Debt and benefits advisor jobs

Welfare Benefits Advisor

Supporting Leicester South Foodbank

Job Description

Responsible for:

To assist in providing an efficient and effective Welfare Benefits service within the various foodbank hubs to assess eligibility, maximise income and review and appeal decisions as appropriate. Required to provide advice through various service delivery points, including outreach locations.

Responsible to:  Team leader, and Service Delivery Manager

Base Location:

Hours: 20 Hours per week

Term: Fixed Term until October 2026. This may be extended dependant on further funding opportunities

Salary:£13.50ph
Holidays: 25 days p.a. plus 8 days Bank Holidays pro-rated if the role is part time

Main Responsibilities: 

• Uphold the aims and principles of the Helping Hands Community Trust and the Leicester South Foodbank.
• Work within the service’s ethos and values, especially regarding equality and discrimination.
• Work within health and safety guidelines, sharing responsibility for own health and safety and that of colleagues.
• Keep up to date with legislation, policies and procedures and undertake appropriate training.
• Provide confidential, specialist, advice to clients at our main hub and in consultation with the Operational manager, outreach surgeries and venues across Leicester and Leicestershire
• Present a range of solutions, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages according to the client’s personal situation and make recommendations based on this information
• Ensure that all advice and solutions are presented in accordance with the charity’s policies and procedures and in line with AQS
• Assessing client needs through confidential interviews and hold a personal caseload
• Keeping confidential records, updates and training on our CMS (AdvicePro)
•  Adhere to our Safeguarding, confidentiality and GDPR Policies and procedures
• Keep up to date with changes in legislation, policies and practices in relation to Welfare Benefits, and sharing such information to other members of the team
• Maximise benefit to clients by working closely with Money/Debt Advisors within our team.
• Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with the line manager.
• Prepare for and attend supervision sessions/team meetings/staff meetings/annual appraisals as appropriate.
• Work to Key Performance Indicators at AQS quality standards.

 Casework

• Using the AdvicePRO database to maintain electronic case records, for the purpose of continuing casework and information retrieval. These records must be inputted onto the database immediately following the appointment to ensure the records are up to date and accurate
• Act where necessary by calculating, drafting or writing letters and producing written submissions for clients as appropriate
• Provide advice work covering the full range of Welfare Benefits law.
• Negotiate with third parties.
• Ensure income maximisation through the take up of appropriate benefits.
• Prepare paper submissions to the appropriate statutory bodies, tribunals and courts as appropriate.
• Assist with related problems where they are an integral part of the case and refer to other advisers or specialists as appropriate.
• Make outreach visits, where necessary and subject to resources and risk assessments.
• Provide advice and assistance to staff and volunteers across the whole range of Welfare Benefits issues.
• Ensure that all casework conforms to the AQS quality standard.

Administration:

• Make recommendations for improvements to services.
• Effectively utilise AdvicePRO for statistical recording, case recording & document production.
• Provide 1 Case study/Good news story Monthly to the line manager
• Keep up to date with policies and procedures
• Undertake appropriate training relevant to the role, including CPD Courses.

Essential:

•  English and Maths Grade C/Level 4 or above
• ·Full UK Driving License with business insurance
• Traveling across sites in Leicestershire to see clients in appointments
•  IT Confident
• Proficient in Information, Advice and Guidance to clients
• Understanding of the Welfare Benefits system, and keeping up to date with the change alerts
•  Knowledge and experience of giving competent accurate Welfare Benefits advice casework to AQS Quality Mark standards.
• Understanding the implications of Welfare Reform and the impact on clients and families
• Able to do Benefit checks, to help maximise the client’s income
• Organised and can prioritise own work, to meet targets
•  Being GDPR compliant at all times
• Active Listening skills.
• Flexibility and willingness to work as part of a team.
• Ability to be professional, and considerate at all times
• Empathetic, inclusive and with reassuring attitude
• Ability to cope with stressful and emotionally charged situations.
• Ability to remain patient and calm whilst under pressure
• Have good problem solving skills.
• Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively, and a willingness to challenge

Desirable:

· Previous experience of working with the AdvicePRO CMS data base

· Ability to deliver services using video links via Microsoft Teams, and Zoom

· Ability to deliver services via social media and our interactive website

The role of Health and Safety Advisor will be to review, monitor and advise on Health and Safety (H&S) processes, policies, risk assessments and safe working practices across the charity.

The successful candidate will report to the charity’s Risk Manager, but be expected to work closely with other teams, in particular the Estates and Facilities, and Operations teams.

A recognised Health and Safety Qualification (e.g. NEBOSH General Certificate, or equivalent) is essential for this role.

Overall objectives:

• To be the subject matter expert for staff, volunteers, visitors and contractors dealing with health and safety issues across all three sites.
• Write high quality practical guidance and policies for H&S at Battersea.
• Embed H&S policies and processes across Battersea.
• Help train and educate managers and team leaders in their H&S responsibilities.
• Develop and sign-off H&S risk assessments where appropriate.
• Work closely with the H&S Officer in the Estates and Facilities Team.

What we can offer you:
In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

• 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year
• Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes
• Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources
• Generous pension contributions – up to 10% employer contribution
• Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year
• Annual interest-free season ticket loans

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Our hybrid working model:
We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.

Diversity and inclusion:
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.

We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best.

More about us:
At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Closing date: 13th July 2025
Interview date(s): W/c 21st and 28th July 2025

All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.

Do you dream about a more rewarding career? One with hybrid working, job permanence and career development? One where you make a real difference to people’s lives while also helping to tackle the climate change emergency? Then why not become an Energy Advisor employed by Changeworks, Scotland’s leading environmental charity delivering solutions for low carbon living?

As an Energy Advisor, you will have the opportunity to work across our range of teams to help people with expert energy advice. We provide accredited training to hone your expertise and support progression. Our supportive, inclusive advice teams will be on hand to help you settle in and share best practice.

We are looking for enthusiastic and talented Energy Advisors to help us deliver the vital Home Energy Scotland advice service in the South East and Highlands and Islands. You’ll be the first point of call for householders who need free and impartial advice about how they can lower their bills and reduce their environmental impact. You’ll also be at the forefront of Changeworks’ mission to make low carbon living a reality across Scotland. You will have experience engaging with customers and your excellent communication skills will help you support householders and relay technical information to a non-technical audience. You will require good IT skills and have a stable internet connection.

Home Energy Scotland is a free, impartial advice service funded by the Scottish Government and managed by the Energy Saving Trust. Changeworks has been involved in delivering the service for 16 years, and currently manages advice centres in South East Scotland and the Highlands and Islands.

With the energy crisis affecting so many people, we are also looking for Energy Advisors to join our Community Engagement and Energy Advice Service where you’ll be at the forefront of supporting householders in fuel poverty with fuel billing, debt and advocacy support. You will have experience of providing advice to householders to support them to adopt energy efficient behaviours.

Throughout the directorate, we provide high quality advice and information on topics including energy efficiency in the home, behaviour change, renewable technologies and water. We also support many people who are living in fuel poverty with access to grants and funding to keep their homes warmer for less. Along with the satisfaction of helping people on a daily basis, you’ll also receive an City and Guilds Energy Awareness qualification and join an organisation consistently rated as a fantastic place to work.

The ideal candidate and the role

To be successful in this role you should have a passion for helping and supporting people and be a confident communicator. Our advisors speak to a wide range of customers with varied enquiries on a daily basis, providing them with high quality advice tailored to their circumstances and empowering them to take action and change their behaviours.

You will join a team of customer-focused energy advisors in a fast-paced environment, taking inbound calls and making outbound calls to our existing customers. An interest in the environment and sustainability would be an advantage but is not essential, as full training will be given.

In return you can expect

We will start to grow your knowledge of our services and energy efficiency straight away. The Energy Advisor induction programme includes the City and Guilds Energy Awareness in the Home qualification. We will support the successful applicants with ongoing coaching, mentoring and development.

About us

Changeworks is a great place to work. We hold Investors in People Platinum accreditation (something only a few organisations in Scotland have), and we were nominated for employer of the year by the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce this year. Our staff overwhelmingly would recommend us as an employer too.

The Climate Emergency has resulted in ambitious national targets to reduce carbon emissions from the built environment and reduce rates of fuel poverty. This has driven a significant increase in the number of pilot and large-scale interventions delivered by Changeworks and external organisations in this area. These include area-based domestic energy efficiency retrofit and decarbonisation projects and programmes.

We are a growing organisation, and this role is crucial to the delivery of our ambitious objectives. We want to decarbonise homes in Scotland on a massive scale, and that needs talented individuals like you to help us deliver on our objectives. You’ll receive full training plus coaching and mentoring.

We offer a wide range of staff benefits including flexible working, bike to work scheme, an excellent pension scheme and 26 days paid holiday plus 9 public holidays per year.

At Changeworks, we welcome and encourage applications from everyone.

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 7th July 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.

Salary - Grade 3 - £31,133 per annum

Contract- Fixed term until April 2026

Location- Blackburn Central Library with outreach work in Lancashire

Hours- Full time, 37.5 per week

Closing date: Thursday 10th July 2025 at 11:30pm

Do you have experience of providing debt advice and advocacy? Then join Shelter as a Debt Adviser and you could soon be playing a vital role in standing up to the housing emergency.

About the role

Your role will manage a varied caseload providing high quality debt and housing related advice and support. You will need to work flexibly across the Lancashire area, including Blackpool. Working with clients you will do an initial needs assessment and develop support/case plans with aim of maximising their income by reducing outgoings, assessing affordability, setting up budgeting plans, helping to secure a home and repay debts.

We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.

About you

You will need experience of providing debt advice and advocacy and the ability to carry out casework related interviews, maintain detailed case records and deliver group workshops and presentations. You will need the ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders, particularly those with lived experience of homelessness, as well as collaborating with people from other teams and organisations.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

About the Team

Lancashire hub’s local community priorities are homelessness and temporary accommodation, social housing and private rented sector and individuals and communities living in poverty.

About Shelter

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet every day millions of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

How to apply

Please click ‘Apply for Job’ below. You are required to submit a CV and a supporting statement. Your supporting statement should include responses to the first four ‘About You’ points in the job description of no more than 350 words each. Please provide specific examples following the STAR format and ensure you demonstrate how you address the behaviour below throughout your responses:

• We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset

You do not need to address the points 5 - 8 in the 'About You' section, these will be assessed at interview stage for shortlisted candidates. Any applications submitted without a supporting statement will not be considered.

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

Do you have experience of telephone advice work with a specific interest in housing law, welfare benefits and debt? Would you like to use those skills to help people struggling with bad housing or homelessness to find solutions? Then join Shelter Scotland as a Helpline Adviser and you could soon be providing vital advice to clients across Scotland.

About the role

Shelter Scotland provides a free telephone and online helpline providing housing advice to over 25,000 people across Scotland each year. You’ll be joining a team delivering a telephone, digital and email advice service to people experiencing a range of housing problems. This will involve carrying out initial fact-finding interviews to identify and agree clients’ needs and giving advice on all areas of housing cases, for which you will be given support and training should you need it. We’ll also rely on you to enter details onto our CRM system accurately and punctually.

Role specifics

We’re looking for people who are resilient enough to cope in a challenging environment but who can empathise with our clients and help them navigate their way through the system. You’ll have good listening skills that will enable you to get to the root of clients’ underlying needs, a proactive, results-driven approach and the ability to contribute new ideas and approaches. Proficiency using Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, email and the internet is also essential.

Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.

Benefits 

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.

About the team

Shelter Scotland provide a free telephone and online housing advice service which covers all of Scotland. There are services accessible to anyone with a housing problem and a growing number of contract-funded services that focus on specific client groups, other advice agencies and geographically based populations. We also provide a telephone helpline for other agencies and run a number of projects throughout the country. In Scotland, we helped over 25,000 people in our Telephone and Online Advice services in 2020/21.  As well as our Telephone and Online Advice services, we have several projects and four core Integrated City Hubs. Through a balanced mixture of activities at local level and participating in nationally coordinated initiatives the Advice Service aims to help people in housing need and tackle the root causes of homelessness and bad housing. 

About Shelter Scotland

Shelter Scotland is Scotland’s national housing and homelessness charity. Our vision is of a home for everyone in Scotland. For over 50 years, the way we drive change has remained the same. We advise and support people in housing need today and use the insight we gain to inform our campaigns to change tomorrow. We also raise professional standards for those working in Scotland’s housing and homelessness sector by offering a broad range of training courses.

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday thousands of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter Scotland. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

Safeguarding statement

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter Scotland is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies. 

Shelter Scotland does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

Citizens Advice Camden is looking for a committed Money Adviser – or someone ready to become one – to join our respected team, supporting people in North Camden with high-quality debt advice.

Citizens Advice Camden is a well-respected local charity with more than 85 years of experience delivering free, independent and impartial advice and casework services that meet the evolving needs of local residents. Our mission is to provide the advice people need for the problems they face and to improve the policies and practices that affect their lives.

About the role

We are recruiting a Money Adviser (or Trainee Money Adviser) to provide debt advice and casework to residents living within our funder’s area of benefit in North Camden. You will support clients via a mix of telephone, digital, and face-to-face appointments, helping them address complex debt problems and improve their financial wellbeing.

You’ll provide advice on the full range of debt issues – helping clients reduce their debts, increase their income, and gain the confidence to manage their money effectively. You’ll work towards achievable targets and high-quality standards, maintain accurate case records, contribute to local outreach work, and support clients in accessing income maximisation opportunities including benefits, grants and cost reductions.

Who we’re looking for

Experienced Money Adviser

We’re seeking an experienced adviser with:

• At least two years’ recent debt advice casework experience
• Ideally, the Certificate in Money Advice Practice (CertMAP) and
• Approval as a Debt Relief Order (DRO) intermediary
• Confidence in managing complex cases and working to quality standards
• A client-centred approach and a commitment to achieving positive, lasting outcomes

We will support your continuing professional development through supervision, training and opportunities to grow your expertise.

Trainee Opportunity

We also welcome applications from candidates who:

• Have significant experience in delivering generalist, benefits or housing advice
• Possess some knowledge of debt advice
• Are committed to developing into a fully qualified debt adviser

If this sounds like you, we can offer a trainee role with a structured training programme, ongoing support, and development opportunities.

Closing date: Monday 7 July

CVs are not accepted

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

Are you passionate about social justice? Motivated to support individuals who have been marginalised or stigmatised due to their circumstances?
Completion of LLB, GDL, or SQE1 and minimum six months’ experience in social welfare legal advice and casework in areas such as crime, housing, benefits, or debt—then this opportunity could be the perfect fit for you.

We’re seeking a committed Legal Adviser to join our dynamic social justice legal team. You'll deliver at least two legal services, both in-person and virtually, to clients engaged with alcohol and drug treatment programmes, homeless day centres, and sexual health clinics. Our work centres on providing expert advice, assistance, and representation, particularly in the areas of debt, housing (including homelessness), and welfare benefits.

Following induction and training, you'll also provide legal support via Release’s national helpline—offering guidance related to criminal law and the criminal justice system in the context of drug offences. Additionally, you’ll contribute to our innovative Harm Reduction Hub, a drop-in service supporting people with legal issues linked to substance dependency.

Beyond frontline legal work, you'll have the chance to get involved in the organisation’s vital policy and advocacy initiatives.

Looking ahead, we are launching a limited-scope immigration service in mid 2025 and recently secured legal aid contracts in Community Care and Public Law. These developments may open future opportunities for you to broaden your areas of legal practice within our team.

This is an exciting senior policy role in our committed policy team leading the fight to end child poverty in the UK. The development of a UK-wide child poverty strategy in government means this is a great time to join CPAG as we look to influence to influence policy makers to adopt our evidence-based policy solutions to child poverty.

We are looking for someone to take a lead role in developing evidence-based policy positions to support CPAG’s influencing and campaigns work. You will have knowledge of political processes and how external organisations can effect change. You will have a track record of producing high quality research and analysis, including policy briefings, on social policy issues. You will enjoy working collaboratively to identify policy issues and develop solutions, working closely with colleagues across the organisation as well as externally.

The postholder will be working in a fast moving, high profile and complex policy environment and will need to balance short term priorities with long term objectives. Current priorities include influencing the development and implementation of the forthcoming child poverty strategy, sharing analysis and expertise as part of the DWP’s review of universal credit, and monitoring the development of the green paper on the changes to disability benefits, and the white paper on employment.

We welcome applications from individuals with the skills and experience outlined and we can be flexible about working arrangements. We operate a hybrid working system and would be happy to discuss any flexibilities required. CPAG is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion which you can read more about in the job pack.

For more information about this post and to apply download the Senior Policy and Research Officer job pack.

Closing date for applications: Monday 7 July (midnight)

Interviews will be held in London on Monday 14 July

Job Purpose

This role sits within our crisis alternative service, Safe Space, which is a core and out of hours service providing a safe and welcoming space for people who are feeling distressed and experiencing crisis. Our aim of the service is to keep individuals well in the community and prevent readmission into hospital. The service operates 365 days a year from 14:00-22:00pm across all of our boroughs.

Staff within the service will provide person-centred, practical and emotional support, face to face or via telephone or virtual on a one-to-one basis to individuals experiencing mental health crisis or preventing crisis.

The objectives of the service include:

• To improve the mental wellbeing of people experiencing mental health and social crisis in HFEH.
• To proactively work with keeping people well in the community to reduce re-admitters into hospitals by working with WL NHS teams (e.g. discharge, LPS, CATT, MINT and SPA)
• To provide a true alternative to A&E via a non-clinical drop-in service to support clients
• To provide support to clients accessing the service- for instance: signposting, de-escalation and crisis recovery planning.
• To contribute to an improvement in individual mental wellbeing.
• To remain a source of independent support for all clients.
• To treat service users with respect, dignity and personalised support
• To raise awareness of mental health services available with the goal to improve long term mental health and reduce social isolation
• To increase self-management skills of those accessing the service
• To reduce the use of police, ambulance and statutory mental health services whilst experiencing crisis via a drop-in service.
• To reduce the use of statutory crisis services by people experiencing mental ill health without positive outcomes for the individual.

The Role

The role of the support workers will be to support the rest of the team in delivering interventions on a one-to-one. The role will also involve triaging and assessing all clients accessing the service, signposting and delivering collaborative self-management plans with clients to improve mental wellbeing.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing a person centred and recovery orientated approach in all aspects of the roles and responsibilities.
• Promoting people’ rights and responsibilities
• Considering each person as an individual
• Working collaboratively with clients to understand their needs and developing flexible and realistic crisis support packages/person centred plans
• Understanding of safety planning
• Experience with de-escalation, recognising and mitigating risks.
• Experience of working with challenging behaviour
• Listening to clients and encouraging positive steps towards self-management of crisis and recovery
• Good time keeping skills – Essential
• To attend all mandatory training including safeguarding and GDPR
• To work autonomously in a fast-paced environment and under pressure
• Providing advice, information, practical and emotional support to clients
• Proactively recognising the indicators of deteriorating mental health and facilitate appropriate action, whilst liaising with relevant agencies e.g. CATT, Emergency Duty Teams, CMHTS, etc
• Engaging with clients to show empathy, inspire hope and promote recovery
• Establishing supportive, empowering and respectful relationships with clients and carers/ family
• Maintaining accurate records, detailing interventions
• Ensuring that outcomes, outputs and impact are recorded
• Providing administrative support to the team
• Attend reflective practice, clinical supervision, peer supervision and line management supervision
• Create and maintain good working relationships with partner agencies
• Follow workplans and actively participate in training and development
• Provide and manage resources for clients and staff

Person Specification

• Minimum of 1 year working in mental health services and with clients experiencing mental health distress and crisis
• Experience of managing challenging behaviour and dealing with clients with complex needs
• Experience of managing safeguarding risks and understanding legal requirements for safeguarding adults and children
• Evidence of continual professional development
• Understanding of the Recovery Model in mental health
• Understanding of the principles of trauma informed care
• Understanding of suicide prevention and safety planning
• Understanding of the relationship between mental health and social issues and how these issues may impact on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing
• Understanding of relevant legislation and policies
• Experience of working with vulnerable individuals
• Creative and flexible approach to working with individuals
• Ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations in a calm manner and de-escalate challenging situations
• Awareness of issues in mental health service provision
• A good understanding of mental health conditions
• Experience of working with vulnerable individuals
• Creative and flexible approach to working with individuals
• Ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations in a calm manner and de-escalate challenging situations
• Ability to prioritise and manage workload
• Ability to involve clients and carers in all aspects of work
• Empathy and non-judgemental approach
• Good communication skills
• Capacity to work within an agreed shift pattern
• Experience of delivering information and advice (housing, benefits, debt etc)
• Experience of non-clinical, therapeutic interventions like psychoeducation
• Good IT skills including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint, with proven ability to input and extract information and produce reports
• Car driver with sole ownership of a vehicle and willingness to travel to locations would be desirable.
• Ability to work out of hours and on weekends

We're growing our amazing team and looking to recruit two fabulous new staff who want to work alongside people as they find their pathway to travel out of homelessness.

The 999 Club

The 999 Club has stood on the corner of Deptford Broadway for more than 30 years, working with and supporting the local community. Our focus now is on people who are street homeless, rough sleeping or unhoused and those who have no recourse to public funds. As the 999 Club, people who use our services are our members.

The Gateway

Our day centre, The Gateway, is open five days a week and provides a welcoming, safe and friendly space where our members can spend time away from their usual situation and sort out practicalities like getting laundry done, taking a shower, charging their phone and having something to eat. It’s where our Intervention Team are often based as part of their work, empowering our members.

The Intervention Team

Working alongside the Essential Services Team and an amazing team of volunteers the Intervention Team provide triage, assessment, holistic progression planning, advocacy and support for members of the Gateway, identifying and addressing their immediate housing situation as well as wider social, health and wellbeing issues with the ultimate aim of them finding a pathway out of homelessness.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re looking for people who like people, who care about doing a good job and want to be part of a dynamic team, providing the best service possible. We want team members with common sense, who are assertive, compassionate, have a sense of humour and a no- nonsense, positive attitude looking to make a difference in their community.

We’re looking to recruit two Intervention Workers – one for complex interventions where there are additional factors. This would best suit someone with experience whilst the brief intervention role would suit someone with transferable skills but little to no experience in the homelessness sector.

Why You Should Apply

This is a really exciting opportunity to join the team as we evolve service delivery, creating clear pathways for people who have different journeys to travel out of homelessness.  

The hours of work are Monday-Friday 08:45h-16:45h.

Staff benefits include

· 27 days annual leave (plus Bank Holidays), increasing each year to a maximum of 30 days 

· 3% pension contribution on qualifying income 

· Employee Assistance Programme 

· Cycle to work scheme 

· The opportunity to be part of a truly amazing team doing truly amazing work

Turn2us is a national charity tackling poverty and the structural causes of financial insecurity. We work with co-producers and partners to provide people in financial crisis with the means and agency to get back on their feet, build resilience, move forward with their lives and thrive.

As an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to equity, inclusion and diversity and the value people from different backgrounds bring to a team. If, like us, you believe everyone has the right to have enough to live on, and you are ambitious about eradicating poverty, join us and build your career with a charity dedicated to ensuring dignity and equity for all.

We're now looking for an exceptional Senior PR and Press Officer to help us amplify voices, challenge persistent, negative narratives around the social security system, and shift public attitudes about financial insecurity. Ideally, you’ll already have solid PR and press experience within a charity or comparable organisation’s press office, excellent media contacts, and the strategic mindset to put people’s real lives and complex challenges front and centre in your storytelling.

You’ll be someone who writes clearly and persuasively, handles sensitive topics with genuine care, and who’s excited by the challenge of finding creative ways to engage diverse audiences. Your strong relationships with journalists will help us ensure the voices of people facing financial insecurity are represented accurately, widely, and compassionately in the media.

We offer flexible working patterns, both in terms of hours and remote working. All team members come into our welcoming Farringdon office at least once a week, and you'll be joining a warm, supportive team that believes in each other, celebrates great work, and loves what we do.

Please note that all employees are required to work from the office a minimum of 1 day a week.

Some roles may be required to be in the office more often than others and this will be agreed with the hiring manager upon starting at Turn2us.

Please note that all job offers are subject to 2 – 3 satisfactory references and a disclosure satisfactory to Turn2us from the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS). 

We’re genuinely excited to hear from you.

Closing date: 20th July, 23:59

Interview date: 11 Aug for first interviews, 18 Aug for second interviews