Help to Claim Adviser

HOME WORKING (with occasional travel to Wirral locations for training/shadowing/forums)

MAIN PURPOSE

To help people who are making a new Universal Credit claim, working across a variety of channels including telephone, web-chat and video conferencing.

Role overview:

• Use listening and questioning skills to interview clients so they can explain their problems.
• Empower them to set their own priorities.
• Research and explore options and implications so that clients can make informed decisions.
• Enable clients to use IT to make their new Universal Credit claim.
• Complete benefit checks where appropriate.
• Act for the client where necessary using appropriate communication skills and channels.
• Refer internally or to other specialist agencies as appropriate.
• Ensure that all work meets quality standards and the requirements of the funder.
• Ensure that work reflects the Citizens Advice service’s equality and diversity strategy.
• Maintain detailed case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.
• Support research and campaigns work through various channels including case studies, data collection and client consent.
• Keep up to date with legislation, policies and procedures and undertake appropriate training.
• Use telephone and IT equipment for multichannel delivery of advice services including webchat.
• Attend relevant internal and external meetings as needed.
• Prepare for and attend supervision sessions/team meetings/staff meetings as appropriate.
• Ensure GDPR compliant training is completed on an annual basis.
• Ensure all work conforms to Citizens Advice Wirral’s systems and procedures.
• Adhere to the aims and policies of Citizens Advice.
• Abide by health and safety guidelines and take steps to ensure your own safety and that of colleagues.
• Recognise the importance of safeguarding procedures within the organisation.
• Ensure that any concerns, disclosures or allegations of abuse are immediately reported, following the correct procedure.
• To attend occasional out of hours events in conjunction with the work of Citizens Advice Wirral and participate in fund-raising activities.
• Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.

UNIVERSAL CREDIT HELP TO CLAIM ADVISER ROLE: Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

• Level 2 qualifications (GCSE or equivalent) in maths and English with the ability to interpret statistics, calculate benefits and complete financial statements as well as write up accurate case notes, letters and reports.
• A knowledge of welfare benefits and a willingness to develop detailed knowledge of Universal Credit within the first 2 months of employment.
• Experience of using a range of IT systems and packages and a willingness to embrace new technologies e.g. to give advice over webchat and help clients with their online application.
• Excellent communication skills and confidence on the telephone, with the ability to question, interview and assess clients in order to get to the root of the issues.
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team and also to develop and maintain positive working relationships with external stakeholders e.g. colleagues at the Job Centre.
• A flexible approach as and when required by client needs and the organisational skills to manage a complex workload. Flexibility to work out of hours if required.
• Ability to monitor and maintain standards for advice provision and quality assurance.
• A commitment to both the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service and also to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Desirable

• Experience of working within the area of Universal Credit and an existing knowledge of criteria for eligibility.
• Demonstrate an awareness of issues facing vulnerable clients, many with mild-moderate mental health problems.

Interview date: 27/04/26

Interview location: Birkenhead, Wirral

Citizens Advice Wirral is part of the Disability Confident scheme. We’re taking positive action by providing interviews to candidates who have a registered disability - provided they meet the minimum skills for the role. We’ll ask you whether you are eligible when you apply, so if you’d like to be considered for this scheme, all you need to do is let us know in your application.

At Citizens Advice Wirral we use role-specific situational questions as part of our recruitment process. These are designed to help us understand how applicants would approach scenarios they are likely to encounter in the role. Applications are assessed on the quality, relevance and authenticity of responses, and the extent to which answers demonstrate the applicant’s own judgement, reasoning and experience.

We use AI screening tools to support the review process. Where answers appear overly generic or do not clearly reflect an applicant’s own thinking or decision-making, this may affect how strongly the answer scores against the marking criteria.

If you require assistive technology or other support to complete your application, or need reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know.