborough, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, Worcester and many other locations across England.
Candidates can select up to 3 preferred locations, with the option to provide 2 additional preferences.
About the Role
DWP is recruiting Verification Assurance Officers to join a new team within its Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt business area.
The role focuses on identifying and preventing fraud at the frontline by working closely with Jobcentre and Service Centre colleagues. You will conduct interviews, verify evidence and help ensure potentially fraudulent claims are identified before entering the welfare system.
The position involves face-to-face work at Jobcentre locations, including interviewing claimants and working directly with colleagues. Hybrid and home working are not available.
Key Responsibilities
As a Verification Assurance Officer, you will:
- Conduct initial and further evidence interviews and verification activities.
- Investigate concerns about documents relating to Universal Credit claims, including identification, housing costs, children and childcare costs.
- Conduct customer review meetings where evidence needs to be provided at a Jobcentre.
- Identify fraud trends and provide feedback to Jobcentre teams.
- Share relevant information with specialist risk and intelligence teams.
- Lead customer education sessions on responsibilities and the consequences of non-compliance.
- Maintain accurate management information and work with analysts and performance teams.
- Travel between sites when required.
What DWP Is Looking For
Applicants should demonstrate strong:
- Face-to-face customer engagement and interviewing skills.
- Ability to build rapport and gather relevant information.
- Ability to work at pace and meet tight deadlines.
- Continuous improvement and problem-solving skills.
- Collaboration and stakeholder engagement.
- Verbal and written communication.
- Organisation and attention to detail.
The two lead criteria are particularly important because they may be used for an initial sift:
- Strong customer engagement and effective face-to-face interviewing.
- Ability to work at pace while maintaining continuous improvement and identifying better ways of working.
Visa Sponsorship
 Skilled Worker sponsorship is not currently available for new applicants who do not already have qualifying UK Skilled Worker permission.
The advert states that these vacancies are not currently eligible for new Skilled Worker visa applications for candidates who do not already have permission under the specified pre-4 April 2024 circumstances.
DWP also states that sponsorship can never be guaranteed and that eligibility depends on the immigration rules and DWP policy in place at the time.
Important: No Hybrid or Home Working
This is a fully office-based Jobcentre role. Successful candidates will be required to work from a Jobcentre location, and hybrid/home working will not be available.
Initial training may require full-time attendance and can last up to 8 weeks.
Selection Process
The recruitment process includes:
- Application form
- Online Work Strengths Test
- CV
- Personal Statement of up to 750 words
- Sift
- Face-to-face interview
The interview will assess behaviours and strengths and is expected to last around 30–40 minutes.
The behaviours assessed are:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Working Together
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
Key Dates
Application deadline: 20 October 2026
Sift: 26 October–6 November 2026
Interviews: 30 November–11 December 2026
Expected outcome: Week commencing 4 January 2027
Likely start: February 2027
Webinar
DWP will hold an information webinar about the role on Tuesday 13 October 2026, from 12 noon to 1pm.
Benefits
The £32,137 salary comes with a Civil Service pension and an employer contribution of 28.97%.
Other benefits include at least 23 days’ annual leave on entry, increasing to 30 days, plus 9 public and privilege leave days, flexible working options, learning and development opportunities, financial wellbeing support and family-friendly policies.
Application
Make sure your preferred locations are suitable for daily travel before applying. The role can only be worked in the UK and relocation costs will not be reimbursed.
Source: Civil Service Jobs / Department for Work and Pensions
Reference: 482735