Welfare Benefits Advisor

Background to the role

Age UK East London are recruiting a Welfare Benefits Advisor to join our growing information and advice

team.  We support thousands of people a year to maximise their income, challenge bad decisions, and ensure that they understand their rights and entitlements.

We support some of the most deprived communities in the UK, tackling poverty and health inequality while promoting independence and well-being.  Working in well networked and integrated systems you will make a key contribution to improving the lives of adults, their carers and the wider community.

Job description

Job Purpose

·       To provide Information, advice and support to clients enabling them to remain independent in their own homes.

·       To work with the Advice Service to deliver and maintain excellent services to AQS standard.

·       To provide home visits and office appointments, delivering advice via a variety of channels such as phone, video call and face to face.

·       To work with clients to deliver holistic support that promotes wellbeing, independence that reduces health inequality and poverty.

Key Tasks

·       To provide quality-assured independent advice and casework support to adults across East London. 

·       To maintain accurate case records in line with all relevant legislation and quality assurance benchmarks.

·       To conduct welfare benefit calculations and advise accurately on entitlements.

·       To complete applications for welfare benefits and grants etc.

·       To support people to understand their rights and challenge decisions made against them such as welfare benefit appeals to first tier tribunal. 

·       To deliver a holistic, person-centred and strength-based service focussed on independence and wellbeing.

·       To support service data input to support the service with evaluation and monitoring KPI’s.

·       To keep up to date knowledge of welfare benefit, Housing and Social Care policy and legalisation.

·       To support the service to be flexible and responsive to change and community need.

·       To train and mentor volunteers.

 General

·       To meet regularly with line manager for support, supervision and appraisal.

·       To attend team and staff meetings, committee meetings, partnership, network forums and monitoring meetings as required.

·       To undertake any other duties within the competence of the post holder as may be required from time to time for the continued smooth running of Age UK East London.

·       To undertake all training required to fulfil the role.

To carry out the duties of the post in accordance with Age UK East London’s policies and procedures including: EDI, Health & Safety, Confidentiality, Complaints, GDPR, Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults.

 Functional Links

·       The role reports to the Information & Advice Team Leader

·       Close working with the Advocacy Service.

·       Close working with GP’s, Outreach Venues, Hospital Ward Staff.

·       Close working with the Advice Providers Network in Hackney.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

·       Minimum of 18 months experience of providing welfare advice whether in a paid or voluntary setting.

Desirable

·       Experience of supervising volunteers.

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential

·       Holds NVQ Level 3 Advice & Guidance, or equivalent, qualification, or ability.

·       Expert knowledge and understanding of Social Welfare rights and all relevant legislation/areas of law.

·       Understanding of the impact of discrimination and disadvantage on the lives of people and ability to work in a trauma-informed manner.

Desirable

·       Knowledge of social care and the care act.

Skills/Attributes

Essential

·       Intermediate IT skills, in particular use of Microsoft Windows, Word and Excel.

·       Strong written and verbal communication.

·       Can demonstrate AUKEL values (accountable, kind, flexible, inclusive, collaborative) in the way the service is delivered.

·       A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and their carers*.

·       A commitment to professional learning and development and reflective practise.

Additional Requirements

·       This post is subject to the relevant check through the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)

·       Flexibility in working hours to meet organisational needs.

·       This post may require occasional evening and weekend work.

Employment Details

 Contract type

This contracted post is for 28 hours per week and may very rarely require some out of hours or weekend work as required.  We welcome application for flexible working including reduced hours and other flexible working arrangements.

Location

We support hybrid working to suit our team. When in the office, the post holder will be based at Russia Lane but some travel across east London may be required to meet the needs of the service.

Salary 

Between £31,930 and £35,020 pa pro rata for part time.  Plus 5% employer pension contribution.

We have recently introduced a salary bands system. This salary range refers to the lowest and top steps of the grade. Salary will progress every year until the top salary is reached.

Holiday entitlement

25 days (pro-rata for contracted hours) of paid holiday per year plus bank holidays. This increases after two years of service to 27 days, and then a further one day per every year of service up to a maximum of 30 days after five years of service. In addition, all employees are entitled to one day off on (or around) their Birthday.

Conditions of employment

The job offer is subject to the receipt of two satisfactory Employment References, an enhanced DBS Check and evidence of relevant Qualification.

How We Value Our People

Learning and development

We are committed to supporting our staff through a variety of training, e-learning, workshop and shadowing. A training needs assessment is carried out annually. During the appraisal and reviewed during supervision. The majority of vacancies are advertised internally to encourage staff to progress their careers within the charity.

Flexible working policy

We welcome flexible working requests from day one and anyone can make as many requests as they wish to.

Family Friendly Policy

We have a competitive Family Friendly Policy which includes maternity, paternity adoption and shared parental leave. We have an enhanced maternity and paternity pay policy based on the length of service.

Sick leave policy

We also have a competitive sick pay policy which will give you up to 4 months full pay and 4 months half pay after 4 years of service.

Death in service insurance

We have a Death in service insurance which will help your family to cope financially should something happen to you while employed with us.

Employee assistance programme

We offer an Employee Assistance programme called WeCare which includes 24/7 online GP, Get fit programme, Mental health support, Financial and legal guidance.

Menopause and menstrual policy

The policy supports employees in their ability to adequately self-care during their period and menopause, while not being penalised by having to deplete their sick leave.

Open Door policy

The purpose of policy is to encourage open communication, feedback, and discussion about any matter of importance to an employee.

Wellbeing policy

The policy is aimed to promote mental wellbeing among staff and volunteers and tackle the causes of work-related mental health problems.

Duncan Robertson Award

For the outstanding contribution to the wellbeing of older people.

Cycle to work scheme

The scheme allows employees to obtain commuter bikes and cycling accessories through their employer, whilst spreading the cost over 12 months and making unbeatable savings through a tax break

Other benefits

Through Age UK National we provide the BUPA Employee Assistance Programme, the Blue Light Discount Card, access to a discount portal provided by AON and Ticket for Good.

Next Steps

 How to apply

To apply, please complete the application form on our website.

Recruitment Timetable

Deadline to receive applications: 23rd September 2024 at 9.00am

1st stage interviews: Week commencing 30th September 2024

Have any questions? If you want to find out more about the recruitment process or the role, please contact our HR department