Adecco are currently recruiting for a Benefit Advisor for a Local Authority in the South London area.
Benefit Advisor
Public Sector - Local Authority
Full-time position
Monday- Friday, 36 hours per week
Temporary role - 6 -month assignment
Hourly PAYE: £20.92
Hourly Umbrella: £28.43 (Inside IR35)
To develop and provide a comprehensive welfare benefits max advice service for Croydon's Care Experienced Young People, CEYP, from diverse communities, to help address the effects of poverty and ill health by ensuring that residents maximise their income by claiming their full entitlement to all available benefits and tax credits. The post holder will undertake case work, assisting CEYP tenants to access all their entitlements and other sources of financial help, and will deliver training and support to social care professionals, council staff, and health/voluntary sector. The post holder will assist CEYP tenants to challenge incorrect benefit decisions and be responsible for gathering evidence to utilise the review and appeal processes.
Providing a full welfare benefits casework service for CEYP Tenants which will include all available welfare benefits and tax credits, including disability benefits and other sources of financial help, such as applying for charitable grants, energy efficiency support, travel costs and health costs. The post holder will encourage full take-up of the wide range of benefit entitlements by means of home visits and outreach advice sessions in a variety of locations within Croydon. A good understanding of Housing Benefit/Council Tax benefit rules is a crucial aspect of this role.
To initiate, develop and promote targeted take up campaigns for residents, devising appropriate publicity to service users and help complete all appropriate benefit claim forms.
To ensure that benefit decisions made by statutory authorities are correct and to challenge where necessary using the review and appeal process and to assist service users to prepare and present cases to the appropriate statutory bodies, and tribunals, including appealing cases to the Social Security Commissioners.
To prepare cases for representation and benefit tribunal's by researching and applying relevant law and case law and seeking more specialist advice where needed.
To assist service users with other related problems where they are an integral part of the case and refer to other specialist organizations as appropriate.
The post holder will be linked to the client welfare rights team to take individual and collective professional responsibility for championing the council's diversity agenda and proactively implementing initiatives which secure equality of access and outcomes. Also to commit to continually developing personal understanding of diversity.
Service users and families/carer's, department for works and pensions, inland revenue, jobcentre plus staff, primary care trust staff - gp's, nurses, health visitors, sure start, age concern, mind, citizen's advice bureau, cold busters, and a whole range of voluntary sector organisations.
Adecco acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. The Adecco Group UK & Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
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