Money Advice Caseworker (1 Full-time and 1Maternity Cover – Fixed Term)

South West London Law Centres5th FloorDavis HouseCroydonCR0 1QQ

T 020 8767 2777

F 020 8043 0665

E info@swllc.org

DX 144264 Croydon 24

www.swllc.org

South West London Law Centres is a charity registered in England and Wales no. 1102433 and a company limited by guarantee no. 05018587. VAT no. 656907303. OISC registration reference F201300787. Registered office: 5th Floor, Davis House, Robert Street, Croydon CR0 1QQ. The solicitors of South West London Law Centres are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

SOUTH WEST LONDON LAW CENTRESLegal Action for Local Communities

South West London Law Centres (SWLLC), one of the largest and most progressive Law Centres in the country, is seeking add a money advice casework post.

There is considerable demand for the work of the law centre. We get over 60,000 calls for assistance each year and have thousands of people are helped through services delivered by SWLLC. We help people at some of their most difficult times of their lives to resolve their legal problems. As part of a small team of case workers and volunteers you will to resolve client’s money advice issues through a mixture of casework and guided advice as part of the London- wide Debt Free Advice project funded by the Money and Pensions Service

POST: Money Advice CaseworkerSalary: £34.5k – 36.5k per annumReports to: Economic Justice Manager and Senior Money Adviser Line Manages: Volunteers assigned to the projectFunctional Links: Board of Trustees, CEO, Deputy CEO, Head of Legal Practice, Finance Manager, Team Leaders, Branch AdministratorsTerm: Permanent (subject to grant funding with the funder - Debt Free Advice) Based At: Croydon with travel to our SW London offices and outreach locations as required Hybrid: If required our staff can work 2 days per week at office/outreach locations and 3 days homeworking

JOB DESCRIPTION

Key Tasks

• 1 To provide a targeted debt and money advice service to clients in accordance with the Debt Free Advice Debt Advice Partnership under funding from a Money and Pensions Service programme. The provision of the service will be face to face and also via video, telephone, email, WhatsApp and web access.
• 2 To be part of a team including volunteers to provide advice to around 1804 people per year.
• 3 If you are recruited without holding the MIMA qualification and without being a Debt Relief Order Intermediary then these would be expected to be applied for as part of the role.

Duties & Responsibilities

• 4 To meet the performance targets set by Debt Free Advice and the Economic Justice Manager and Senior Money Adviser.
• 5 To ensure that all advice, assistance and representation complies with the requirements of our Lexcel quality mark
• 6 To ensure all work is recorded within the Debt Free Advice framework. Ongoing casework will be recorded through the Advice Pro case management system. The post holder will be expected to meet Debt Free Advice performance targets.
• 7 To carry out file reviews in accordance with Lexcel requirements.8 Produce files for Debt Free Advice to review and score an average quality score of
• 90% or higher under the Debt Free Advice File review scheme 9 To participate in team and staff meetings.10 To be responsible for your own word processing, filing and case recording within
• the Debt Free Advice framework and the Advice Pro case management system.11 To advise and provide training and talks to Law Centre staff and volunteers and to front line advice agency staff within the Law Centre’s catchment area as necessary 12 To attend coordinating bodies as required.13 To share the work of maintaining everyday necessities.

Advice & Casework

• 15 Provide casework face to face, via telephone, video, Flex, email and outreach
• 16 Provide the full range of advice activities including full advice on debt options available to our client group.
• 17 Deal with contentious and complex debt advice problems, including mortgage and
• rent arrears re-possession cases, bankruptcy proceedings, and Consumer Credit Act disputes.
• 18 Prepare information for clients, where appropriate, who have cases at County Court, Valuation Tribunals and Magistrates Court as well as assisting clients who are self-representing with information.
• 19 Advise on and assist with income maximisation issues making appropriate referrals for things which cannot be dealt in-house.
• 20 Identify debt emergencies, deadlines and other social welfare advice needs to enable signposting or making referrals to other agencies where they cannot be dealt with in-house.
• 21 Keep up to date, accurate and detailed case records.
• 22 Complete statistical information records fully compliant with organisational: Debt Free Advice and Money and Pensions Service requirements.
• 23 To assist other teams in the Law Centre in helping clients resolve any debt and money advice matters

Project Record Keeping and Reporting

• 24 Maintain relevant client databases and produce monthly returns to Debt Free Advice – in accordance with Debt Free Advice and Money and Pensions Service requirements
• 25 Search for and collect missing data to enable monthly return to Debt Free Advice and Money and Pensions Service
• 26 Work with the Senior Money Adviser to provide monthly case studies and follow up clients to develop profiling reports and data
• 27 Assist with the development and maintenance of a database of standard documents - wording to aid in the efficiency of delivery of money and debt advice

Training and professional development

• 28 Attend relevant training courses and appropriate internal and external meetings, to enhance skills as a money advice caseworker. Undertake and pass core training programme to become a debt specialist through the MIMA qualification and a Debt Relief Order intermediary if not already qualified
• 29 Consult relevant colleagues to ensure that working practice is consistently of a high quality.

Supervision and Support

• 30 Keep up to date with all relevant current legislation and policy and share knowledge with colleagues
• 31 Provide feedback to trainers and own manager or supervisor on the effectiveness of informal and formal learning activities
• 32 Take part in regular supervision meetings with Senior Money Adviser and other caseworkers and obtain informal support as necessary.
• 33 Take on and competently progress a money advice caseload reflective of the post holder’s money advice casework experience
• 34 To be appraised regularly and to engage fully in this process to further personal development and maximise your contribution to SWLLC.
• 35 Supervise your own volunteers and file/peer review of colleagues.
• 36 Oversee and monitor volunteer advice sessions to provide money and debt advice.
• 37 Assist with the Operations Manager in maintaining a cadre of volunteers to assist with all aspects of money and debt advice and including the administration of this project.

Service Development

• 38 Take part in service planning activities to help ensure relevant elements of the organisation’s Debt Free Advice services.

Social Policy

• 40 To be alert at all times to the social policy implications of issues presented by clients.41 To take appropriate action to influence social policy in regard to these issues
• 42 To have regard at all times in the planning and execution of duties to SWLLC’s Equality and Diversity Policy.

Other Duties

• 43 Play a full role in the organisation supporting colleagues to maximise their effectiveness.
• 44 In addition to the tasks and duties listed in this job description to undertake such duties as may be identified and which are generally compatible with the functions of the post.

Working Hours

45 This post requires some vary rare evening and weekend work across South West

London.

Location

• 46 South West London Law Centres is made up of 4 branches based in Wandsworth,
• Croydon, Kingston, and Merton. You will be required to work out of outreach locations in these locations and at any of our 4 offices. You may also be expected to undertake one-off outreach sessions at other locations in our catchment area.

Essential Experience & Skills

• 1. We require at least twelve months of experience providing debt advice either as a trainee or as a qualified caseworker under a Money and Pensions Service contract.We require at least twelve months of experience as a qualified caseworker providing debt advice if working under any other contract or employer.
• 2. If you have not worked under a Money and Pension Service contract then to hold to the MIMA qualification.
• 3. Good GCSE passes in English and Maths grade B or above or equivalent qualification.
• 4. Good customer services skills both face to face and over the telephone and other media. Ability to respond sensitively to clients from a variety of backgrounds that are under pressure and negotiate with third parties in order to minimise conflict.
• 5. Ability to meet stringent Debt Free Advice – Money and Pension Service funding specification and target client numbers. Each full-time caseworker with volunteer support is expected to provide full advice and debt options to 230 new clients per year.
• 6. Ability to write detailed up to date case notes, letters and reports as required in plain English. Accurate typing speeds of at least 40 words per minute.
• 7. Ability to deal with client’s advice needs face to face, over the telephone, via video, email, Skype, WhatsApp or outreach
• 8. Ability to manage a challenging caseload and prioritise work in the face of competing demands on your time.
• 9. Ability to research, understand and explain complex information both orally and in writing.
• 10. Practical knowledge of IT sufficient to use Microsoft Office applications including Word, Outlook and Excel to administer your own workload. Proficient use of Excel
• 11. Commitment to taking part in social policy, research or evaluation activities as required, for example by responding to surveys and identifying trends in your caseload
• 12. Commitment to undergo training and participate in other forms of professional development.
• 13. Willingness to travel to outreach sessions as required within the boroughs of the employing organisation and in neighbouring boroughs as required for daytime and evening advice sessions.
• 14. Willingness to undertake evening and weekend work if required with prior notice.
• 15. Commitment to equal opportunities as set out in the principles and policies of South West London Law Centres

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