Your application will consist of six stages:
Stage 1 - Application Form
Please complete the first stage short application form.
Stage 2 Tests
After you submit the first stage of your application, you will be invited to take a Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass this, you will be invited to take the Civil Service Verbal Test. If you successfully pass both tests, you will be invited to complete a personal statement as detailed in stage 3.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). The deadline for the tests and written application is 23:55pm on 10th February 2026. Please allow sufficient time to complete the online tests and your full written application before the deadline. Failing to complete the test before the deadline will result in withdrawal of your application. Guidance will be provided when you are invited. The tests are online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
- IMPORTANT: After the test deadline, we will look at all applicant scores to decide what the jobs pass mark will be. We will consider the impact on protected groups and the number of invitations to the next stage. We may decide to raise the pass mark for the job - if so, you will be informed, and you will be told if you have passed or failed at the raised standard. Meeting the minimum test requirements for a job level is no guarantee of an invite to continue the selection process.
Stage 3 Written Application and Sift
Following successful completion of the tests, you will be asked to submit a personal statement (maximum 750 words) detailing your relevant skills and experience.
You should address the following when constructing your personal statement.
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Explain how you would plan and prepare to conduct a challenging interview to determine the accuracy of information gathered (Lead Question).
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Please tell us why you would like to undertake the role of Counter Fraud Investigator Apprentice.
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Describe your commitment and passion for learning.
Please consider the job description and person specification when providing your evidence.
Your personal statement should show how your skills and/or experience meet the requirements listed. You can use any format you like: narrative, bullet points, etc. You can use one example to cover all the requirements. Focus on what you have done or would do, and the skills and experience you used or would use. Tell us why you are suited for this role, what skills you have, and any relevant life experiences or passions.
If you don't have work-related examples, you can use examples from school, college, clubs, volunteering, or other activities.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead question. If so, we will sift on:
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Explain how you would plan and prepare to conduct a challenging interview to determine the accuracy of information gathered (Lead question).
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to the eligibility check.
**Please note the closing date for your online tests and full application is 23:55 on 10/02/2026**
The sift is scheduled to be held from 16/02/2026 to 27/02/2026. These dates may be subject to change.
Stage 4 Apprenticeship Eligibility and Skills Check
Candidates who reach the required pass mark at sift will have their details passed to our external apprenticeship provider Intelligencia for an apprenticeship eligibility check.
Intelligencia will contact each candidate and undertake a check of the following.
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Qualifications
- Eligibility
- Functional Skills (if required)
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Skills Scan
The Eligibility and Skills check is scheduled to be held from 09/03/2026 to 21/03/2026. These dates may be subject to change.
Please ensure you engage with Intelligencia to enable this check to take place as failure to do so may result us being unable to progress your application.
Stage 5 - Interview
If you pass the written application sift with the required score and you are eligible for an apprenticeship with DWP following the provider check, you will be invited to a blended interview. You will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account.
The interviews will be conducted face-to-face. Where possible the interviews will take place at the locations listed in the Candidate Pack (slide 2), 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 30/03/2026 to 17/04/2026, 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 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.
Preparing for the interview
The interview will take approximately 40 minutes where you will be asked a mixture of behaviour and strength-based questions. A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation offering a more inclusive approach. The behaviour and strength-based questioning explore what you, the candidate, can and have done, but also your potential.
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.
Behaviours
You will be assessed against the Civil Service Behaviours listed above at 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? What the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? or
STAR - What was the Situation? 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 withdraw your application at any stage, it will not be progressed any further.
Stage 6 Offer
Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email.
Successful candidates will be posted in strict merit order based on their location preferences and the geographical requirements of the business. Dependent on their position on the merit list, if none of their location preferences remain at the point we make a job offer, DWP may offer a role at an alternative advertised location. If we are unable to offer a role in any of the preferred locations, and candidates are unable to accept a role at an alternative advertised location, we will add them to the reserve list.
The successful candidates will be notified of a start date following successful pre-employment and security checks, which is likely to be during June 2026. Please ensure that you are available to start in these months.
Important information
Visas
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 do not satisfy the minimum salary hourly rate requirement. 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.
Candidate pack
It is important that you take time to read the candidate pack which can be found at the bottom of this job advert. This provides further information about the role and working in DWP.
Location
Please see slide 2 of the Candidate Pack for the full address for these posts/locations.
You should only apply for suitable posts where you can travel to and from your home office location daily within a reasonable time. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed.
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. Hybrid working will not commence until any training and consolidation period has been successfully completed.
Working pattern
Part-time, part-year, term-time, compressed hours and job-sharing working patterns within working hours 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 with agreed alternative working patterns will be required to work full time for specific periods to complete all training and consolidation.
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:
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7:45am and 8:00pm on any day between Monday to Friday, and
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8:45am to 5:00pm on Saturday.
Managers will agree working patterns with successful applicants within these business hours and review these as appropriate. You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule. However, Investigation duties may require you to work outside of normal hours. The hours worked can be unsociable. Whilst we are proactive in planning our work, the nature of the role may require us on occasions to react quickly and work beyond the hours above.
Further information
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 are required to complete 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 will be required to undertake a work-based qualification; your failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, will be a breach of your employment contract.
If DWP decides that it is no longer a requirement for you to undertake and attain a work-based qualification, it will release you from this obligation. Any decision to release you from this obligation will not be a breach of contract by DWP.
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 will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Diversity and Inclusion
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:
Please note:
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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 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).
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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.
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 youre 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.
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 applicants 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.
Salary
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 DWPs 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.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.