Benefits Advice Officer - No Experience Required

Join Our Team and Help Transform Lives!

We are looking for a compassionate and motivated Benefits Adviser to join our Transitions team, providing personalised benefits advice and support to people in their own homes and communities across West Devon and Torridge. You will help people understand and access the benefits they are entitled to, maximise their household income and navigate what can often be complex and challenging benefit processes. Many of the people we support face barriers to accessing mainstream services, so the ability to build trust, listen and provide patient, practical support is at the heart of this role.

 

We are looking for someone with strong communication and interpersonal skills, a person-centred approach and a genuine commitment to supporting people experiencing vulnerability or financial hardship. Previous benefits advice experience would be an advantage, but we also welcome applications from people with transferable skills and the right values and aptitude to develop in the role. Full training, support and opportunities for professional development will be provided.

 

About the Role

Working as part of the Transitions Project, you will provide specialist, person-centred benefits advice to people in their own homes and community settings across West Devon and Torridge.

Many of the people we support experience barriers that make it difficult for them to access mainstream advice services, including poor physical or mental health, disability, rural isolation, digital exclusion, low confidence and complex personal circumstances. You will take advice directly to clients, providing the time, flexibility and practical support they need to understand and access their benefit entitlements.

You will complete comprehensive benefit checks, support clients to make and manage claims, identify opportunities to maximise household income and help resolve benefit-related problems. This may include supporting clients with challenging decisions, mandatory reconsiderations and appeals, as well as liaising and advocating with the DWP, local authorities and other agencies.

The role involves regular lone working and travel to clients' homes, so you will need to be confident working independently while remaining closely connected to the wider Transitions team.

This is a rewarding role with the opportunity to make a tangible difference to the financial stability and wellbeing of people who may otherwise struggle to access the support they need.

Key Responsibilities

·        Provide comprehensive, person-centred benefits advice through home visits and community-based appointments, with telephone or digital support where appropriate.

·        Complete full benefit entitlement checks, identifying unclaimed or underclaimed benefits and opportunities to maximise household income.

·        Support clients to make and manage benefit claims, including gathering evidence, completing forms and navigating application processes.

·        Provide advice and practical support in relation to a wide range of welfare benefits, including Universal Credit, disability and sickness benefits such as Personal Independence Payments, LCWRA, New Style ESA, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax support.

·        Support clients to understand benefit decisions and, where appropriate, assist with mandatory reconsiderations, appeals and other challenges.

·        Advocate on behalf of clients and liaise with the DWP, local authorities, housing providers, health professionals and other agencies to help resolve benefit-related issues.

·        Identify wider financial difficulties or support needs and work closely with Transitions money and debt advisers and other services to ensure clients receive appropriate support.

·        Build trusted relationships with clients who may be vulnerable, socially isolated or experiencing multiple and complex barriers to accessing services.

·        Adapt the delivery of advice to meet individual communication, accessibility and support needs.

·        Complete appropriate risk assessments before and during home visits and follow Navigate's lone-working and safeguarding procedures.

·        Maintain clear, accurate and timely case records using the AdvicePro case management system.

·        Ensure advice and casework meet relevant quality standards, organisational policies and data protection requirements.

·        Work collaboratively with colleagues and external partners to provide coordinated support for clients.

·        Contribute to project outcomes, monitoring and evaluation by accurately recording advice, financial outcomes and client impact.

·        Attend and contribute to team meetings, supervision, training and continuing professional development.

 

What We're Looking For

We are looking for someone who combines strong welfare benefits knowledge with a compassionate and practical approach to advice. You will be comfortable visiting people in their own homes and supporting clients whose circumstances may be complex. You will be able to explain complicated benefit rules clearly, build trust with people who may lack confidence in services, and work patiently with clients to achieve the best possible outcome. You will also need to be organised and self-motivated, with the ability to manage your own caseload and travel effectively across a rural area.

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