Advice jobs in ashford, surrey

This newly created role is part of a strategic restructure designed to strengthen our management team and deepen our impact. As our services have expanded in scope and complexity, we’re dividing a previously broad role Programme Manager) into two part-time positions to bring in more specialist expertise.

As Head of Advice, you will shape the strategic direction of our advice services, ensuring they align with Sufra’s wider mission and are fully integrated into our food aid provision. You’ll be our designated safeguarding lead, support fundraising initiatives and maintain compliance with funder requirements, and lead our efforts to remain a trusted, accredited provider (AQS and IAA).

Working closely with our experienced Advice Service Manager, you’ll also provide strategic oversight of Open ARMs, our programme supporting asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants to access language skills, healthcare, training, and volunteering opportunities—helping them build new lives in the community.

This is more than a job—it’s a chance to lead with purpose, influence real change, and be part of a passionate, values-driven team. 

We are looking for an experienced and inspiring leader and adviser to join our Information and Advice Service and lead our wonderful advice team. Age UK Wandsworth is a local, independent charity that works to promote the wellbeing of all older people in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Our Information and Advice Service aims to improve the quality of life of older people and their carers through the provision of independent advice and support.

Purpose of the role: 

· To lead and manage a team (staff and volunteers) to deliver an outstanding information and advice service to older Wandsworth residents and to retain our professional accreditations.

· To support older people with high levels of income deprivation and health inequality to successfully identify and access benefits, health and social care, and other services, such as scams awareness, as needed.

Hours: 37.5 hours/week (1 FTE), Part time or Job share applications welcomed

About Us

Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell is a local charity that provides advice and information for anyone that lives, works or studies in Epsom and Ewell.

We deliver our service through as many different channels as we can to make sure we are accessible to everyone.  This includes face to face, phone, video conferencing, and email. The role is based in our Epsom office.

About the Role

This post will provide advice via a number of different channels including telephone, outreach and appointments. It is the main point of access for clients and provides a first response on the full range of advice issues including benefits, debt, housing, family and employment.  This adviser role offers great variety, providing holistic advice answering queries and supplementing existing advice, empowering clients to understand and assert their rights.

We are looking for a self-motivated, enthusiastic and organised team player.  No experience of working in the charity sector is needed but the successful candidate will have a keen interest in helping people in need no matter what their background. You will have effective communication skills and an ability to work pro-actively, both individually and within a team, along with being able to demonstrate effective computer literacy.

This is a great opportunity for someone looking to make a difference in people’s lives, supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society and helping them to find a way forward.

Closing date: 13th June 2025

Interview Date: 18th June 2025

“Providing free, independent, confidential and impartial advice”

Citizens Advice Southwark has a track record of delivering high-quality services from its offices in Peckham and Walworth and outreach locations across Southwark and South East London. We sort out problems together, for good, by providing free, independent, confidential and impartial advice across all areas of social welfare law, and through using the experience of our clients to bring about positive change through research and campaigns. 

Post funded by Southwark Council

This post is advertised as an exciting opportunity for an experienced Advice Session Supervisor (ASS) to consolidate their skills and experience or as a development opportunity for an advisor to train to become an ASS within six months of starting in post. If applying as a trainee the starting salary will be on NJC Scale 6 - £34,582 for the first six months whilst undertaking the training.

The post holder will be required to work across all of our offices and outreaches in Southwark according to operational needs.

The role includes:

• Providing advice to the public and undertaking casework on social welfare law issues
• Supervising advice and gateway assessment sessions
• Supporting and supervising staff and volunteers

To be successful you will need:

• Recent experience of giving advice to the public. This should include having undertaken advice casework.
• Experience of undertaking the role of Advice Session Supervisor or to demonstrate the ability to undertake this role with training provided within 6 months of starting
• To understand, empathise with and be committed to the Service’s aims, principles and equal opportunities policies

Closing date: 9.00 am Tuesday 27th May 2025

Interviews: Friday 30th May 2025  

For further information and an application pack please go to our website via the apply button.

We offer a range of employee benefits, including generous annual leave, an employer matched pension contribution up to 10% salary, and training and development opportunities to continue your professional development.

Citizens Advice Southwark is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all applicants who meet the person specification irrespective of sex, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, age, or disability.

Hours: 35 hours per week (full-time)

Salary: £34,506 - £35,934  pa per annum ​depending on experience

Start Date: As soon as possible

Contract Type: Permanent

Work Location: Hybrid - Our office in Camden, NW1 and homeworking​

​About Citizens Advice Camden

We are a well-respected local charity with more than 85 years’ experience of delivering free, independent and impartial information, advice and casework services which meet the changing needs of local residents. Our aims are to provide the independent, impartial, confidential and free advice people need for the problems they face and to improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives.

We target our services at the most vulnerable in our community. Our client profile closely matches local indices of deprivation with most of our clients coming from the most deprived wards in the borough. We identify trends to ensure our services remain agile and able to respond to changing and emerging advice needs.​

About the Community Advice Team and the Role
Our Community Advice service is central to Citizens Advice Camden’s work, providing high-quality generalist advice to residents across a range of issues including benefits, housing, and employment. The team delivers support through face-to-face, telephone, video, and digital channels, and is strengthened by a committed group of volunteers and a collaborative working environment. 

As Advice Supervisor you will play a key role, along with our other supervisors, in maintaining and developing the quality of this service. You will supervise and contribute to the delivery of advice, ensuring we meet the targets and outcomes of our advice contracts and grant agreements. We are looking for someone with experience of delivering generalist advice and casework to a high standard, and the ability to support others to do the same. While we welcome experienced supervisors, we are also open to considering this as a development opportunity for an experienced adviser ready to take the next step in their career.

Closing date for applications: 9.00am, Monday 16 June

Interview date: week commencing 23 June

Interviews will be held on Zoom.

CVs are not accepted.

Citizens Advice Camden is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage applications from all sections of the community.

If you are committed to reducing poverty in our communities, excited by our vision and ethos, and keen to use your debt advice experience to support those most in need, we would love you to consider applying for this role – it could be the best decision you ever make! 

The primary purpose of this role is to provide debt advice and money education on a case management basis and to support the provision of advice by volunteers. The post holder will be expected to manage their own cases and lead appointment sessions.

Ideally we are looking for someone with prior debt or social welfare experience, and who has experience of working with and supporting volunteers. However we will also consider employing someone as a trainee adviser if you are able to demonstrate that you possess the skills, maturity and determination to become proficient in this role. 

The role will be based in one of our branches in west London, but hybrid and remote options will be considered for the right candidate.

Crosslight Advice offers a comprehensive range of benefits to employees including access to a Health Cash Back Plan and EAP and is committed to offering comprehensive learning and development opportunities. Full and part time working options will be considered.

To find out more please see our Job Pack attached.

Title: Advice Services Manager

Responsible to: Operations Manager

Hours: 35 hours per week

Salary: £36,000 - £42,000 FT (depending on experience and qualifications)

Based: Willesden, NW10 2JR; Haringey borough (including Hornsey, N8 9LP) + other locations if required

Contract: Permanent (subject to continuation of funding)

Please Note: DBS check will be required

JOB OVERVIEW

Do you want to work for an organisation that makes a real difference, every day, to people from all walks of life? This is an exciting opportunity for someone already working in an advice role and looking to take the next step in their career to join the Brent Irish Advisory Service (BIAS) as Advice Services Manager.

The Advice Services Manager will take the lead on BIAS’s day-to-day advice services, managing a small team of welfare and housing advice specialists to ensure that we provide the highest-quality service to our clients. You will need to have experience of delivering front-line benefits and/or housing advice, strong people skills and the ability to build good working relationships with staff and clients, along with excellent organisational abilities to ensure that casework and projects are delivered on time.

In 2025, BIAS is expanding its successful Brent-based welfare and housing advice service into Haringey borough. The Advice Services Manager will work closely with the Operations Manager to build and develop the new advice service in Haringey, ensuring that we replicate our excellent quality of service, strong record of positive outcomes and loyal client base.

This role will also involve working with the leadership team to help identify areas for future development and support grant applications and reporting, which will give you the opportunity to have a direct impact on shaping the organisation’s future strategy and direction.

If you are an experienced advice specialist and are looking to step up but don’t have all the skills required, please consider applying as we are willing to consider appointing the right candidate as a training and development role.

KEY WORK AREAS AND MAIN DUTIES

Staff management

• Managing a small advice team, ensuring the quality of the advice provided.
• Providing support, supervision and training to staff on the delivery of advice services, ensuring that appropriate advice is provided and casework deadlines are met.
• Ensuring good teamwork and lines of communication between staff and partner organisations.
• Creating a positive working environment in which equity and diversity are promoted and staff can do their best.

Quality and service delivery

• Leading the welfare advice services in both Brent and Haringey boroughs, and contributing to further expansion.
• Maintaining a small personal caseload (approximately one to two days’ work per week).
• Working with the Operations Manager to ensure that BIAS complies with Advice Quality Standard (AQS) requirements.
• Leading on monitoring service delivery, recording outcomes and ensuring efficient allocation of resources.
• Managing all aspects of risk relating to advice delivery, complaints handling, safeguarding and GDPR.

Operational support

• Working with the leadership team as required on operational matters, including planning, strategy for future development and grant applications and reporting.

These are the basic duties required of the Advice Services Manager. However, it is necessary for all staff to be flexible and you may be required from time to time to perform other reasonable duties which are required for the efficient running of the organisation. We will also offer training opportunities to support your career development.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK. This role will be based in our advice offices in Willesden and Haringey[1] but there may be some options for flexible working (i.e. one or two days per week).

ABOUT BIAS

BIAS is a local charity which has supported England’s largest Irish community in Brent for over forty-five years. We deliver our support through our welfare advice drop-in service, our active ageing clubs and our Be-a-Friend volunteer scheme. We raise over £2 million in extra income for the most vulnerable every year and have over 3000 attendances at our club services. BIAS has exciting plans for further expansion in 2025 and has a range of medium- to long-term grant funding, including from Ireland’s Emigrant Support Programme.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter. Your cover letter should demonstrate how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for this role (detailed in the PDF job description), with supporting examples.

The deadline for applications is 6th June 2025 but we encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible as interviews may be carried out on a rolling basis.

[1] BIAS is currently running its Haringey advice services from the Hornsey Vale Community Centre, with plans to establish a permanent office in Haringey later in 2025.

About Us:  

Providence Row believes that no one should have to sleep rough and that everyone should have access to the support they need to find a safe place to call home.

We are a, developing organisation working with people experiencing homelessness in the East End of London. We specialise in providing advice & support for rough sleepers, working to tackle health inequality & substance use and providing psychological support. 

We take an innovative approach to the work that we do and the services that we run, driving forward best practice to ensure the best possible outcomes for the people that we work with.

Our team and culture are built around our core values of compassion, respect, inclusiveness, empowerment & justice.

About the role:

• You will manage a small team who provides vital support to people experiencing homelessness.
• You will have knowledge of statutory and non-statutory housing pathways and the ability to support your team with case work management. ​
• You will utilise your organisational and time management skills to ensure the smooth running of service.
• You have excellent communication skills and can create positive working relationships with a wide range of people, including external services.
• You will support the development of the team and ensure that you are delivering a solution-focussed and strength-based approach.

Benefits

• 27 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Pension – 5% employer, 3% employee
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Employee assistance programme
• Monthly reflective practice
• Wide range of learning & development opportunities

To apply
Please follow the link on the Charity Jobs website and submit your CV along with covering letter. Interviews will be held on a rolling basis.  

Research shows some people, especially women and marginalized groups, may hesitate to apply unless they match all the criteria. However, we want to assure everyone that we encourage applications from all individuals, regardless of whether they fulfil every point in the job description. Your unique perspective matters to us – please apply with confidence.

Interviews
On a rolling basis

Providence Row is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales; company number 07452798 registered charity number 1140192.

City & Hackney Carers is a warm, welcoming and inclusive organisation which aims to improve the quality of life for unpaid carers. A cornerstone of our organisation is the provision of information and advice, enabling carers to understand their rights and entitlements.

We are seeking a bi or multi-lingual advisor (Bengali, Urdu, Hindi or Turkish) to deliver face-to-face, telephone and e-mail advice to unpaid carers and the people they support.

This post would suit someone with some advice experience who is looking to develop their skills. Our team work in a hybrid way with some office and community based delivery and some home working.  

We seek a motivated, enthusiastic, self-starter who enjoys meeting people and being part of a team and wants to deliver the highest quality advice to unpaid carers

Please send in your CV and covering letter telling us how you meet the requirements of the person specification and we will select suitable applicants for interview. 

Interviews are planned for week commencing 16th June but candidates with the right experience may be invited to interview before the closing date. 

Are you a trusted Arabic-speaking adviser with strong community links? We’re looking for someone with experience, empathy, and an existing client base to help us launch a dedicated advice service for Arabic-speaking residents in West London.

You’ll lead on providing tailored advice and support to Arabic-speaking individuals and families, focusing on the most urgent needs in the community — from housing and welfare to digital skills and healthy living. This is a rare opportunity to shape a new bilingual service within a respected community organisation with a long track record of delivering high-quality support to racially minoritised groups.

Main duties:

· Deliver a bilingual advice, information and support service in Arabic and English to members of racially minoritised communities in Kensington and Chelsea and neighbouring boroughs, with a focus on housing, utilities, energy saving, welfare benefits, employability, healthy lifestyles, support for disabled people and carers, basic digital literacy skills, and related issues (NOT including medical, legal, or immigration-related advice)  

· Provide non-regulated money guidance (NOT including financial advice services regulated by the FCA) after appropriate training

· Signpost or refer clients to other service providers as appropriate

· Maintain individual files on all clients and all action taken, using Advice Pro software

· Undertake appropriate training

· Provide digital literacy training or support to service users through workshops and/or one-to-one instruction, after appropriate training

· Arrange and facilitate workshops for service users, where applicable

· Work cooperatively with other staff and volunteers

· Produce regular updates on work for the Director / Deputy Director and the Management Committee

· Participate in supervisions, performance appraisals, file reviews, and internal meetings

· Undertake other reasonable tasks as required

Do you want to work for an organisation that makes a real difference, every day, to people from all walks of life? Do you have a passion for fighting homelessness and advocating for vulnerable people? If so, this is an exciting opportunity for you to take the next step in your career by joining the Brent Irish Advisory Service (BIAS) as our Housing Adviser.

BIAS’s housing advice service supports members of the local Irish community and beyond with a range of complex housing issues, including homelessness, rehousing, tenancy sustainment and disrepair. We are looking to appoint a dynamic, enthusiastic person who has a background or demonstrable interest in advice, housing or homelessness to join our friendly advice team. Your role will involve contributing to the day-to-day running of BIAS’s advice service, providing specialist advice on housing via one-to-one client appointments, completing casework and advocating for positive outcomes for your clients.

You will need to have strong people skills and the ability to build good working relationships with colleagues and clients, excellent organisational skills and the ability to digest complex briefs. You will be required to manage an active caseload, ensuring that cases are appropriately actioned and recorded and that deadlines are met.

If you are interested in working in housing advice but don’t yet have all the knowledge or experience required, please consider applying as we are willing to consider appointing the right candidate in a trainee role.

KEY WORK AREAS AND MAIN DUTIES

• Providing appropriate advice, information and practical help to clients, via in-person appointments, outreach visits, telephone, letter or email. Where necessary, advocating on behalf of clients in the appropriate forums.
• Ensuring that all casework records are kept up to date and completed clearly and effectively.
• Contributing to monitoring service delivery and recording client outcomes.
• Maintaining a good knowledge of other available services, and signposting or referring clients as needed.
• Participating in regular team file reviews and supervision sessions, and contributing to maintaining BIAS’s high-quality service in line with Advice Quality Standard (AQS) requirements.  
• Engaging positively and constructively with other service providers, including local authorities and housing providers, to maintain partnerships.
• Staying up to date with developments in housing legislation and identifying opportunities to effect positive change to housing policy, together with the Advice Manager.

These are the basic duties required of the Housing Adviser. However, it is necessary for all staff to be flexible and you may be required from time to time to perform other reasonable duties which are required for the efficient running of the organisation. We will also offer training opportunities to support your career development.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK. This role will be based primarily in our advice offices in Willesden (Brent), with some outreach work in Haringey borough. There may be some options for flexible working (one day per week)

WHAT DOES BIAS DO?

BIAS is a local charity which has supported England’s largest Irish community in Brent for over forty-five years. We deliver our support through our welfare advice drop-in service, our Active Ageing Clubs and our Be-a-friend volunteer scheme. We raise over £2 million in extra income for the most vulnerable every year and have over 3000 attendances at our club services. BIAS has exciting plans for further expansion in Haringey in 2025 and has a range of medium- to long-term grant funding, including from Ireland’s Emigrant Support Programme.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter. Your cover letter should demonstrate how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for this role.

The deadline for applications is Friday 20th June 2025. We would strongly encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as applications will be assessed on a rolling basis.

Location: Citizens Advice Hammersmith & Fulham sites, and locations across the Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

Citizens Advice Hammersmith & Fulham (CAHF), part of the national Citizens Advice network, is a thriving local advice organisation that provides information, advice and casework support to 18,000 local people per year. We are recruiting for the brand new role of Early Intervention Training Coordinator.

The Tackling Destitution Together project is a partnership between Citizens Advice Hammersmith and Fulham and Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank aimed at enabling eff ective early intervention in the borough and focussing on support for local disabled people. The project is a pilot, funded by Citizens Advice and Trussell Trust national bodies for 1 year.

We will do this by; training frontline workers & volunteers on the main issues aff ecting those at risk of poverty and on how to eff ectively navigate systems to resolve these issues. Using training and resources to enhance the conversations held at an early stage and focus on connecting people with information and support before they fall into crisis. Hand holding people through these journeys navigating the system and resolving the root cause of their issues. Embedding research and participation to demonstrate the impact of this approach.

We will know we have succeeded if; our training off er is taken up by those agencies seeing people at crisis trigger points. The agencies we support report improved confi dence to assess and signpost before a crisis. Indicators of crisis, such as food bank referrals, reduce in number. We can demonstrate the impact of hand holding support to prevent people from reaching crisis.

In this role you will bring:

• Experience developing and delivering training (in-person and/or digital)
• Understanding of social welfare systems, particularly benefi ts, housing, and debt
• Confi dent using digital tools (e.g. YouTube, online forms, resource hubs)
• A commitment to equity, inclusion, and the value of lived experience

Why Work with Us?

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse workplace where everyone can thrive. Join a team where your leadership will make a real impact. We offer:

• Generous holiday entitlement: 25 days per annum plus bank holidays rising to 30 days with long service
• Paid service closure days between Christmas and New Year
• Hybrid working upon completion of the probation period, where possible
• Access to our in-house learning platform for career and role development
• Personal development opportunities through our Network Equity Groups
• 24/7 employee support through our wellbeing service
• Ongoing performance management and training development

Experience in an advice-giving charity is beneficial but not essential.

Closing Date: 10am Monday 9th June 2025

Interview Date: Following week commencing 16th June 2025

We are currently looking for dedicated Immigration Advisers (IAA Level 2) to join our growing team to provide immigration advice and casework to destitute migrants. We will be recruiting on a rolling basis for a number of upcoming roles, one of which is a woman only role, so we welcome applications from women. Please do get in touch if you would like to discuss this further.

Praxis Community Projects is a dynamic, award-winning human rights charity supporting migrants in crisis or at- risk, ensuring that their essential human needs are met and that they are able to overcome the barriers they face. We provide legal advice and a range of welfare support including group work. We build community, challenge exclusion and discrimination, influence policy, improve services and inspire solidarity with migrants.

The ideal candidates will have an in-depth knowledge of immigration and asylum law, as well as have a good understanding of the challenges faced by migrants with NRPF and those at risk of homelessness. They will be able to step immediately into a busy advice environment that includes independent outreach.

At Praxis, we work to build community, challenge exclusion and discrimination, influence policy and improve services. We played a leading role in exposing the Windrush scandal and advocate and campaign for lasting changes to policy and practice to address the root causes of the issues faced by at-risk migrants.

Praxis is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourage applications from those with lived experience of migration, and from diverse applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital/civil partnership status, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or pregnancy/maternity leave status.

Please see our website to find out more about our work.

Our Attractive Benefits Package Includes 

· A 35 hour working week including flexible working hours

· A hybrid work model 

· 25 days annual leave, increasing annually to the maximum 30 days (plus paid Bank Holidays) 

· You can buy up to 5 days annual leave each year 

· A defined contribution pension scheme 

· Our employee assistance programme offers counselling and support for you 24/7. 

· A season ticket loan to help you spread the cost of your commute 

If you need us to make an adjustment or provide additional support as you apply for a role, please email our Recruitment team who will contact you to discuss how we can help.

For further details, please contact Maria Iglesias Head of Operations and Business Development

To apply, send us your CV and cover letter demonstrating your capabilities in relation to each of the points of the job description marked ‘A’. Where relevant use your answers to illustrate how your competencies have helped you to achieve positive results. This will give you the best possible chance to be shortlisted. Applications will only be accepted with a cover letter.

Interviews: Offered on a rolling basis

Start date: Ranging from immediate to TBD.

BACKGROUND

For over thirty years, Asylum Aid has been providing legal representation to some of the most vulnerable people seeking asylum in the UK. Our welfare advice team provide generalist advice on welfare benefits, housing, asylum support and related issues to Westminster residents with refugee and migrant backgrounds who do not have English as a first language and who would otherwise be unable to access vital advice which enables them to avoid destitution, homelessness and food poverty. We deliver this advice as part of the Westminster Advice Services Partnership through a drop in and outreach at local community venues, and supported by local volunteers many of whom speak community languages.

The post of Appeals Support Advisor is a new post established with the benefit of a grant from Westminster City Council. The post holder will support clients with appeals and reconsideration requests in relation to welfare benefits and housing. This will allow us to provide a more comprehensive service for our clients, many of whom struggle to lodge appeals and reconsideration requests, and to gather evidence in support of their appeals without advice, due to language barriers.  The post holder will deliver advice in community languages, including with the assistance of interpreters, to local residents as part of our partnership work. Most of our clients are refugees, people seeking asylum and others with a refugee or migrant background. The Appeals Support Advisor will work with clients referred from Asylum Aid’s Information and Advice Service (including our weekly drop in) and from other partners in the local community. They will also provide training and supervision to the Generalist Advisor and our volunteers. External supervision will be arranged for the post holder.

The ideal candidate will be resident in or near to the City of Westminster and fluent in one or more community languages. In particular, fluency in one or more of the following is highly desirable: Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Kurdish Sorani/ other Kurdish dialects, Somali, Amharic, Tigrinya.

As this is a new post delivering a specialist appeals and casework service from within our generalist advice team, it offers an exciting opportunity to set up and establish systems for the delivery of this service during the six month fixed term contract, including ensuring that case management processes are established which meet the requirements of our Lexcel quality mark and that clear referral procedures are established with the drop in service and our partners.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The post-holder will:

· Be part of a generalist advice service, with special emphasis on language support, as part of the Westminster Advice Services Partnership (WASP), a collaboration of advice agencies Asylum Aid, Westminster Citizens Advice, Age UK Westminster, and Deaf PLUS Westminster Advice Service.

· Provide specialist appeals casework and support to clients who do not speak English as a first language and need to challenge decisions, request  mandatory reconsiderations, internal housing reviews, lodge appeals in relation to welfare benefits and housing.

· Provide ongoing casework support up to the Tribunal stage, including helping clients to gather evidence in support of their mandatory reconsiderations and appeals and preparing for hearings (but not including representation at hearings)

· Where capacity allows, help to deliver generalist face to face and telephone advice and information, in a community language and English, to migrants and asylum seekers on issues related to welfare benefits, housing and asylum support in accordance with Asylum Aid’s contract within the WASP partnership, and taking responsibility for the quality of advice given.

· Provide training and supervision to the Generalist Advisor and to volunteers, supporting the development of their advice skills and ensuring the quality of advice delivered throughout the advice service.

· Maintain a high standard of electronic case records (using AdvicePro) for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, monitoring and evaluation of the service, and to help identify issues to be raised through policy advocacy.

· Ensure that all casework is conducted in accordance with the Lexcel quality standard, including by establishing case management procedures for the delivery of specialist advice which meet the Lexcel standard, and participate as required in annual Lexcel quality mark audits

· Attend external and in-house training organised by Asylum Aid and regular supervision sessions to develop and maintain the skills and knowledge required to help deliver a quality advice service, and to keep up to date with changes in welfare benefits, housing and asylum support law

· Cascade information, changes,  and developments in social welfare law, including learning from external training, to other staff and volunteers who assist with the delivery of the welfare advice service

· Work effectively with partners to provide a seamless service for clients, making and receiving referrals and maintain up to date information about other service providers for the purposes of referrals and signposting. 

· Be responsible for achieving relevant targets for quality and quantity set by the WASP coordinator

· Provide case studies and other information from the work of the advice service to support policy advocacy and strategic legal work in support of Asylum Aid’s vision of fair and dignified treatment of people seeking asylum, refugees and other vulnerable migrants 

· Carry out any other tasks within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.

The post holder will need to be able to travel to and within Westminster to deliver advice at outreach locations as well as at a drop-in in or around the Church Street Estate. Travel expenses will be paid to attend locations away from Asylum Aid’s office(s) and the main location of our drop-in service (currently the Church Street library).

Other duties:

• Respect for client confidentiality at all times in line with Asylum Aid’s confidentiality agreements and consent forms. 

• To attend staff meetings as required.

• To undertake other duties which are generally compatible with the functions of the post.

• To comply with the organisation’s policies and procedures, particularly those relating to safeguarding, health and safety, diversity, equity & inclusion, confidentiality and security, as set out in the Office Manual as well the policies of other relevant partner organisations.

Person Specification

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

· At least 12 months’ experience of supporting benefits appeals through to Tribunal stage and Housing Reviews

· At least 5 years’ experience of working face to face with clients to deliver generalist advice in different areas of law including welfare benefits and housing

· Knowledge on a range of issues on which advice may be sought including health and social care, housing and welfare benefits, including a thorough and up to date understanding of social security and welfare benefits legislation and policy  

· Experience of managing a case load

· Knowledge or ability to understand and use relevant legislation

· Have completed Advice UK’s Learning to Advise training or hold the Citizens Advice Generalist Adviser certificate or an equivalent qualification

· Be fluent in written and spoken English as well as a second language spoken by a substantial proportion of the Westminster population, ideally Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Kurdish Sorani/ other Kurdish dialects, Somali, Amharic, Tigrinya (to a standard that enables accurate advice to be given in the language)

· Experience of working with interpreters in the delivery of advice

· Able to meet deadlines, work under pressure, meet performance targets and take responsibility for their work, while working flexibly within a team environment

· Able to relate to a wide cross section of clients in a non-judgmental way.

· Able to use a range of IT systems and packages confidently and competently to be able to support and encourage others in using online systems and resources to enable them to self-help.

· Able and willing to learn and assimilate new knowledge in a working environment.

· Able to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively.

· Able and willing to work both on own initiative and as part of a team.

· Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of Asylum Aid service and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

· Good understanding of the needs of migrants and asylum seekers and the issues and barriers that affect them in UK.

Desirable:

· Experience of specialist advice work, including appeals and mandatory reconsiderations

· Friendly, polite, and patient

· Experience of working under a relevant quality mark such as the Advice Quality Standard or Lexcel

· Understanding of the housing and other support available to people seeking asylum who do not have the right to work in the UK

· Experience of working with volunteers

· Experience of supervising other advisers, including volunteers  

· Demonstrable understanding of issues facing vulnerable clients whose English is not the first language and many with mental health problems.

· Lived or learned experience of the difficulties that migrants and refugee communities face when they have to deal with the UK welfare system

· Personal experience and/or Knowledge of the advice process and experience in the areas of either benefits, housing or debt.

· Experience of using interpersonal skills, including sensitive listening, and questioning skills to understand the needs of others,

· Ability to communicate with other organisations, housing, and welfare departments.

How to apply 

The first stage is to complete on our online application form on our website by 9am on 9 June 2025.

The website form will ask you to:

1. Upload a short covering letter. Please tell us why the position appeals to you, and how your

relevant skills and experience, including any voluntary experience and lived experience, matches the listed responsibilities and person specification. Please also state in your covering letter when you would be available to start the role.

2. Upload your current CV

3. Complete an online Equal Opportunities monitoring form – completion of this form will help us ensure that our recruitment procedures operate in such a way as to provide genuine equality of opportunity. The questions are entirely optional and this information will not be available to members of the selection panel.

Selection Process

We anticipate that we will invite candidates to an initial 15-minute online screening meeting week commencing 16 June 2025, followed by shortlisted candidates attending in-person interview week commencing 23 June 2025. We will also ask you to complete a short written task on the day.

We regret that we can only respond to applicants who make it to the interview stage.

Eligibility

Please note that the successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK (as a small charity we do not have the capacity to sponsor work visas).

Successful candidates will also be subject to a basic DBS check. If appointed, you will also be required to give your consent to the charity to receive regular updates on your criminal records status throughout your employment and to disclose any relevant convictions incurred during your time with us.

Adjustments

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. If you require a different format of the application form, such as large print or Word format, or if you would like to discuss any specific requirements, please get in touch with us.