Welfare Adviser Debts

Position: Welfare Adviser (Benefits & Debts)
We are looking for a customer-focused, confident and fully trained debt adviser to join us in our busy Welfare & Money Advice team.

We provide advice to the residents of the Lincoln and North Kesteven Districts by telephone and face-to-face, either by office-based appointments or visiting customers in their own homes.

Our service provides comprehensive benefits advice including helping customers identify relevant benefit entitlement, form completion and assisting in the challenging of benefit decisions. We also provide debt advice. We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and work under the umbrella of the organisation Community Money Advice, non-MAPs funded. Full case work involves income maximisation, budgeting, preparing financial statements and negotiation with creditors.

Applicants should have a good working knowledge of DWP benefits and be fully trained in debt advice.

The role is career graded and based in Lincoln but will incorporate hybrid working.

Key responsibilities:

* To promote a "one stop" approach to service delivery across the joint authorities of City of Lincoln and North Kesteven District and to demonstrate an understanding of the duties and responsibilities of other sections within the partner local authorities and other external stakeholders.

* To provide benefit advice, and the support and information customers need to access their full benefit entitlement in a customer-focused, professional and cost-effective manner.

* To promote financial inclusion and those services appropriate to households with low-incomes, unmanageable debts or other vulnerabilities. This is to include working on take-up campaigns and the promotion of appropriate financial services.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

* Ability to perform towards targets for caseload and outcome.

* Experience of dealing with the public in a customer service capacity involving both telephones and face-to-face contact.

* Ability to learn benefit rules, assess information and use knowledge to decide objectively on individual entitlements.

* Ability to be responsible for council resources.

* Ability to transport oneself around the city.

* A detailed knowledge of the whole range of Social Security and welfare benefits, including Universal Credit, retirement pensions and disability benefits.

Benefits we offer:

* Flexible working options / Flexi time scheme.

* Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays.

* Local government pension scheme.

* Employee online discount scheme (including cinema, retail / supermarkets and homeware / tech).

* Health and Wellbeing support.

* Sustainable Travel Options (Tax free bike scheme and discounted City parking).

For an informal discussion, please contact Laura Brown (Benefits Team Leader) on

In order to complete your application, please download and read the job description attached. You will find the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification section, so please ensure you address this in your supporting statement.

All external candidates are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks and a 6-month probationary period. This role also requires a standard DBS check.

Please be aware that the City of Lincoln Council does not hold a UKVI sponsor licence and is therefore unable to sponsor work visas. If you think you may require a visa to work in the UK, please refer to UK Visas & Immigration before applying as you may be eligible to work in the UK via an alternative visa route.

As a Disability Confident Scheme employer, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the vacancy.