The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is recruiting 50 Verification Assurance Officers to work in London, offering a salary of £37,664 a year. The roles sit in the department's Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt team, and applications close at 11.55pm on Tuesday 10 November 2026. The vacancies are advertised on Civil Service Jobs, and the closing date applies to every stage of the application.

The new officers will work on the front line of the benefits system, helping to stop fraud before it enters the welfare system. Their day-to-day work will include identifying suspicious claims, checking the evidence that supports a claim, and working with Jobcentre colleagues to respond quickly when something does not add up. The focus of the work is Universal Credit, and the aim is to prevent fraud, reduce the debt that claimants can build up, and strengthen the checks made when a claim is first verified.

The role is a new one for the department. The advert says the Verification Assurance Officer post is being introduced in selected Jobcentre and Service Centres, with officers based in Jobcentre locations and working face to face with claimants and colleagues. That is also why the posts are fully office-based: the advert states that hybrid and home working are not available, because interviewing claimants in person and collaborating with Jobcentre staff are central to the job.

Applying is a multi-stage process, and every part must be finished before the deadline. Candidates need to submit an application form, a CV and a written statement through Civil Service Jobs, and then complete an online Civil Service Work Strengths Test. The advert warns that anyone who does not complete the online test by 11.55pm on 10 November will have their application withdrawn, so the test should not be left until the last day. Recruitment follows the Civil Service Success Profiles framework, which assesses behaviours, strengths, ability and experience.

The timetable set out in the advert runs into next year. Sifting is scheduled for November 2026, with interviews taking place face to face between 5 and 22 January 2027. Job offers are expected in the week beginning 15 February 2027, and successful candidates are expected to start in March or April 2027, subject to pre-employment checks.

The posts are at Executive Officer grade, and the salary of £37,664 comes with the Civil Service pension, to which the department contributes 28.97% of salary. The advert states that new Skilled Worker visa sponsorship is not available for these vacancies, although limited transitional provisions apply to some existing Skilled Worker visa holders who were sponsored before 4 April 2024. A separate tranche of the same role is also advertised for the North West and Wales, with the same 10 November closing date, so candidates outside London should check the Civil Service Jobs site for the listing that covers their area.

Anyone interested should read the full advert on Civil Service Jobs before applying, and check the live listing on the day they apply, as the department can close a vacancy early if it receives enough applications.