We’re looking for analytical, organised individuals with excellent written communication skills, a keen eye for detail, and the ability to make high-quality decisions to join our Appeals, Litigation and Review team (ALAR) as Caseworkers.
We have 10 roles on offer at the grade of Executive Officer (EO) and you’ll receive a starting salary of £30,000 (National) or £34,000 (Feltham) plus a host of employee benefits.
To apply, you must have a minimum of a 2:2 degree in law or direct experience in managing a caseload of litigation, including experience of drafting legal documents. No prior knowledge of immigration law is required, as we provide full induction and ongoing training; however, an interest in immigration and experience in litigation will help you get off to a strong start.
The Customer Services Group brings together Asylum & Human Rights Operations, Asylum Support, Accommodation, Resettlement, and Asylum Returns & Transformation, Passports, Citizenship & Civil Registration, Customer Operations Support Services and Visa Status & Information. As a major operational arm of the Home Office, we play a vital role in supporting the economy and cultural life of the UK. Learn more on our careers pages: His Majesty’s Passport Office and UK Visa and Immigration.
About the role
As an ALAR Litigation Caseworker, initially, you will develop expertise in a particular area of immigration, such as entry clearance or asylum and, as you gain experience, there will be opportunities for you to take on a wider range of areas.
You will predominantly work on pre-action protocol work and managing judicial review challenges in the Upper Tribunal and High Court. You may also be involved in cases progressing to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court and take on litigation cost negotiation or private law claim work.
You will often handle complex legal challenges that are novel, politically sensitive and that are often in the public eye. You can expect that some of your cases will have ministerial interest and may feature in the national media.
You will be responsible for drafting clear responses setting out the Home Office position to challenges, seeking input from operational decision makers, policy colleagues and other professional stakeholders to provide clear, timely instructions to government lawyers. You will be responsible for management of the judicial review from the start to the end, and gain experience in litigation handling, preparing cases for court and managing conclusions.
With the support of colleagues, you will become skilled at spotting decisions that should be defended and those that may need to be reconsidered, whilst ensuring legal deadlines are met and quality is maintained.
Please note that due to the resource and time dedicated to training and mentoring colleagues there is a general expectation that candidates will remain in post for a period of 12 months.
The Litigation Caseworker role is a great springboard for an interesting career in the Civil Service and many of our Caseworkers progress on to other roles within ALAR, the Home Office and across the wider Civil Service.
Meet the team
Sign up to attend our Litigation Caseworker information events to hear more about the role. You can register on Eventbrite using the following link.
Wednesday 26th November 14:00 – 15:00
This is your opportunity to hear what working in this role is really like on a day-to-day basis, and you’ll be provided with hints and tips to help you write your application.
Working arrangements
This role is available on a full-time basis. It is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work 3 days/23 hours per week due to business requirements.
Benefits
- Civil Service Pension with employer contribution rates of 28.97%
- In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements
- Full training, along with access to development opportunities to help you grow in your career
- 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days
- Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day
- An environment with flexible working options and a culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
Find out more about some of the other benefits we offer.
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- Feltham
- Glasgow
- Solihull
- Liverpool
- Sheffield
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- Assessing the challenges set out in pre-action protocol correspondence or judicial review claims against UK immigration legislation, guidance and policy to inform decision making.
- Responding to pre-action protocol correspondence and referring to operational areas for action to remedy any original errors in the decision being challenged.
- Escalating policy or procedural issues arising from pre-action protocol correspondence, judicial review claims and private law damages claims.
- Liaising with and instructing, government lawyers to achieve an agreed course of action in managing litigation, including approving grounds of defence on behalf of Secretary of State for the Home Department.
- Supporting government lawyers and counsel on defending cases at the oral or substantive hearing stages, including securing witness statements when needed.
- Making decisions on when cases should be settled and working with stakeholders to secure financial authority where it is appropriate to do so, to ensure the best cost outcomes.
- Maintaining accurate records of activities/work completed across a range of systems.
- Clear guidance sets out how to manage your cases, and you will be given regular opportunities to develop your knowledge through training and other learning initiatives. You will also be surrounded by other technical specialists, such as senior caseworkers, who will be on hand to help you navigate the management of your caseload. You will be supported by a line manager who will have regular coaching and performance conversations with you to help you reach and exceed your potential.
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- A minimum of a 2:2 degree in law or direct experience in managing a caseload of litigation including experience of drafting legal documents.
- Ability to analyse complex information with a focus on identifying errors and irregularities.
- Good communication and customer service skills with a particular emphasis on excellent written/drafting skills.
- Ability to comply with set standards following guidance and procedures, in order to develop a strong working knowledge of immigration law.
- Experience or ability to make high quality decisions in a changing and time pressured environment.
Please note that you will be required to provide evidence of your degree certificate at the interview.
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We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.
After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete the following Civil Service Verbal test(s).
Online Test
If you successfully pass the caseworker skills test, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online test or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.
Guidance for the Civil Service test(s) will be available when you are invited to take the test(s). The online tests are accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.
You cannot complete the tests on a mobile phone or tablet.
Following successful completion of your test/s, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.
Application
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
- Personal Statement (maximum 750 words).
The Personal Statement should align with and demonstrate how you meet the skills, qualifications, and experience outlined in the essential criteria of the job description. Please ensure your degree or evidence of your litigation experience is clearly detailed within your statement. For guidance and information on how to construct your application (Personal Statement), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.
For guidance on how to construct your application, visit Civil Service Careers website.
Sift
The sift will be held on the Personal Statement.
Interview
The interview will take place on Microsoft Teams.
If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will include Behaviours (as listed in the job advert) and Strength-based questions.
Please note that you will be required to provide evidence of your degree certificate at the interview. If you are unable to present this at the interview, you will have 48 hours following the interview to submit the evidence. Failure to provide this within the specified timeframe will result in your application being withdrawn.
For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.
- Offers will be made to successful candidates on Merit location order.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application; however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
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The closing date for applications is: Wednesday 10th December 2025.
If you are interested in this role, please apply using the links below.
Feltham: https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1978890
Glasgow, Liverpool, Sheffield, Solihull: https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1978887
