Housing And Welfare Benefits Advisor Jobs in Tower Hamlets, Greater London
Hours: Full- and part-time positions
Contract: Permanent
Location: CAML charity offices and outreach venues
Salary (pro rata for part time): From £28,000 per annum
Annual Leave: 25 days (pro rata for part time), Charity Day, plus public holidays
Pension: The charity operates a pension scheme
The charity offers an employee assistance programme
Deadline: 6pm, Thursday 16th May 2024
Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth (CAML) is the leading advice charity supporting individuals and families across the London boroughs of Lambeth, Merton and beyond. We provide a range of information, support and advice services. We also work to raise awareness and understanding of the challenging issues affecting our clients and communities.
We are looking for an accredited Debt Adviser to provide comprehensive debt advice and support to those in need. If you have at least one year’s experience as an accredited debt adviser, passionate about supporting individuals and families in need and interested in joining a dedicated, professional team we would love to hear from you.
If you are not an accredited Debt Adviser but you are an accredited Generalist Adviser with at least one year’s experience, are willing to complete the relevant training, passionate about supporting Merton and Lambeth residents, we would love to hear from you.
The successful candidate will have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to work flexibly with clients. You will be meticulous in your work, especially when supporting clients and maintaining case records for continuity of casework. You will also be very well informed with regards to legislation, case law and policy changes relating to debt and benefits.
Our offices have excellent public transport links and Mitcham also has a carpark. We offer a friendly and welcoming work environment and can provide flexible work opportunities dependent on service demands.
Main duties and responsibilities
-
Provide comprehensive, full range of debt advice in line with Financial Conduct Authority and Debt Advice Quality Framework
-
Commit to train for debt adviser (if trainee) and ongoing training/development (all roles) as requested by the charity
-
Provide generalist advice in benefits, income maximisation and housing as required
-
Complete Debt Relief Orders on behalf of clients (if accredited)
-
Use your interpersonal skills to explore, listen and understand complex problems as they affect each individual and tailor approach to advice accordingly
-
Provide a clear plan of action and follow-up on actions relating to cases as appropriate
-
Follow-up on actions relating to cases as appropriate
-
Identify and escalate serious problems, including safeguarding, appropriately
-
Ability to work to own initiative within a team environment.
-
Work closely with service colleagues and wider CAML team
-
Support clients in CAML offices and outreach venues
Monitoring Quality and Case Recording
-
Ensure all client engagement and support is comprehensively and accurately recorded
-
Review your work, and monitor quality standards, as per the Citizens Advice quality framework
-
Ensure data protections regulations are adhere and office procedures followed
-
Work with your line manager, senior managers and charity colleagues to develop and improve services, and your own standards.
Other Duties and Responsibilities
-
With wider charity team and other organisations, ensure clients are supported with related advice issues
-
Ensure all work is fully compliant with our policies and procedures and Citizens Advice Quality Standard
-
Assist and contribute to the charity’s communications, research and campaigns work
-
Maintain positive working relations with our stakeholders
-
Professionally represent Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth
-
Other duties as requested by your line manager, senior manager and Chief Executive
Professional Development
-
All our team receive comprehensive induction to the charity and our work. We support Advisers in their professional development to ensure we’re up to date with recent legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to benefits and debt and undertake appropriate training as agreed with your line manager (Head of Advice Services).
Person Specification
-
Generalist Adviser certificate (Citizens Advice or equivalent) – Essential
-
Accredited debt adviser (either through relevant Citizens Advice debt training, Wiser Adviser training). – Essential for accredited role
-
Willingness to undertake training and development to comply with Citizens Advice quality standards
-
Experience of using client management databases (we use Casebook) - Desirable
-
Ability to prioritise work, meet deadlines and manage caseload - Essential
-
IT competency and experience - Essential
-
Ability and willingness to work as a team - Essential
-
Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of Citizens Advice service - Essential
This job description and personal specification does not form part of any contract.
If you’re interested in the role and joining us, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please follow the link to our website to find out how to apply. (please note we will not consider CVs for this role).
The deadline for applications is 6pm, Thursday 16th May 2024.
If you do not hear from us, we are afraid your application was unsuccessful.
We reserve the right to close applications early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.
We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and will process your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018. Please refer to our online Privacy Policy for more information on how your personal data will be processed and stored.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Citizens Advice Hertsmere is a great place to work, with a friendly and supportive team. We are looking to take on a Debt Caseworker to join our small debt advice team. You will be providing advice to clients supporting them through the debt advice process, including dealing with emergencies, income maximisation, budgeting advice and ultimately helping with a debt strategy.
You will need to:
- Prepare and present cases to the appropriate statutory bodies
- Negotiate with third parties in writing and on the telephone
- Act for clients where necessary by calculating, negotiating, drafting or writing letters and telephoning
- Be numerate and able to analyse data and draw conclusions
- Have good communication and IT skills
Role purpose
To deliver an excellent quality debt advice service to clients, with due regard to the aims, policies and procedures of the organisation and service, working within a client focussed and responsive team.
About Us
Citizens Advice Hertsmere (CAH) is an independent local charity and a member of the national Citizens Advice network. We deliver high-quality advice across Hertsmere and campaign on issues that matter to residents. Our primary office is in Elstree with outreach locations in Bushey and Potters Bar.
Our staff and volunteers supported clients with a wide range of issues including benefits, debt, employment, housing, relationship, and consumer issues. We provide our advice face to face, telephone, and email.
We are a forward-thinking organisation, committed to continually improving, expanding, and developing our services to better serve our local community.
We are a friendly, supportive team, and we are looking for another person to strengthen our debt team. There are opportunities for progression within our service and we encourage and support our staff to achieve their potential. We believe that what we do matters.
Please submit the application form as your cover letter
You will provide support to our Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinic Consultant to co-ordinate the efficient service delivery of our busy Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinics, used by clients who need assistance to make successful applications for: welfare benefits; social housing; lower utility and broadband tariffs; and crisis and general grants. You will work with a wide range of people internally and externally, providing support and supervision to volunteer advisers and helping clients.
You will be a confident communicator who will have the right blend and balance of strong administration skills with excellent interpersonal and customer-facing skills and legal knowledge, working for a charity supporting and enhancing the lives of people in the local community.
This role is central to Westway Trust’s commitment to deliver activities and events to the benefit of the North Kensington community. You will also work from and help to co-ordinate the delivery of our Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinic at our outreach site, St Luke’s Community Centre, EC1V.
Key responsibilities of the role include but not limited to:
General Duties
- Being the initial point of contact; receiving calls and emails from clients and referring agencies, , and booking client appointments in an efficient and timely manner
- Setting up and clearing away after Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinic sessions, (currently, Tuesdays, at St Luke’s Community Centre, 90 Central Street, Islington, EC1, and Wednesdays at Westway Trust, 1 Thorpe Close, Ladbroke Grove, W10). Sessions start at 9.00am and finish around 1.00pm
- Meeting, greeting and orienting (showing where the facilities are and H&S guidance) clients and volunteers
- Triaging clients on to our database and referring clients who are out of scope to other relevant organisations
- Assisting clients to complete online and paper forms both face-to-face and remotely
- Liaising in a positive manner with our stakeholders, eg. clients, other teams within Westway Trust, our funder, a City Law firm, and our hosts, Westway Trust and St Luke’s Community Centre
- Responsibility for monitoring our work, completing simple reports, writing case studies, making sure volunteers complete their data entry after advising clients, and running case management statistics using AdvicePro, our case management system) (training on AdvicePro will be provided)
- Recruiting, inducting, training and supervising volunteers both corporate (from the City) and lay (students and local residents)
- Casework; writing up case notes about clients helped
- Attending relevant meetings and training and keeping resources up-to-date
- General administration including: photocopying, scanning and record keeping, and coordinating the general day-to-day activities of the Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinics
- Effectively contributing to make our Cost-of-Living Crisis Clinics high performing in line with the values of Westway Trust
Appeals & Representation Duties
Responsibility for our legal appeals representation service, including:
- Triaging clients, including reading appellant’s hearing bundles to assess the merits of their case
- Case management of appellants’' appeal cases, (ie, smooth management of appellants' cases from inception to post-hearing)
- Attending hearings
- Guiding and case managing lawyers/law students on applications for leave to appeal/set aside to the Upper Tribunal/Judiciary, (from the Lower Tribunal). Full training will be given
Qualifications: You will have or be working towards a law degree or equivalent.
Knowledge and Experience:
- A good understanding of the law in any jurisdiction
- Experience of providing an efficient, customer focused service, with a personable and collaborative approach and ability to provide, develop and maintaining friendly positive relationships with customers, staff, volunteers and other stakeholders
- Good time management and organisational skills
- Excellent administrative skills
- High level of IT skills. Experience of using Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and database software (we use AdvicePro)
Personal Skills:
- Good people management/awareness skills
- Good communication and presentation skills, orally and in writing.
- Ability to work independently and on own initiative with minimum supervision
- Ability to work as part of a team in a multi-cultural and diverse environment
- An inquisitive mind and good problem solver
- Interest in civil law
- Good memory and research skills
- Demonstrable understanding and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
Connections to/understanding of North Kensington or the surrounding area is highly desirable
We exist to work together with the local community to enable North Kensington to thrive.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.