Trainee Generalist Advice Caseworker

Citizens Advice Southwark; Greater London; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Citizens Advice Southwark is seeking an experienced adviser to fast-track through our Generalist Adviser training programme. This full-time role in Southwark begins as a five-month trainee position with a starting salary of £33,831, rising to £36,867–£39,100 after successful training.

You will discuss social welfare issues, manage casework, and provide high-quality advice across outreach locations in Peckham, Walworth and nearby areas.

Qualifications

• Experience in offering support and advice in similar roles.
• Ability to explain complex information clearly to diverse clients.
• Strong written and verbal communication in a client-facing setting.
• Willingness to learn through a formal training programme.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality advice, advocacy and representation to clients.
• Manage client casework, interviews, research, referrals and records.
• Deliver advice through face-to-face, telephone, email, and outreach work.
• Keep up to date with legislation, policy and procedures.
• Complete training and participate in ongoing professional development.
• Collaborate with colleagues and external agencies to support clients.

Skills

Client support

Active listening

Communication

Analytical thinking

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Helpline Adviser, Support Adviser or Customer Service Adviser to be fast tracked through the full Citizens Advice Generalist Adviser training programme within 5 months.

Position: Trainee Generalist Advice Caseworker

Location: Southwark

Salary: £33,831 per annum (increasing to NJC Scale 6 - £36,867 to £39,100 per annum - after 5 months)

Hours: Full-Time (35 hours per week)

Contract: Initial Fixed Term five months trainee period - then permanent position as Generalist Advice Caseworker

Closing date: 9.00 am Friday 30 October 2026. Interviews will take place on Wednesday 3 November 2026

About the Role

You will be working on a range of different projects and services providing direct advice to the public and undertaking casework on social welfare law issues. Once assessed as having satisfactorily completed the initial six months training you will be issued with a new job description as a Generalist Advice Caseworker on a starting salary of £36,867 per annum.

Key responsibilities include:

• Provide high-quality advice, advocacy and representation to clients in line with quality standards.
• Manage client casework, including interviews, research, follow-ups, referrals and maintaining accurate, confidential case records.
• Deliver advice through face-to-face appointments, telephone, email, home visits and community outreach across Peckham, Walworth and surrounding areas.
• Keep up to date with relevant legislation, social policy, local developments and advice procedures.
• Complete required training and participate in ongoing professional development, supervision and appraisals.
• Identify emerging issues affecting clients and contribute to research, campaigns and initiatives aimed at influencing policy and improving services.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, external agencies and local organisations to support clients and address community needs.
• Contribute to service planning, development and team meetings.
• Maintain accurate statistics, monitoring information and case records, producing reports as required.
• Undertake general administrative duties to support the effective delivery of advice services.

About You

We are looking for someone with experience of offering support and advice. You may have gained this experience in roles such as Helpline Adviser, Support Adviser or Customer Service Adviser

You will have:

• The ability to analyse and interpret complex information and be able to show how you would relay this in an understandable way.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, due to a client facing role in a funder led environment.
• Numeracy skills to understand statistics and check calculations
• The ability to organise and prioritise your own work and take decisions within a pressurised environment.
• Knowledge of the type of social policy issues facing the local community and a commitment to influencing social policy.
• An understanding of the advice needs and issues in a diverse inner-city area.
• Skills to contribute to effective team working and development.
• Skills to take responsibility for own learning and development.
• Be able to use ICT in the provision of advice.
• Be able to work outside normal hours and at any site in Southwark as required.
• Understand, empathise and be committed to the aims, principles and equal opportunities policies of the organisation.

About the Organisation

Join a charity with a track record of delivering high-quality services from its offices in Peckham and Walworth and at outreach locations across Southwark and South East London. The team help to sort out problems together, for good, by providing free, independent, confidential and impartial advice across all areas of social welfare law, and through using the experience of clients to bring about positive change through research and campaigns.

Providing free, independent, confidential and impartial advice

The charity is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all applicants who meet the person specification irrespective of sex, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, age, or disability.

Other roles you may have experience of include Welfare, Benefits, Housing, Welfare Advisor, Benefits Advisor, Housing Advisor, Welfare Officer, Benefits Officer, Housing Officer, Advice, Advisor, Caseworker, Advisor, Customer Service Officer, Customer Service Advisor, Customer Service Agent, Helpline, Helpline Advisor, Helpline Handler, Call Handler.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client, Not For Profit People. #INDNFP