Welfare Benefits Caseworker

Welfare Benefits Caseworker Job Description and Person Specification Role Title Welfare Benefits Caseworker Salary Salary from £25,204 to £27,768 depending on experience Reporting to: Team Leader Location : Barry & Cardiff Purpose of the Job The principal focus of the post is to: We are looking for people to provide welfare benefits advice and casework via face-to-face, telephone and digital channels to clients throughout Wales as part of the Citizens Advice Advicelink Cymru service. Main Duties & responsibilities Service Delivery Advice and casework 1. Provide welfare benefits casework up to and including requests for mandatory reconsiderations and appeals to HMCTS. 2. Provide a full range of welfare benefits advice and where appropriate generalist advice. 3. Act on behalf of clients including making telephone calls and drafting letters to third parties. 4. Negotiate with third parties as appropriate. 5. Ensure income maximisation through the take up of appropriate welfare benefits. 6. Assist clients with other advice needs where they are an integral part of their case and refer to other advisers or specialist agencies as appropriate. 7. Ensure that all advice and casework conforms to the Office Manual and the General Quality Mark standard as well as funder standards. 8. Maintain case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation. 9. Ensure that all work conforms to the organisation’s systems and procedures. 10. All other tasks as required by team leader to ensure service delivery. Research & Campaigning 1. Assist with research & campaigning work by collating information about clients' circumstances and enquiries. 2. Provide statistical information and regular reports to the management team as required. 3. Monitor service provision to ensure that it reaches the widest possible client group. 4. Alert other staff to local and national issues Performance and Quality Standards 1. To meet the individual key performance targets and performance targets of the consumer service daily, weekly, monthly and annually 2. To adhere to the documented Citizens Advice service quality standards Professional development 1. To attend regular support and supervision meetings and annual appraisal as required 2. Self-identify own development needs and attend training opportunities 3. To maintain an up to date knowledge of consumer law and changes in consumer practices 4. To attend staff meetings as required 5. Keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to all enquiry areas and undertake appropriate training 6. Read relevant publications and subscribe to appropriate newsletters produced by Citizens Advice 7. Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with the line manager 8. Prepare for and attend internal and external meetings as required 9. Assist with service initiatives for the improvement of services Administration 1. Review and make recommendations for improvements to services. 2. Maintain local information systems. 3. Use IT for statistical recording, record keeping and document production. 4. Keep up to date with policies and procedures relevant to the organisation’s work and undertake appropriate training. 5. Maintain close liaison with relevant external agencies. Public relations 1. Liaise with statutory and non-statutory organisations and represent the service on outside bodies as appropriate. Other duties & responsibilities 1. Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service 2. Demonstrate commitment to the aims and policies of the organisation 3. Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues 4. Citizens Advice Cardiff and Vale are a fast-moving moving organisation and therefore employees’ duties may be varied from time to time. The post holder accepts that they may be asked to undertake any other work or duties as may reasonably be required within the scope of and commensurate to the nature of the post as and when required. 5. A job description does not constitute a “term and condition of employment”. It is provided only as a guide to assist the employee in the performance of their job and is not included to be an inflexible list of tasks. 6. Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service. 7. Demonstrate commitment to the aims and policies of the organisation. 8. Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues. 9. Citizens Advice Cardiff and Vale are a fast moving organisation and therefore employee’s duties may be varied from time to time. The post holder accepts that they may be asked to undertake any other work or duties as may reasonably be required within