Child Maintenance Service

Child Maintenance Service Telephony Caseworker – Falkirk

Employer: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Salary: £27,866 per year
Location: Parklands, Callendar Boulevard, Callendar Business Park, Falkirk, FK1 1XT, Scotland
Contract: Permanent
Job Grade: Administrative Officer
Job Type: Operational Delivery
Working Pattern: Full-time, part-time, flexible working and job share
Number of Vacancies: 20
Reference Number: 483651
Closing Date: 9 November 2026, at 11:55 pm
Visa Sponsorship: Not available for this vacancy

About the Department for Work and Pensions

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is recruiting 20 Child Maintenance Service Telephony Caseworkers in Falkirk, Scotland.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) supports parents who cannot make private financial arrangements for their children’s living costs. Its mission is to help ensure children receive the financial support they need.

This is an opportunity to join a public service team providing customer support and helping families manage child maintenance arrangements.

Job Description

As a Child Maintenance Service Telephony Caseworker, you will work in a busy service centre, handling inbound and outbound telephone calls and supporting customers with child maintenance enquiries.

The role is primarily telephone-based. You will spend most of your working day wearing a headset, managing conversations and resolving queries in real time. There are no alternative non-telephony deployment options for this position.

You may occasionally provide digital support, but telephone work remains the main responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Make and receive a high volume of telephone calls in a contact centre environment.
• Provide clear, accurate and compassionate customer service.
• Respond to customer enquiries, complete follow-up actions and escalate cases when necessary.
• Handle sensitive or challenging conversations professionally and calmly.
• Manage a caseload and prioritise multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Gather information from different sources to calculate child maintenance liabilities accurately.
• Record information correctly using internal IT systems.
• Negotiate child maintenance arrangements and payment plans in line with legislation and guidance.
• Secure payments and explain the consequences of non-payment.
• Take appropriate enforcement action when required.
• Provide digital customer support when necessary.

Person Specification

Applicants should demonstrate the following skills and qualities:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate fluently in English over the telephone.
• Excellent customer service skills and a commitment to providing accurate, respectful and professional support.
• Resilience and the ability to remain calm when handling difficult or sensitive conversations.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Initiative and the ability to work independently.
• The ability to understand complex information and use guidance and legislation to make evidence-based decisions.
• Digital competence and the ability to navigate multiple IT systems.

Training and Working Arrangements

Mandatory office-based training

The first 12 weeks of employment will involve full-time, 100% office-based training. This requirement is mandatory and non-negotiable.

After the initial training, successful employees must complete a further three-month office-based consolidation period to strengthen their knowledge and demonstrate that they meet the required service standards.

Attendance throughout both phases is compulsory.

Hybrid working

Hybrid working may be considered only after both the 12-week training period and the three-month consolidation phase have been completed successfully.

Where an arrangement is agreed, employees will normally be required to spend at least 60% of their contracted working hours in the DWP office. Hybrid working is voluntary and non-contractual.

Applicants who may have difficulty meeting office attendance requirements because of a disability, caring responsibilities or other circumstances are encouraged to contact the recruitment team to discuss their situation.

Working hours

DWP’s contracted operating hours are:

• Monday to Friday: 7:45 am to 8:00 pm.
• Saturday: 8:45 am to 5:00 pm.

Full-time employees work 37 net hours per week, equivalent to 42 hours including meal breaks. Part-time hours are proportionally lower, depending on the agreed contract.

Salary and Benefits

The successful candidates will receive an annual salary of £27,866.

Other benefits include:

• Civil Service Pension, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• 23 days of annual leave, increasing with service to 30 days, plus public holidays.
• Access to a flexible working hours scheme.
• Learning and development opportunities.
• An inclusive working environment that promotes diversity and equal opportunities.
• Potential opportunities to undertake a work-based qualification or apprenticeship.

New entrants are normally appointed at the minimum of the relevant pay band.

Visa Sponsorship

This vacancy is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship.

The employer explicitly states that these positions are not currently eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, including where applicants might otherwise rely on tradeable points or the new entrant option.

Applicants must ensure they have the appropriate right to work and meet the relevant eligibility requirements before applying.

Application and Selection Process

Recruitment will follow the Civil Service Success Profiles framework, assessing behaviours and strengths.

Stage 1: Initial application

Applicants must submit their application through the official Civil Service Jobs website. Personal identifying details must be removed from application responses where instructed, including names and contact details in behaviour examples or personal statements. Failure to comply may result in withdrawal.

Stage 2: Online tests

After submitting the initial application, candidates will be invited to complete two online assessments:

• Customer Skills Test.
• Casework Skills Test.

Candidates are advised to complete the tests as soon as possible, ideally within 24–48 hours of receiving the invitation.

The deadline for completing the tests is 9 November 2026 at 11:55 pm. Failure to complete them by the deadline will result in withdrawal from the recruitment process.

Please note that the test provider has scheduled maintenance from 4:00 pm to midnight on 1 November 2026, during which new tests cannot be launched.

Stage 3: Behaviour-based question

Candidates who pass both tests will be asked to answer a question assessing the Communicating and Influencing behaviour:

Describe a time when you had to communicate clearly and effectively with someone who was upset, confused or resistant to what you were telling them.

The response must be no more than 250 words and should provide a specific example from the applicant’s own experience. It should explain the situation, the challenge, the actions taken and the outcome achieved.

Applicants should provide truthful evidence based on their own experience.

Stage 4: Interview

The interview will assess behaviours and strengths, with Communicating and Influencing as the lead behaviour.

Interviews will take place face to face at Parklands, Callendar Business Park, Falkirk.

Important Recruitment Dates

• Application closing date: 9 November 2026.
• Online test deadline: 9 November 2026.
• Expected sift period: 17–19 November 2026.
• Expected interviews: 1–10 December 2026.
• Results and offers: From 16 December 2026.
• Expected start dates: From February 2027.

These dates are provisional and may change during the recruitment process.

Supporting Candidate Webinars

The Child Maintenance Service will host optional online sessions led by current caseworkers. These sessions will cover the role, training, support and benefits of working in the Civil Service, followed by a short question-and-answer session.

• Monday, 2 November 2026: 12:30 pm–1:30 pm. Book your place on Microsoft Teams.
• Wednesday, 4 November 2026: 5:00 pm–6:00 pm. Book your place on Microsoft Teams.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should review the full vacancy details and submit their application through the official Civil Service Jobs website before the closing date.

Job Reference: 483651

Before applying, ensure you can commute to the Falkirk office and are able to complete the mandatory office-based training and consolidation periods. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.