Information & Advice Adviser in Lytham St Annes

Age UK Lancashire is a leading charity, proudly delivering services to over 20,000 older people across Lancashire each year. We are dedicated to supporting and empowering older adults to live fulfilling and independent lives. We are committed to providing innovative and impactful services that address the evolving needs of older people in our community.

The Information & Advice service is delivered across Lancashire, supporting approximately 2,300 older people annually with issues related to welfare benefits, social care, housing, energy efficiency and scams awareness.

Support clients to identify any unclaimed benefit entitlements, help with completion of claim forms, and complete wellbeing assessments. Ensure clients are aware of their rights and deliver a high-quality service using the most appropriate method, either via telephone, office-based appointments or home visits. Signpost and refer clients appropriately (internally and externally) following agreed procedures. Maintain accurate case records to ensure continuity of advice, information retrieval, statistical monitoring, report preparation and quality checking. Ensure all work meets the Advice Quality Standards and identify and escalate specific issues for specialist advice within the I&A team.

To be successful in this role you will need the following:

• A flexible approach as you may be required to provide general, day-to-day operational support to the Information & Advice Team, including working with volunteers.
• Welfare Benefit knowledge is essential, specifically relating to Pension Age benefits.
• A good understanding of the needs of older people.
• Recent experience of delivering information and/or advice to the public, preferably older people, and a good understanding of the skills and techniques used in interviewing clients by telephone, as well as face-to-face.
• A confident communicator with the ability to talk to groups of people in informal and semi-formal settings.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, are essential for this role.
• The ability to work as part of a team, remain calm and take a problem-solving approach to address challenges.
• Be competent in the use of IT systems and programmes, including Microsoft Office Excel and Word, CRM systems such as Charity Log.
• Excellent time-management skills are essential and you will be expected to prioritise your work to ensure deadlines are met and targets reached.
• This role may involve a considerable amount of travel around Lancashire, so use of a car is essential.

Your office location will either be in Lytham St Annes or Padiham depending on where you live. Some home working is possible, though much of this role will be community based.

What’s in it for you?

• Full training and comprehensive induction to ensure you have the support you need to succeed and thrive in your new role.
• A friendly and inclusive culture.
• 25 days annual leave increasing to 30 with length of service + bank holidays.
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme.
• Financial wellbeing and planning support.
• Staff discount card for hundreds of High Street shops and online services.
• Travel expenses will be paid for all journeys required for work, excluding travel from home to base.

This post is eligible for an enhanced DBS check and all the associated costs will be met by the employee.

Age UK Lancashire are committed to ensuring that all job applicants and members of staff are treated equally, without discrimination because of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age.