Trainee Benefits Caseworker (Appeals Team) - Citizens Advice BANES

Bath and North East Somerset Council; Bath; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Bath and North East Somerset Council is seeking a motivated Trainee Benefits Caseworker to join our Appeals Team in Bath. You may not be a benefits specialist yet, but we welcome applications from candidates with casework experience or experience of working with vulnerable clients.

An interest in benefit appeals is essential. The Appeals Team handles Personal Independence Payments, Universal Credit, Disability Living Allowance and overpayments.

Qualifications

• Basic knowledge of benefits; training provided on the job.
• Experience with casework or working with vulnerable clients.
• Interest in benefit appeals is essential.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Appeals Team with benefit appeal cases.
• Interview clients and help prepare submissions for Tribunal.
• Support the team in analysing entitlement and challenging DWP decisions.

Skills

Casework experience

Experience with vulnerable clients

Interest in benefit appeals

Job description

Contract Type: Fixed Term for 3 years

About Us

Citizens Advice Bath and NE Somerset is an independent local charity providing information and advice to residents of the Bath and NE Somerset (B&NES) area. We aim to empower people to resolve their problems and change their lives for the better.

We provide free, independent and confidential advice; whoever you are, whatever the problem. We help people overcome their problems and campaign on big issues when their voices need to be heard. We value diversity, champion equality, and challenge discrimination and harassment.

The Role

We are looking for a motivated, organised Trainee Benefits Caseworker to join our dynamic Appeals Team. You may not be a benefits specialist (just yet), but we would love to receive applications from candidates with casework experience or experience of working with vulnerable clients in similar fields. An interest in benefit appeals is essential.

The Appeals Team currently consists of 3 caseworkers, and we represent members of the public in any kind of benefit appeal. The majority are Personal Independence Payments and Universal Credit (especially work capability assessments), but also Disability Living Allowance and overpayments of any kind.

When the appeal has been lodged by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, we receive the bundle of appeal papers from the Department of Work and Pensions, which we study. We then interview the client with a view to producing a submission to put the client’s case to the Tribunal and challenge DWP’s decision.

We have a 95% success rate (against 60/65% nationally) and we earn around £1 million for clients and our CA outcomes. This is very rewarding work which makes a real and obvious difference to clients. We have regular meetings with judges and the DWP, which gives us the opportunity to suggest changes advantageous to appellants in general (not just our clients). Our ideal candidate would have a basic knowledge of benefits (we will provide more specialist training on the job) and an ability to analyze and explain entitlement with reference to the relevant criteria.

Application Details:

Your employment history will be reviewed, but your application will be marked against the person specification so please ensure you provide examples of how you meet each point.

Shortlisting will take place after the closing date with interviews expected to take place in person on Wednesday 21st October at our Bath office.

You must be entitled to work in the UK and appointments will be made subject to references. In accordance with Citizens Advice national policy, we may require the successful candidate to be screened by the DBS. However, a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to your being able to take up the job.

We value diversity and promote equality and would welcome applications from candidates with disabilities and ethnic minority applicants as these groups are under-represented in our workforce.

Safeguarding Statement

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We follow safer recruitment practices and appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check.