Job title: Claims Officer
Directorate: Chief Financial Officer
Workstream: Judicial Pay and Expenses Team (JPET)
About us
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our service users and colleagues, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice. We’re looking for individuals who are committed to public service and want to make a difference in people’s lives in delivering justice. If you’re interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.
Background
The Judicial Fees, Expenses and Payroll (JFEPs) Team is a central part of Judicial Pay and Expenses and the Chief Financial Officers Directorate.
The JFEPs team processes judicial fees and expenses claims, as well as witness and appellant costs from courts and tribunals.
About the role
The key purpose of the Claims Caseworker role is to receive and progress for payment claims for judicial fees, expenses and witness and appellants’ costs arising from the Courts and Tribunals, and to deal with claimant’s queries, responding by letter, email or telephone.
Duties
Claims Caseworkers are assigned to teams that handle incoming claims and produce monthly payrolls. Claims Caseworkers will check, approve or reject claims. They will assist individual claimants by answering their queries by email and on the telephone. Caseworkers are supported in their role by comprehensive guidelines and instructions.
Interaction with Others (internal/external)
Claims Caseworkers work within a team with regular management support. They have contact with claimants, including judges, legal professionals and lay members of the Tribunals. They may also liaise with Courts and Hearing Centre staff, and partner agencies such as our IT and payment service providers.
Your role as Claims Officer encompasses several key aspects (but not limited to):
Receive and process fee and expenses claims arising from Courts and Tribunals
Check and complete first line approval, confirming claims are valid, correct and comply with policy.
Action claims in accordance with established procedures to ensure timely and accurate payment.
Reject incorrect claims and advise claimants; accordingly, identify instances of non-compliance with policy and refer to team leader
Answer and/or appropriately redirect enquiries from HMCTS staff, judicial office holders and other customers.
Work as part of a team to clear the workload efficiently ensuring equal standards of service across all customer groups.
Proactively look for opportunities to improve processes and activities of the team.
Other duties
The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.
Who are we looking for? (Person Specification)
The ideal candidate for this position should demonstrate:
Essential
Adaptable and willing, with the ability to work in a culture of change; continually improving (products, processes, and priorities) to meet the current and future needs of the organisation.
Excellent communications skills: both written and verbal tasks.
Excellent IT Skills particularly Excel
Analytical skills for the investigation and resolution of complex issues
How to apply
Application Stage
Please submit
Statement of suitability demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria (up to 250 words)
Your Statement of Suitability should be no more than 250 words and should give us real life examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. Consider addressing particular points in the person specification requirements and key responsibilities. We recommend following the STAR format.
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Behaviour examples illustrating the Civil Service Behaviours “Making Effective Decisions" (up to 250 words).
Your Statement of Suitability should be no more than 250 words and should give us real life examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. Consider addressing particular points in the person specification requirements and key responsibilities. We recommend following the STAR format.
We will aim to sift the Statement of Suitability and Behaviour Question but, in the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift may be conducted on the Behaviour Question only. Candidates who pass the initial sift of the Behaviour Question will progress to a full sift where all application assessment criteria is then assessed.
Interview Stage
If successful at sift, you will be invited to attend a remote interview, via Microsoft teams. During your interview, you will be assessed against the following Civil Service Success Profiles which will include:
Questions in relation to the following Civil Service Behaviours:
Making Effective Decisions
Working Together
Delivering at Pace
Strengths will also be assessed however these are not shared in advance.
Further details
Location
The post holder will ordinarily be assigned to Manchester Civil Justice Centre, 1 Bridge Street West, Manchester, M60 9DJ
Travel requirements
There will be a requirement to travel occasionally to any HMCTS site in line with business needs.
Opportunities for development
HMCTS is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Skilled Worker Sponsorship
From 22nd July 2025, the Government increased the salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas. The starting salary for this role falls below the general salary threshold for sponsorship.
The Department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously since before 4 April 2024, you qualify for relevant tradeable points, or you meet other criteria where a lower salary can be considered. Therefore, if you believe you meet the eligibility criteria (in whatever way possible) and you have received a provisional job offer, please raise this during your vetting checks.
If you are applying for this role and you do not meet the new eligibility criteria for sponsorship, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom.
The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service.
You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here.
About our benefits
We reward our people for their hard work and commitment. We have a number of family
friendly and flexible working polices that will help you achieve a healthy work-life balance. In addition, we offer a range of employee benefits which include generous annual leave, a highly competitive contributory pension scheme, childcare benefits, season ticket and bicycle loans.
Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice going.