Specialist Welfare Benefits Adviser in London

The post holder will work within our team of specialist welfare benefits advisers, as a specialist welfare benefits adviser providing information, advice, and guidance to clients in our Macmillan-funded Welfare Benefits Project, providing a welfare rights advice service to people affected by cancer to maximise their income.

Scope of role

The post holder will undertake casework, assisting clients to access their entitlements to welfare benefits and other sources of financial help. Advice will be delivered through a range of channels, including face-to-face, telephone, email, and other means, provide Welfare Benefits advice and information to people living with cancer and their families.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Case work

• Provide a full welfare benefits casework service for people affected by cancer. This includes disability benefits and other sources of financial support, such as grants and help with health and travel costs.

Welfare Benefit Appeals

• Assist clients to prepare for benefits appeals, research, and the draft was written legal submissions, and provide representation at tribunals as required.

Outreach

• Alongside other team members provide advice sessions through outreach, including at hospitals - currently St Bartholomews, Homerton, Royal London, Newham, and Whipps Cross; and at Toynbee Hall through telephone, email, and any other channel

Targets

• Meet targets as set with the line manager, which will change regularly depending on the needs of the services.

Quality Standard

• Ensure consistent quality assured advice, to AQS standard, monitored by checking casework and observations
• Maintain thorough and detailed case records for continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring, and report preparation
• Use all relevant case management systems, such as Advice Pro, as well as Microsoft Office applications, for statistical recording, record keeping, and document production. Ensure all work conforms to Toynbee Hall’s systems and procedures.
• Along with the rest of the team ensure stocks of leaflets, posters, and stationary, are ordered from suppliers and distributed to outreach locations
• Gather statistics and feedback to monitor and evaluate the service, providing reports as required to the steering group, funders, and partners.

Social Policy

• Support Macmillan Toynbee Hall Welfare Rights Advice Service’s social policy work by providing case studies and feedback on issues of concern to people affected by cancer; including attending internal and appropriate external meetings, and identifying and acting upon social policy issues

Essential Criteria:

• Strong interpersonal skills
• Recent Welfare Benefits advice work experience, particularly in the areas of health and disability, with at least one year’s specialist welfare benefits casework experience.
• Ability to write detailed accurate case records and drafts, letters reports, and statements in plain English.
• Recent experiences of working in a performance-driven environment and evidence of meeting targets set.
• An ordered and disciplined approach to managing a challenging caseload, meeting targets; planning and prioritising work in the face of competing demands on your time.
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience working with clients suffering from health problems in a professional but empathetic manner, and the ability to respond sensitively to clients.
• An understanding of the issues facing people affected by long-term illness and disability, including cancer.
• Ability to research, understand and explain complex information both orally and in writing.
• Good knowledge of IT including familiarity with Microsoft Office applications, e.g. Word, Outlook, or equivalents, and case management systems.
• Knowledge of or willingness to gain an understanding of Macmillan Cancer Support’s services and policies relevant to people affected by cancer.
• An ordered approach to casework and an ability and willingness to follow set procedures concerning casework and file management etc.
• Ability and willingness to support volunteer advisers.
• Numeracy to the levels required in the tasks.
• Alignment with Toynbee Hall’s mission and strategy
• Alignment and willingness to work in line to our values:
  - Inclusive - open-minded, transparent, convening and collaborative; seeking fresh and alternative perspectives.
  - Courageous – principled, ambitious and acting with integrity.
  - Empowering – shifting power, sharing our knowledge, enabling people to take action for themselves
• An understanding of safeguarding and willingness to develop understanding further

Please download the full Job Description for more details.

Our Benefits Package

We believe in supporting our employees with a well-rounded benefits package designed to enhance work-life balance, financial security, and overall well-being.

Annual Leave

• 25 days of annual leave, plus 3 additional days for our Christmas shutdown (on top of bank holidays).
• After 2 years: +3 extra days of leave.
• After 3 years: +1 additional day.
• After 5 years: A total of 30 days annual leave, plus the 3-day Christmas shutdown.

Pension

• Standard Life Pension Scheme – Employer contribution: 4%, Employee contribution: 5%

Additional Perks & Support

• Enhanced Sick Pay for peace of mind during illness
• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave to support growing families
• Employee Eyecare Vouchers to support your vision health
• Employee Assistance Programme for free, confidential advice and support
• Mental Health First Aid to ensure workplace well-being
• Tenancy Deposit Scheme to help secure your home
• Interest-Free Season Ticket Loan for cost-effective commuting
• Cycle to Work Scheme to promote a healthier, greener way to travel
• Charity Mentoring Network to support professional development and networking

We’re committed to creating a supportive and rewarding work environment, because when our team thrives, we all succeed!

About Toynbee Hall

Based in the East End of London since 1884, Toynbee Hall is a charity working alongside people facing poverty, injustice, and inequality to build a fairer East London. We provide vital advice and support, working in partnership to tackle unfairness and ensure everyone has an equal chance to thrive.

We have recently launched a new strategic plan which reinforces that our purpose is to build a fairer future with an end to poverty, injustice and inequality.

We work towards this by:

• Addressing poverty and injustice through advice and support and influencing systemic change.
• Shifting power to people and communities affected by injustice and inequality.
• Collaborating to end poverty and build fairer systems and institutions. What we want to see in the world starts with our community and our organisation.

This means:

• Working together to build a thriving local community where people have the resources they need, feel their voices are heard and are optimistic about the future.
• Being a good employer, where people are treated fairly, feel engaged and empowered, and work together to achieve our shared vision.
• Acknowledging the role Toynbee Hall has historically played in civic society while recognising that our role now is to shift power, to be an effective partner, and to amplify voices that are less likely to be heard.

What we learn from our work in east London we use to inform and influence wider policy – working to influence change in structures, systems and policies.