About the job

Job summary

If you’re interested in making a difference to people’s lives, the Treasury can offer you an exciting opportunity to influence decision making that affects the whole of the UK. Working at the heart of government, we collaborate across government to promote responsible public spending and drive strong and sustainable economic growth.  

Our work ranges from protecting customers through the regulation of the financial sector, helping to reduce carbon emissions and creating a greener economy, to promoting British trade around the world and supporting people across the country on jobs, growth and more.  

HM Treasury is proud of a diverse and inclusive work environment, committed to fairness and the promotion of equality of opportunity for all. We know that having a range of experiences, ways of working and thinking makes us stronger and better at developing policy that reflects the needs of every community. We embrace different views and experiences and value the new perspective that people from a variety of circumstances bring to the work we do. We welcome applications from candidates who have not previously worked for the Civil Service, mid- and late-career changers with transferrable skills, people from all backgrounds and circumstances regardless of disability, gender, age ethnicity, LGBT+ identity and socio-economic status.  

We are part of the Darlington Economic Campus, a pioneering new cross-government hub which brings people together to play an active role in the most important issues of the day whilst working closer to the communities we serve. The campus provides the opportunity for people from all over the UK to help shape the future of the country, and our flexible working practices ensure you can collaborate effectively with our partners. It’s central government, made more accessible to you! 

Job description

About the Group - Personal Tax, Welfare and Pensions

We work to build a tax and welfare system that supports the government’s goals of fiscal sustainability, economic growth, and fairness. We look after high-profile areas including personal taxes, labour markets, welfare, tax administration, pensions, tax avoidance, and savings. We also coordinate spending controls for HM Revenue & Customs, Department for Work and Pensions. The Group is responsible for over £400bn in tax receipts and £300bn in welfare spending, impacting the lives of millions of citizens across the UK. 

Our work means that we are often at the centre of ministers’ decision making, and we play a significant part in the Budget and the Spending Review. We work closely with HMRC, DWP and Number 10, and with a wide variety of external stakeholders.

PTWP is a friendly, diverse, and inclusive Group, with a wide range of backgrounds and specialisms. We have an active ‘Wellbeing Plan’ focussed on learning and belonging.

About the Team - Welfare Spending and Reform

The Welfare Spending and Reform team (WSR) is a friendly, inclusive and hard-working team. We come from a diverse range of backgrounds, both within and outside of government. There is an excellent team spirit and we are committed to diversity, inclusion and personal development.

We are responsible for the government’s welfare spending, ensuring that it is sustainable and meets the government’s wider policy aims. We are also responsible for the Department for Work and Pension’s budget, which makes up more than 20% of all government expenditure.

The team leads on high-profile policies on a wide range of benefits including Universal Credit, disability benefits, housing benefits and Child Benefit. For example, we have worked on key welfare policies responding to the cost-of-living crisis, including increasing the support given to benefit claimants renting from private landlords.

About the Job - Housing benefits

This is an exciting, high-profile and fast-paced role. It is an opportunity for you to play a key part the Government’s policymaking for welfare spending. You will have responsibility for engaging with DWP on housing benefits expenditure, policies that help benefit claimants with their rental or mortgage costs, and funding for temporary accommodation and supported housing, amongst others. You will also be responsible for gathering data and evidence about the evolving housing and rental market, using this information to inform policy proposals.

Key accountabilities for this role include:

1. Driving forward the Treasury’s wider strategy on housing benefits, working across the Treasury and with other departments to develop policy proposals relating to housing benefits, and to establish how best to help individuals with their housing costs while making sure that Government expenditure is sustainable.
2. Advising ministers and senior civil servants on policy options and risks relating to housing benefits, including both written and verbal briefings.
3. Overseeing DWP’s spending on housing benefits, including scrutinising and approving spending, and ensuring that DWP deliver value for money on their policies.
4. Building open and constructive relationships with DWP and relevant teams across the Treasury and acting as a key point of contact for your policy area to deal with any problems or queries as they arise.
5. Monitor the impact of economic trends and housing policy on the housing and rental market and households’ living standards.
6. Contributing to creating a positive environment within the team, including supporting team corporate activities and role-modelling Treasury values.

We are not looking for a particular type of person and would welcome applications from anyone who is new to the civil service or the policy profession. We would also strongly encourage anybody interested in working in the Treasury on housing or welfare policy to apply.

Candidate Drop-In Session 
 
We will be running a candidate drop-in session for this role to give you greater insight about the role as well as the chance to learn more about HM Treasury and the recruitment process. If you would like to join us, then use the appropriate link below to join the call at the right time. 

Thursday 15th February, 10:30-11:30 - Link

If you would like to speak to the hiring manager informally prior to the closing date for applications to find out more about the job, please contact Janice Chui (Janice.Chui@HMTreasury.gov.uk).

Person specification

We are looking for the below skills, experience and behaviours and we will ask you to demonstrate these in your application form. Please review the Candidate FAQ document that is attached to the advert for guidance on how to complete your application form.  

1. Ability to analyse quantitative and qualitative information and evaluate available evidence to make decisions. (Making Effective Decisions)
2. Ability to adapt your work to emerging issues or trends, and to ensure that it fits with the broader economic, political and social context. (Seeing the Big Picture)
3. Ability to work flexibly and autonomously to prioritise competing deadlines and objectives. This includes balancing short- and long-term priorities. (Delivering at Pace)

The lead criterion is: Making Effective Decisions

If we receive large volumes of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criterion only.

Candidate Guidance Support Session 
 
We will be running an overview of Success Profiles and the STAR approach; top tips for the application and interview process and an opportunity to ask general questions around our recruitment practices. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time. 

Friday 16th February 2024 12:30 - 13:15 Click here to join the meeting

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £31,710, HM Treasury contributes £8,561 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Recruitment Timeline 

• Closing date: 27th February 2024
• Shortlisting: 28th February 2024
• Interviews: W/C 11th March 2024

This timeline is indicative and may be subject to change. We will inform you if there is a substantial change to the recruitment timeline. 

If your contact details change at any time during the selection process, please ensure you update your Civil Service Jobs Profile. 

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted. 

Eligibility Statement  

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role in the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. Checks will be performed as part of pre-employment checks in line with this. Please refer to the Candidate FAQ document attached to the advert for more information. 

Individuals appointed to the Treasury Group will be subject to National Security Vetting. To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out applicants will normally need to have lived in the UK for at least 3 out of the past 5 years. A lack of UK residency in itself is not always a bar to security clearance but the Department will need to consider eligibility on a case by case basis using all information that can be obtained following a successful application. 

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks.  

For many roles, security clearance is also required. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements of the role before they can be appointed. The level of security clearance required for this role is Counter Terrorist Check (CTC)

Please read the Vetting Charter for information on what to expect during the vetting process and what will be expected from you.  

Many areas of your life may be explored during your vetting journey, and it is important that every individual, regardless of their background and experiences, should feel comfortable going through this personal process, whilst having confidence that it is fair, proportionate, and inclusive.  

These short videos address common concerns and preconceptions which applicants may have about national security vetting.  

If you have questions relating to security clearances, please contact HMTSecurityVetting@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.