Senior Welfare Advisor

Catch22; London Borough of Newham; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

Catch22's Community Links Advice Service seeks an experienced Senior Welfare Adviser to deliver specialist welfare benefits, debt and social welfare guidance to men in the criminal justice system. You will handle a varied caseload, provide advocacy, and work with volunteers, ensuring high-quality support and safeguarding standards.

The post is permanent and full-time (38 hours per week) based in London, with opportunities for professional development and practical debt advice training.

Qualifications

• Specialist knowledge and experience of welfare benefits and debt advice, including Universal Credit, debt options and relevant legislation.
• Ability to manage a varied and complex caseload.
• Minimum two years' experience providing social welfare advice at casework level, including advocacy and representation.
• Experience preparing welfare benefit appeals, mandatory reconsiderations or tribunal submissions.
• Experience supporting vulnerable individuals with multiple and complex needs.
• Experience providing welfare benefits and debt advice.
• Experience working within AQS standards and FCA requirements.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, GDPR, confidentiality and information governance requirements.
• Experience maintaining accurate records and working to performance and quality standards.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist welfare benefits and debt advice to men involved in the criminal justice system.
• Deliver high-quality advice, advocacy and casework within a holistic service model.
• Support volunteers and trainees and collaborate with internal teams and external partners.
• Ensure safeguarding, data protection and information governance compliance in all work.

Skills

Welfare benefits

Debt advice

Universal Credit

Caseload management

Advocacy

Tribunal submissions

Job description

We are looking for an experienced and compassionate Senior Welfare Adviser to join the Advice Service at Community Links. The role forms part of Catch22's Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS), commissioned by HMPPS, and will provide specialist welfare benefits, debt and social welfare advice to men involved in the criminal justice system, while also contributing to the wider Community Links Advice Service.

The postholder will deliver high-quality advice, advocacy and casework to people experiencing poverty, financial hardship, debt, housing difficulties and other social welfare challenges, with a particular focus on supporting men engaged with probation services and those moving through rehabilitation and resettlement.

Working within a holistic advice model, the adviser will help clients understand their rights, maximise income, improve financial wellbeing and access the support they need to achieve positive outcomes.

The role's core specialisms are welfare benefits and debt advice. The postholder will manage a varied caseload, supporting clients with benefit entitlement, claims, appeals, debt issues and available debt solutions, while also advising on housing issues, income maximisation and wider social welfare matters. The successful candidate will support volunteers and trainees, contribute to quality assurance activities and work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners.

Community Links is committed to investing in staff development and will support the successful candidate through funded debt advice training and ongoing professional development opportunities. This role offers opportunities to further develop specialist debt advice knowledge, achieve recognised accreditation and progress within the service, while delivering high-quality support to people facing complex debt and social welfare challenges.

Qualifications

• Specialist knowledge and experience of welfare benefits and debt advice, including Universal Credit, debt options and relevant legislation.
• Ability to manage a varied and complex caseload.
• Minimum two years' experience providing social welfare advice at casework level, including advocacy and representation.
• Experience preparing welfare benefit appeals, mandatory reconsiderations or tribunal submissions.
• Experience supporting vulnerable individuals with multiple and complex needs.
• Experience providing welfare benefits and debt advice.
• Experience working within AQS standards and FCA requirements.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, GDPR, confidentiality and information governance requirements.
• Experience maintaining accurate records and working to performance and quality standards.

Additional Information

Contract: Permanent

Hours & work pattern: Full time, 38 hours per week.

Salary: £37,324 Per Annum

The salary shown reflects the band for this role, with the final offer taking account of experience and relevant skills.

Location: Community Links, 105 Barking Road, E16 4HQ, London

Closing Date: This vacancy will remain open until a suitable candidate is appointed.

Screening: Successful admission to post subject to enhanced DBS check, HMPPS vetting check, and employer Right To Work in the UK check. The post-holder must have right to work in the UK. Catch22 does not currently provide a licence to sponsor visas but please see this register to see those that do.

Catch22’s Commitment to Opportunity & Progression

At Catch22 we are proud of our commitment in supporting people develop in their careers and progress in our organisation. In 2024, within our Justice Hub, we have 68% of those in management roles that originally joined Catch22 in the frontline workforce and some worked across a number of roles and Leadership positions before joining management. This allows us to have a highly experienced management group and provides development opportunities for those in our much valued front-line.

Catch22’s Commitment to Ban the Box

Catch22 is proud to have "Banned the Box". This means that we do not ask for candidates to disclose criminal convictions at the application stage. Instead, we invite disclosures at interview stage, and encourage them at the offer stage. Please see our statement of commitment on hiring people with convictions for more information.

Vetting Requirements

This role is subject to the satisfactory completion of relevant pre-employment checks, which may include HMPPS vetting, NPPV, or other role-specific security clearances.

Any offer of employment will be conditional upon the successful outcome of these checks. Where clearance is not granted, or is subsequently withdrawn, Catch22 reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment.

Catch22 is committed to rigorous safeguarding and safer recruitment practices; ensuring that every individual within the organisation has been safely and appropriately checked.