Overview

As the UK government’s largest public service provider, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policies. The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) supports parents who are unable to reach a private financial agreement by ensuring—and when necessary, enforcing—their legal responsibility to contribute to their child’s living costs. Our mission is simple: to get money to children, because it makes a real difference in their lives.

While we’ve made significant progress in transforming our service, we remain ambitious about what more we can achieve for the families who rely on us. CMS is a dynamic and rewarding place to work. Step into any of our service centres and you’ll find passionate, dedicated professionals committed to supporting our customers.

We are proud to foster an inclusive and diverse workforce where everyone can thrive. If you\'re looking to make a difference, this could be the career for you.

This is a fantastic opportunity to start or grow a fulfilling career in the Civil Service. We offer a flexible work-life balance, along with opportunities for growth, challenge, and personal development.

Take a look at the DWP YouTube channel to find out more https://youtu.be/DwG6S1XQy2Y

Financial Investigations Unit

The Financial Investigations Unit (FIU) is a nationally based team with responsibility for all criminal investigations and financial investigations where clients have complicated tax arrangements which minimise their liability to pay maintenance. The FIU is at the heart of DWP’s frontline operations helping to change people’s lives. FIU brings together strategy, policy and analysis for fraud, error and financial correctness in the child maintenance arena.

Our Executive Officers support the Directorate in ensuring that Fraud and Error is kept to an absolute minimum, that maintenance calculations accurately reflect the financial status of our parents whilst protecting some of the most vulnerable in our society. We work closely with stakeholders to deliver the very best service possible to each customer.

Your work will involve several aspects; all subject to changing business priorities. You will undertake a range of duties with the following provided as an example.

Responsibilities

• Leading on financial and or, criminal investigations, to establish such things as the correct income to use in the calculation of child maintenance payments.
• Managing investigations on an end-to-end basis, including gathering, analysing and evaluating evidence to effectively progress investigations to an outcome, including decision making.
• Managing and conducting fraud investigations, in accordance with all legal and policy requirements, pursuing all reasonable lines of enquiry including appropriate use of surveillance and visiting customers and witnesses.
• Conduct robust and challenging interviews by telephone or in person in accordance with all legal and policy requirements, pursuing all reasonable lines of enquiry. Ensuring declarations and changes have been reported at the right time and taking appropriate corrective action if errors are found.
• Developing and preparing prosecution cases, representing the department by attending court and giving evidence in criminal cases and appeal tribunals.
• Working collaboratively, effectively and flexibly within a team, contributing towards team expectations.
• Liaising with other departments/organisations such as Local Authorities (LAs), Police and HMRC within the framework of any existing partnership agreements.