CLAS Support Adviser
25 hours per week, office based.
Salary starting at NJC scale 11 – £24,054 (Pro-rata)
Closing date: Sunday 29th October 2023
Interviews to be held: W/c 30th October 2023
We provide free, confidential and independent advice to help people overcome their problems. We are a voice for our clients and consumers on the issues that matter to them.
We are seeking a special candidate to join our advice team in a role where you will make a real difference.
This is an exciting opportunity for a digital generalist adviser to:
- Carry out benefit checks.
- Monitor & administer the CLAS email inbox and CLAS task list
- Contact clients with respect to initial applications to obtain bank statements, benefit award letters and send an initial budget sheet to be completed.
- Arrange an initial appointment with the client to help the client to draw up an income & expenditure sheet on budget planner, in order to be able to assess the client’s application and decide whether an award will be made.
- Manage the CLAS funding pot to ensure this is used effectively across the year.
- Check charity log to ensure client has not already had an award & enter any new client’s with full details including the award given.
- Accept referrals from the ASS team, Income Max team and external referrers.
- Identify any other issues such as debt, employment, housing or other problems & emergencies and look to deal with these, as appropriate
- Ensure work conforms to the Bureau’s Quality Standards and procedure
- Refer the client to the Income Max team for further help to improve their situation
You must have an understanding of, and a commitment to, Citizens Advice aims, principles and equal opportunities
Benefits
- We will contribute 7% towards your pension
- Holiday: 24 days pa plus Bank Holidays. 1 additional day for each 12 months worked, up to 5 days. Up to 4 days Christmas closure.
- Death in Service insurance/ EAP schemes
- We will provide IT equipment necessary for your work
- Variety of learning and development options
Charity: 1056102 Company: 3191085 Financial Conduct Authority FRN: 617537
Job Description
Employer: Cambridge & District Citizens Advice
Responsible to:Digital Advice Access Lead
Based at: 66 Devonshire Road, Cambridge, CB1 2BL
Purpose of Job: This role is to assist clients that have applied to Cambridge Citizens Advice in order to access funds from the Cambridge Local Assistance Scheme. This is to contact the client’s initially to obtain the required documentation, conduct a client interview to help them populate a budget sheet and then assess their application to see if an award is to be made. The appointments would be over a combination of telephone, video call or face.
Advice and support to clients
- Carry out benefit checks.
- Monitor & administer the CLAS email inbox and CLAS task list
- Contact clients with respect to initial applications to obtain bank statements, benefit award letters and send an initial budget sheet to be completed.
- Arrange an initial appointment with the client to help the client to draw up an income & expenditure sheet on budget planner, in order to be able to assess the client’s application and decide whether an award will be made.
- Manage the CLAS funding pot to ensure this is used effectively across the year.
- Check charity log to ensure client has not already had an award & enter any new client’s with full details including the award given.
- Accept referrals from the ASS team, Income Max team and external referrers.
- Identify any other issues such as debt, employment, housing or other problems & emergencies and look to deal with these, as appropriate
- Ensure work conforms to the Bureau’s Quality Standards and procedure
- Refer the client to the Income Max team for further help to improve their situation.
Service Delivery
- Provide support for clients over the web, email, video, face to face and telephone
- Work from the office and/ or from home as agreed
- Ensure that systems maintained for case recording, statistics, follow up work and quality control, in partnership with other members of the team
- To ensure recording of all outcomes estimated or confirmed in casebook
- To work in accordance with data protection and ensure specific consent and authority for recording and storing of special category data
- Meet targets set by management
- Arranged workload to maximise use of time and help the most clients
- To be a team player and attend meetings as necessary
- Offer support and cover for the manager when they are absent, and provide reception coverage as needed, including assistance to Reception volunteers.
Administration
- To ensure effective and efficient administrative systems are maintained
- Abide by the health and safety policy with regard to staff, equipment and premises with statutory requirements
- Proper case recording and recording of statistical information with regard to advice given to clients and workload
Training, development and recruitment
- Keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to all subject areas and undertake appropriate training
- Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with the line manager
- Prepare for and attend supervision sessions/team meetings as appropriate internally and externally
- Assist with service initiatives for the improvement of services and make recommendations where improvements can be made
- To ensure that you make time in your own calendar for your own development
Research and campaigns (Social Policy)
- Assist with social policy work by providing information about clients’ circumstances, either anonymously or with the client’s consent
- Provide statistical information on the number of clients and nature of cases and provide regular reports to Bureau management
- Monitor service provision to ensure that it reaches the widest possible client group
Other duties and responsibilities
- Have a full commitment to the aims and vision for the organisation as laid out in the business plan and take part in annual processes such as business plan reviews, production of annual and other reports, etc.
- Have a commitment to on-going change management in order to achieve those aims and objectives
- Have an understanding of and commitment to, the aims and principles of the service and its equal opportunities/diversity policies
- Have an active commitment to promoting Social Policy/Research and Campaigning as a key driver for effecting a positive change for our clients
- Have a commitment to working as a team player – supporting and respecting each other in a time of limited staff resource – having a flexible approach to covering functions that may be outside a specific job
- Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for your own safety and that of colleagues
- Undertake duties in a resource efficient way, minimising impacts to the environment wherever possible
- Undertake any other duties connected with the operation of the Bureau as may be required from time to time
Person Specification
| Essential |
|
| Desirable |
| 11. CAB certificate of general advice 12. Experience of Income Max 13. Experience of drawing up income & expenditure sheets 14. Experience of using a benefit calculator to estimate client’s probable awards 15. Understanding of the eligibility criteria for common benefits such as UC, ESA, PIP, DLA, AA Universal Credit and Council Tax support 16. Has knowledge of income maximisation & reducing expenditure 17. Understanding of other related benefits, debt and housing |