Please note the closing date for your full application (test, and written statement is 23:55 on 18th August 2026**
Stage 1 Application Form
Please complete the application form with your basic information, which includes your personal details, eligibility to apply and any reasonable adjustments required.
Stage 2 Online Test
After submission of your application, you will be invited to complete a Customer Service Skills test. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24 - 48 hours is recommended). You will need to allow at least one hour to complete the test, plus time to complete your written application (see below for details). Guidance and a practice test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.
**IMPORTANT: After the test deadline, we will look at all candidate 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 - Curriculum Vitae (CV)
You will be asked to complete a CV with details of your job history, full qualification details, previous skills and experience. You are not required to upload your personal CV.
In the previous skills/experience section you should detail your employment and/or education history relevant to this vacancy (we recommend a maximum of 500 words).
The CV will also cover your work history (we recommend you include up to the last 3 roles of employment history, plus any others that you feel are relevant) and your qualifications.
Your CV will not be formally assessed so please put the main evidence of your skills into your behavioural statements. Your CV will be used to add context to your behavioural examples.
Stage 4 Behavioural Statements and Sift
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete examples of the Civil Service behaviours below using no more than 250 words for each behaviour. These should contain things you have done in the past and how your skills and experience demonstrate those Civil Service behaviours.
We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process
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Managing a Quality Service (Lead Behaviour)
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Making Effective Decisions (Second Lead Behaviour)
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Communicating and Influencing
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:
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WHO - What it was, How you approached the work/situation and what the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? or
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STAR - What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take? What were the Results of your actions?
You dont have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used.
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.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour or lead and second lead behaviours, if so, we will sift on:
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Managing a quality service (Lead Behaviour)
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Making effective decisions (Second Lead Behaviour)
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to an interview.
In the event we dont receive a high number of applications we may not undertake a sift and progress all candidates to interview. For these reasons, the timeline is subject to change depending on the approach we take.
The sift is scheduled to be held from 24/08/2026 to 11/09/2026. These dates may be subject to change. No feedback will be provided at this stage.
Stage 5 - Interview
If you pass the written application sift with the required score you will be invited to a blended interview and will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account.
If high application volumes are received, the benchmark / score for candidates to proceed to the interview stage may be raised.
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 26/10/2026 to 13/11/2026, please note that this date is 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 SMS/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. If you wish to opt out of SMS messages, please email this address, including the vacancy reference and your candidate ID [email protected]. As part of our commitment to improving the candidate experience, you may be contacted during the recruitment process to provide feedback.
Preparing for the Interview
The interview will take approximately 30 to 40 minutes and will consist of behaviour and strength-based questions. A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation offering a more inclusive approach. The questions explore what you, the candidate, can and have done, but also your potential.
Behaviours
You will be assessed against the Civil Service Behaviours listed at
Administration Officer Level 1.
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 above to explain:
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 progress further.
Stage 6 Offer
Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first.
The successful candidates will be notified of a start date following successful pre-employment and security checks, which is likely to be during January 2027.
Further Information
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.
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:
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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.
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that these vacancies are not currently eligible for Visa Sponsorship on the Skilled Worker route, even if relying on tradeable points (including the new entrant tradeable points option) as they are not included in the published Immigration Salary List. This information is offered as guidance only, and we recommend that candidates seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role.
We can never guarantee sponsorship; requests will be considered in line with the relevant DWP guidance and Home Office policy in place at the time.
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.
Locations
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Broadlands House, Staplers Road, Newport, Isle of wight. PO30 2HX.
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Crown Office, New Civic Centre, Fareham. PO16 7HR
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. Make sure the locations work for you before applying!
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:
- 7:45am and 8:00pm on any day between Monday to Friday, and
- 8:45am to 5:00pm on Saturday.
Managers will agree working patterns with successful candidates within these business hours and review these as appropriate. You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule.
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 may be required to undertake a work-based qualification, which may be in the form of 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 may be required to undertake a work-based qualification; a candidates failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of their employment contract. 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.
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 [email protected] 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 candidates section.
Integrity, Plagiarism and Civil Service Principles
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.
Examples of plagiarism can include:
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Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own.
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Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own.
Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks
To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to 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 [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check will be carried out.
Candidates 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 candidates 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.
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.
Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub. Click on the Application Guidance link for lots of help and guidance on making your application.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
