Ministry of Justice

Job Title & Grade:

Merits Caseworker – HEO

Contract Type:

Permanent

Salary range (depending on location):

National - £35,335 - £37,847

London - £40,014 - £42,859

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:

Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, South Tyneside

Directorate:

Case Management

Team:

Civil Applications

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

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:

Operations Manager

Closing date for applications

Friday 23rd January 2026

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. 

Case Management

The Case Management Directorate is the operational delivery function of the LAA, and our staff ensure that each year in excess of 500,000 new clients are able to access the justice they require, and that their providers are fairly remunerated for the delivery of the legal aid. With staff based across multiple sites we deliver services for those facing both criminal and civil legal problems including family, immigration, mental health, housing, and exceptional funding cases.  

Civil Case Management

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. Together we show openness, honesty, and commitment, and, of course, to deliver results. 

Job Summary

As a HEO Merits Caseworker you will be expected to make effective decisions primarily in relation to Judicial Review and Homelessness Appeals applications and amendments including all associated tasks. This will require making evidence-based decisions using relevant guidance and communicating effectively and clearly. Where limited guidance is available, you will be required to make clearly justified decisions using judgement and experience.

You will also be expected as required to provide casework support across all categories of law that fall within the remit of the Civil Applications Team.

You will help to build capability for others by providing feedback for colleagues so they can develop skills and knowledge. This will extend to the development and delivery of training and mentoring as required.

You will lead on key projects for the team, as directed by the Operations Managers within the Civil Applications Team.

You will be responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders to promote closer working relationships whilst also being confident enough to challenge current protocols to achieve greater levels of efficiency and customer service.

Key Responsibilities:

• Make decisions to approve, refuse or reject applications, amendments and appeals. This includes complex cases where expert judgement is required.
• Deal with complex issues that have been escalated including complaints from clients, Head Office MP’s and external bodies. Taking effective action by using discretion and expert judgement and identifying learning points and corrective action.
• Apply discretion and reasoned judgement in instances of ambiguity, or where limited guidance is available.
• Ensure all data is processed accurately, securely and in accordance with LAA data security guidelines.
• Maintaining a comprehensive and up to date understanding of current guidance and regulations relevant to this grade.
• Act as an expert in specified areas of complex and non-complex work that can be sensitive or have far reaching implications. 
• Taking responsibility for providing guidance and making suggestions for best practice and/or improvement to others in specified work areas, ensuring team are aware of and understand any changes to be implemented. Act as an expert in specified areas of complex and non-complex work that can be sensitive or have far reaching implications. 
• Liaise with suppliers and clients as appropriate providing accurate and timely responses to correspondence and telephone calls received from internal and external customers
• Participate in, lead on and contribute to project groups both locally and nationally to review and improve procedures.
• Prepare, deliver and, where appropriate engage in designing internal and external training
• Act as a quality controller and engage in the Quality Control (QC) and consistency processes to ensure improvements are made where errors are identified. Provide guidance and make suggestions for best practice and/or improvement to others in specified work areas. Taking an active role in promoting consistency and using expert judgement when priorities conflict.
• Effectively contribute to the development of others through one-to-one training, mentoring and providing constructive feedback against MoJ standards 
• Contribute to and lead on the review and development of processes to ensure ongoing efficiency and effectiveness of work procedures, providing an effective link between policy/quality improvement groups and the team.
• Identify key policy/regulations issues and questions on the team and act as an effective link between quality improvement groups (CCBIG/MIT/LIT) and the team, taking forward issues and communicating responses to ensure effective implementation of changes. 
• To take a leading role in meetings, getting actively involved in the sharing of views, ideas and solutions.

Essential Knowledge, Experience and skills 

• Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and experience of processing civil merits decisions under all categories of law within the Civil Applications Team, including an advanced knowledge of the online case management system.
• Effective analytic skills with experience of making evidence-based decisions in line with statutory / regulatory framework and guidance to ensure accuracy in decision making.
• Effective communication skills both written and verbal, including the ability to clearly explain and defend your decisions.
• Ability to build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Proven training and mentoring experience.

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and skills

• Knowledge of key priorities for organisation and how these relate to, and impact on, the specific business unit and across Case Management as a whole.
• Worked with stakeholders to successfully resolve complex issues
• Experience leading on projects and business improvement activity

Person Specification

You are someone who;- 

• enjoys working as part of a team but also independently 
• enjoys working in a fast-changing environment

Assessment approach 

Application Process 

To apply please provide a statement of suitability showing how you meet the essential criteria in no more than 1000 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 and we only require a Statement of Suitability for your application. The wording on this advert may suggest that an Experience question is also required, however this is not necessary.

Interview / assessment Process

If you are successful through the application stage, you will be invited to an interview / assessment centre in person or via Microsoft Teams where you will be assessed against strengths and experience required by the role and the following behaviours:

Making effective decisions:

• understand your own level of responsibility and empower others to make decisions where appropriate
• analyse and use a range of relevant, credible information from internal and external sources to support decisions
• invite challenge and where appropriate involve others in decision making
• display confidence when making difficult decisions, even if they prove to be unpopular
• consult with others to ensure the potential impacts on end users have been considered
• present strong recommendations in a timely manner outlining the consideration of other options, costs, benefits and risks

Communicating and influencing:

• communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner - choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact
• encourage the use of different communication methods, including digital resources and highlight the benefits, including ensuring cost effectiveness
• ensure communication has a clear purpose and takes into account people’s individual needs
• share information as appropriate and check understanding
• show positivity and enthusiasm towards work, encouraging others to do the same
• ensure that important messages are communicated with colleagues and stakeholders respectfully, taking into consideration the diversity of interests

Delivering at pace:

• show a positive approach to keeping the whole team’s efforts focused on the top priorities
• promote a culture of following the appropriate procedures to ensure results are achieved on time whilst still enabling innovation
• ensure the most appropriate resources are available for colleagues to use to do their job effectively
• regularly monitor your own and team’s work against milestones ensuring individual needs are considered when setting tasks
• act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance
• allow individuals the space and authority to meet objectives, providing additional support where necessary, whilst keeping overall responsibility

Your Experience of implementing, promoting, or understanding diversity and inclusion policy - Diversity is the presence of difference, this can include one or more of the protected characteristics (Gender, Age, Race, Disability etc.) or it can be about working patterns, whether we like to jump into a task or reflect on it before acting. Inclusion is how we welcome, value, and celebrate diversity, giving everyone a voice, tapping into ideas, and enabling everyone to be themselves at work and achieve their potential.

·       For this grade/ role we would expect the candidate to demonstrate understanding of the terms Diversity and Inclusion and be able to explain why they are important to them and to where they work. Examples of action they have taken (in or outside of work) to embrace diversity (e.g., increasing understanding) or improve inclusion for others will increase the strength of their answer. 

You will be expected to complete a written exercise as part of your interview to demonstrate your suitability for this role. You will be provided with more details prior to interview.

Shortlisting is planned for week commencing 26th January 2026

Interviews are planned for week commencing 16th February 2026

If you would like more information on this opportunity, please contact – Tom Fitzgerald Tom.Fitzgerald@Justice.gov.uk  

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

As part of our commitment to integrity and transparency, we ask all applicants to ensure that the experiences, achievements, and examples shared in your application are entirely your own. 

Please do not use AI tools to fabricate or simulate personal experiences. While AI can assist with formatting and grammar, it must not be used to generate stories, skills, or accomplishments that you have not personally lived or earned.

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.

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.