Compliance Officer Apprentice

Compliance Officer Apprentice – Department for Work and Pensions

Employer: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Location: Widnes, Cheshire – Kingsway House, Oaks Place, WA8 7EA
Salary: £32,137 per year
Job grade: Executive Officer
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, part-time, flexible working and job share considered
Number of vacancies: 17
Job type: Investigation
Reference: 482532
Closing date: 11:55pm, Thursday 8 October 2026

About the role

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is recruiting 17 Compliance Officer Apprentices to join its Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt (CFCD) business area in Widnes.

The role supports DWP’s work to reduce fraud, error and debt within the benefit system. The successful applicants will work with customers, gather and assess information, conduct interviews and contribute to decisions involving benefit reassessments and overpayments.

The position is suitable for people who are adaptable, organised and interested in developing their investigation, communication and compliance skills.

Key responsibilities

As an Apprentice Compliance Officer, duties may include:

• Conducting telephone or face-to-face interviews in line with legal and DWP policy requirements.
• Pursuing appropriate lines of enquiry and identifying whether declarations or changes have been reported correctly.
• Taking appropriate action when errors are identified.
• Maintaining quality standards and following DWP policies and CFCD operational instructions.
• Working collaboratively within a team and contributing to team objectives.
• Promoting fraud awareness within DWP and with external partners.
• Gathering, verifying and assessing information for benefit reassessments and overpayment calculations.
• Maintaining accurate records and handling relevant evidence, including redacting or annotating sensitive information where appropriate.
• Liaising with other departments and organisations.
• Managing workloads when priorities change.
• Travelling between sites when required, including occasional overnight stays.

Skills and experience

Applicants should be able to demonstrate:

• Effective communication and flexible leadership skills.
• The ability to communicate with a diverse range of people and partners.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Good judgement and decision-making ability.
• The ability to present information professionally to internal and external audiences.
• The ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Effective communication and interview skills when dealing with challenging or vulnerable individuals.
• A positive approach to achieving outcomes and delivering change.
• Willingness to travel between sites when required.
• The ability to work in a demanding environment with changing priorities.

Apprenticeship and training

Successful applicants will undertake the Public Sector Compliance Investigation and Officer Apprenticeship.

The apprenticeship is expected to take up to 22 months, although the full learning journey for this role can take up to 25 months.

Training and development may cover areas including:

• Interview techniques and questioning.
• GDPR and the importance of data protection.
• Legislation relevant to the role.
• Compliance tools and techniques.

The apprenticeship is designed to support achievement of Category A Investigator practitioner level membership of the Government Counter Fraud Profession (GCFP).

DWP will provide support through line managers, skills coaches, fellow apprentices, the DWP Apprenticeship Team and the Government Counter Fraud Profession team.

Initial training can last for up to 12 weeks. Alternative working patterns may therefore require periods of full-time attendance for training and consolidation.

Apprenticeship eligibility

Applicants must meet the apprenticeship funding and eligibility requirements.

Key requirements include:

• Having the right to live and work in the UK for the full duration of the apprenticeship and associated learning journey.
• Generally having lived in the UK and/or EEA for three years before the apprenticeship start date, unless an exemption applies.
• Not being in full-time education or already undertaking another apprenticeship at the apprenticeship start date.
• Not already holding a qualification at the same or higher level in a similar subject to the apprenticeship.
• Not having significant previous work experience covering the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the apprenticeship standard.
• Candidates with substantial previous experience in areas such as fraud, compliance or debt management may not be eligible for this apprenticeship.
• Applicants who do not have the required Maths and English qualifications may be able to undertake Level 2 Functional Skills with support.

Applicants should list their qualifications on the application form and ensure they meet all relevant apprenticeship eligibility requirements.

Webinar

DWP will hold a webinar for applicants who want to learn more about the vacancies.

Date: 5 October 2026
Time: 1:00pm–2:00pm

The webinar registration link is provided within the original Civil Service Jobs advert.

Salary and benefits

The salary is £32,137 per year.

DWP also contributes approximately £9,310 towards membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

Other benefits include:

• At least 23 days’ annual leave on entry, increasing to 30 days over time, plus 9 days of public and privilege leave.
• Flexible working arrangements, including job sharing, flexi-time, term-time working and compressed hours.
• Interest-free season ticket loans.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Employee discount scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Family-friendly policies.
• Funded learning and professional development.
• Coaching, mentoring and talent development opportunities.
• Access to staff networks and inclusion programmes.

Hybrid working

The role may be suitable for hybrid working, depending on the requirements of the role and the individual.

Where hybrid working is agreed, employees will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of their contracted working hours in the DWP office.

Hybrid working will not begin until the required training and consolidation period has been successfully completed.

The contractual workplace is the DWP office in Widnes, and the role can only be performed within the UK.

Working hours

The standard full-time working week is 37 hours.

Working hours may fall between:

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

Working patterns will be agreed according to business requirements.

Visa sponsorship

Visa sponsorship is not currently available for new Skilled Worker applications for this vacancy for candidates who do not already have permission to be in the UK as a Skilled Worker under the circumstances specified in the advert.

DWP states that the roles are not currently eligible for new Skilled Worker sponsorship because they are not included on the published Immigration Salary List.

DWP also states that sponsorship can never be guaranteed and that any request would be considered under the relevant DWP guidance and Home Office policy in force at the time.

Applicants who require sponsorship should therefore check their individual eligibility before applying.

Recruitment and selection process

The vacancy uses the Civil Service Success Profiles framework and assesses behaviours, strengths and experience.

Stage 1 – Application Form

Applicants must complete the online application form, including personal information, eligibility details and any reasonable adjustment requirements.

Closing date: 11:55pm on 8 October 2026.

Stage 2 – Strengths and Experience Assessment

Candidates progressing to this stage will complete an online assessment through Vidcruiter.

The assessment will involve pre-recorded questions and recorded responses.

Candidates are expected to receive the assessment link on 9 October 2026 and have until 13 October 2026 to complete it.

The sift is scheduled for 14–23 October 2026.

Stage 3 – Apprenticeship Eligibility and Skills Check

Candidates who reach the required sift score will progress to an eligibility and skills check conducted by the external apprenticeship provider, Central Training.

This stage is scheduled for 9 November–4 December 2026.

Stage 4 – Interview

Successful candidates will be invited to a blended, face-to-face interview.

Interviews are scheduled for 7–18 December 2026, between 9:00am and 5:00pm, although dates may change.

Interviews will generally take place in Widnes, but candidates may be required to travel to another location.

The interview is expected to last approximately 30–40 minutes and will assess Civil Service behaviours at Executive Officer Level 2.

The behaviours listed are:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Candidates may use examples from employment, education, volunteering, clubs or other activities. The advert suggests using the WHO or STAR approach when preparing behavioural examples.

Stage 5 – Offer

Candidates will be notified of the outcome after interviews and subject to successful pre-employment checks.

The advert states that successful candidates are likely to start during January or February 2027.

Security checks

Successful candidates will be required to undergo a basic or equivalent criminal record check and baseline personnel security standard checks.

Applicants successful at interview will also be subject to the DWP Internal Fraud Database check.

Nationality requirements

The role is broadly open to eligible:

• UK nationals.
• Republic of Ireland nationals.
• Commonwealth nationals with the right to work in the UK.
• Eligible EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein nationals and qualifying family members with relevant EUSS status.
• Individuals with qualifying limited or indefinite leave to remain.
• Turkish nationals and certain qualifying family members who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service.

Applicants should check the full Civil Service nationality requirements before applying.

Application

Applications must be submitted through Civil Service Jobs before 11:55pm on Thursday 8 October 2026.

Vacancy reference: 482532

Employer: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Job location: Widnes Kingsway House, Oaks Place, Widnes, WA8 7EA