Help to Claim Adviser

Term: We have multiple Fixed Term Contracts aavaialble for a minimun of 12 months. All posiitons have possibility of extension.

About the role

Universal Credit (UC) is the fastest growing advice issue for the Citizens Advice service and improving the support available to people making a claim is vital. Our Help to Claim service guides people through the claims process - this will include identifying suitability, helping clients to start their claim and providing support to their first payment.

Citizens Advice Liverpool is looking to recruit Help to Claim advisers with knowledge and experience of welfare benefits to join their team.

The successful candidates will provide end to end telephone and web chat support for new Universal Credit claimants. Your understanding of legacy benefits will enable you to check whether a client would be better off on Universal Credit. You will also be able to identify clients who due to transition to Universal Credit via Managed Migration and support them through the process and application. You will be confident in your ICT skills to support clients in making their claim.

You ll have the ability to interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills to get to the root of the issues and empower clients, whilst maintaining structure and control of meetings, as well as a commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice Service.

Requirements

1. Recent knowledge and experience of the benefits systems, including experience of carrying out accurate benefit check calculations in a professional setting
2. Basic knowledge of multiple enquiry areas to aid with identifying emergencies and making referrals where appropriate
3. Experience of providing advice through telephone and web chat
4. Ability to use sensitive listening and questioning skills to get to the root of the issues and empower clients, whilst maintaining structure and control of meetings with them
5. Ability to interpret complex information and convey it in a way that is understandable to clients.
6. Good ICT knowledge with an ability to support clients with their online claim application
7. Ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships with a range of partnership organisations to reach Universal Credit claimants.
8. Assist with research and campaigns works by providing information about clients circumstances
9. Understanding of and commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service and its equal opportunities policies.
10. Ability to meet targets and excel against objectives.
11. Ability and willingness to work both on own initiative and as part of a team

About us

Citizens Advice Liverpool is a charity that provides free, confidential and impartial advice to people who live and work in the city. We depend on a workforce of paid staff and over 120 trained volunteers. We give people the knowledge and the confidence they need to find their way forward whoever they are, and whatever their problem. We are the leading provider of advice and advocacy services in Liverpool and have helped clients with over 106,000 issues in 2022/2023.

CAL have achieved accreditation with the Workplace Wellbeing Charter, showing we are committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our workforce. We've also gained an award for outstanding contribution by an employer to workplace health and wellbeing 2022 by Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust.

We've gained awards from Citizens Advice National recognising our Advising Margainalised Communities Team for championing equity, diversity and inclusion in both 2021 and 2021. We were also named volunteer team of the year in 2022.

As well as a competitive salary CAL also provides access to:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

• Hybrid Working Scheme

• Interest free travel loans

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Pension Scheme

• Cycle to Work Scheme

• Lifestyles Gym Membership (20% corporate discount)

• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave pay