Investigator Review

Item: Investigator at Department for Work and Pensions
Rating: 4.5
Author: Anonymous

at Department for Work and Pensions

Higher Level Apprenticeship

Government

Walthamstow

Review Submitted: February 2026

Overall Rating

4.5 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

4.5/5 - Overview of Role

5/5 - Skills Development

4.4/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

5/5

Criminal investigations into suspected benefit fraud by organised crime gangs.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

4/5

Apprenticeship content was great and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The support from DWP was really good, we had regular catch up sessions and they were keen to get our feedback on the programme too. Line managers were really helpful at providing information for the professional discussions and encouraging us to prioritise our apprenticeship.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

5/5

Learned about relevant legislation and how to interpret it. CPIA 1996, Fraud Act 2006, PACE 1984 etc. Learned investigative skills such as how to put together a case file. How to network with stakeholders effectively.
Learned interview techniques.
Learned about how to carry out search and seizures.
Learned about how to carry out effective briefings.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

5/5

DWP provided a good platform with a learning record. Catch ups withline managers were regular and effective. Apprenticeship activity was prioritised over operational duties. Everything was provided for us to complete our apprenticeship to a good level.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

5/5

regular catch ups with line managers.
Line managers encouraged us to prioritise apprenticeship
Supported with professional discussions and gaining experience.
Provided troubleshooting support

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

5/5

The trainers were always on hand for support. They had great knowledge of the investigative process and were able to explain things clearly and effectively.

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

5/5

The qualification is essential to the role. It gives a thorough experience of every aspect of an investigation.

Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

2/5

We only had one face to face week scheduled during the apprenticeship for practice search and seizures and interviews. There could have been more of this. Our cohort organised a separate face to face meeting to discuss assessment preparation.