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LAA Job Description Template V7

Job Title & Grade:

Caseworker - Grade AO

Contract Type:

Permanent

Salary range (depending on location):

National - £24,202

Please note that unless you are currently employed by the Civil Service and are earning more than the minimum above, if successful you will be offered the minimum for the grade depending on your location.

Location:

Birmingham

Directorate:

Case Management

Team:

National Crime Applications Team (NCAT)

Working Pattern:

The post is supported by the MOJ flexible working policy and includes colleagues who work flexibly, remotely (as part of hybrid working), part time or as part of a job share etc.

If you are applying for a part time role, please note that in order to meet business demands we need cover for a minimum of 21 hours and to cover 3 days of the week. There may also be a business need to cover full time working hours during initial training.

To meet legal requirements, if you are between the ages 16-18 and you are a successful candidate, you will be required to complete an apprenticeship after your initial on the job training.

Reporting to:

Team Manager

Closing date for applications

16^th May 2025

The Legal Aid Agency

We are an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). We are responsible for operationally administering the legal aid fund to provide criminal and civil legal aid advice to people in England and Wales.

Our people are at the heart of achieving excellence. Employing around 1,200 colleagues across England and Wales, we feel proud to have some of the best People Survey results in the Civil Service.

Our LAA commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain, and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role. Under the Equality Act 2010 a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.

If you are responding to a role within the Legal Aid Agency and would like to be considered under the guaranteed interview, please indicate this in your application and let us know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the sift or later selection processes.

The LAA’s goal is to build an organisation that is open and inclusive and truly values and celebrates the diversity of its workforce. One that reflects and understands the needs of the diverse society we serve. This is regardless of social background, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, beliefs, disabilities or long-term illness or caring responsibilities.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you have a disability or long-term condition (for example dyslexia, anxiety, autism, a mobility condition or hearing loss) and need us to make any reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment process, please let us know by adding the information to the applications system or emailing LAARecruitment@justice.gov.uk after you have applied so that we can discuss options with you.

Case Management

The Case Management department is the delivery function of the LAA and our staff ensure that each year 600,000 new clients are able to access the justice they require, and that their providers are fairly remunerated for the delivery of the legal aid. As part of the work we do, we must ensure that we understand and improve the effectiveness of the schemes whilst achieving value for money.

Crime Case Management Team

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for making sure legal aid services from solicitors, barristers and the not-for-profit sector are available to the general public. Our work to administer legal aid is essential to the fair, efficient and effective operation of the criminal justice systems and we work closely with legal providers and the wider Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to achieve our purpose. This commitment is at the heart of our day-to-day decision making and our work to improve legal aid services. The engagement and commitment of our staff is crucial to achieving our purpose. Crime Case Management is responsible for the processing applications and claims for costs for legal aid and associated items of work.

National Crime Applications Team

The National Crime Applications Team process legal aid applications, considering the financial means of the applicant and whether their case is appropriate for public funding. The team responds to related correspondence and delivers training to new and existing caseworkers, and deal with the handling of queries, complaints and quality control. This team is essential in providing service to some of the most vulnerable members of the public either directly or through legal professionals.

Job Summary

As a member of our Case Management Team, Caseworkers at this level will need to understand the regulations and guidelines so they can: -

Process applications for legal aid or
Process claims for costs or
Undertake activities related to the collection of payments

Key Responsibilities:

Assess applications for legal aid and claims for case payment.
Correspond with customers in writing.
Use guidance and regulations to make accurate decisions.
Ensure your work meets performance targets.
Ensure all data is processed accurately and securely.

Essential Knowledge, Experience and skills	Ability to work to deadlines Ability to make decisions using evidence/information Work well as part of a team Ability to use computers and Microsoft 365 Effective written communication skills
Person Specification	Enjoys working in a team, making decisions and can work in a fast target driven environment.

Assessment approach

Application Process

To apply please provide a statement of suitability showing how you meet the essential criteria in no more than 500 words.

Your statement should demonstrate your ability to do all of the essential criteria listed, using examples can help strengthen your application.

Please note we do not require a CV.

We have a 45-minute webinar scheduled on 6 May at 11am to allow applicants to discuss the opportunity further and hear more about joining the organisation. If you are interested in attending, please register your interest here.

Interview / assessment Process

If you are successful through the application stage, you will be invited to an interview / assessment centre via Microsoft Teams where you will be assessed against the following:

Strengths relevant to the role
A question based on the essential skills and experience required of a caseworker
A written exercise to assess your written communication skills

Shortlisting is planned for week commencing 19^th May 2025

Interviews are planned for week commencing 9^th June 2025

If you would like more information on this opportunity, please contact - Ilsley, Tracy (LAA) Tracy.Ilsley@Justice.gov.uk or Davis, Rachel (LAA) Rachel.Davis@justice.gov.uk

Complaints procedure

If you have any complaints about this recruitment activity, please share your concerns by emailing LAARecruitment@justice.gov.uk initially. We aim to respond to any complaint within 10 working days.

If you are dissatisfied with our response, we will forward your complaint to the Civil Service Commission, an independent body, for review.

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