Welfare Benefit Adviser

Hertfordshire; Farnham; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council is seeking a Welfare Benefits Adviser to maximise income and financial wellbeing for vulnerable adults, acting as Appointee or Deputy when needed. The role involves assessing entitlement, preparing claims, and supporting complex cases.

You will work within the Money Advice Unit, collaborating with social care colleagues and external partners to achieve positive outcomes and ensure compliance with legislation.

Qualifications

• Experience and knowledge of welfare benefits, including assessing entitlement and helping people achieve outcomes.
• Strong advocacy and communication skills, including representation at appeals and tribunals.
• Experience supporting vulnerable adults within social care, welfare rights, client finance, advice services or similar.
• Understanding of financial inclusion and ability to manage sensitive financial information.
• Strong organisational skills with ability to manage a varied caseload and meet deadlines.
• Good numerical, administrative and IT skills, including MS Office and case management systems.
• Knowledge of Appointeeship and Deputyship responsibilities and related legislation (e.g., Mental Capacity Act 2005, Care Act 2014).
• Flexibility to undertake visits and tribunals as required.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist welfare benefits advice and support for vulnerable adults to maximise entitlements.
• Assess, prepare and manage benefit claims, reviews and appeals on behalf of clients.
• Support Client Finance colleagues with complex cases and provide guidance on benefits.

Skills

Welfare benefits knowledge

Advocacy and communication

Experience with vulnerable adults

IT and numerical ability

Interpersonal skills

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Case management systems

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Farnham House

Job Title: Welfare Benefits Adviser
Starting Salary: £39,481 progressing to £43,149
Hours: 37 hours per week
Location: Farnham House, Stevenage and Hybrid
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Adult Care Services

About the Team

The Client Finance Team supports vulnerable adults who are unable to manage their own financial affairs who have been assessed as lacking mental capacity. Acting as Appointees and Deputies, we help safeguard clients' income, assets and financial wellbeing, ensuring all decisions are made in their best interests.

As part of the Money Advice Unit, we work collaboratively with Adult Social Care colleagues, healthcare professionals, legal services and external organisations to provide specialist financial support and guidance across Hertfordshire.

This is an exciting time to join our growing team. You'll have the opportunity to develop within a service while making a meaningful difference to people's lives. We are a supportive and collaborative team, looking for empathetic individuals who want to help vulnerable adults remain independent and thrive within their communities.

This role is one of a range of new roles being advertised within our Money Advice and Client Finance service at this exciting time of growth. Check out our website for other opportunities.

About the role

To maximise the income and financial wellbeing of vulnerable clients by identifying, applying for, and maintaining entitlement to welfare benefits and undertaking financial inclusion work i.e. reviewing personal budget plans. The role supports individuals where the organisation acts as an Appointee or Deputy, ensuring all benefits and other finances are correctly managed in line with legal and financial responsibilities.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide specialist welfare benefits advice and support for vulnerable adults, helping to ensure they receive their full financial entitlements.
• Assess, prepare and manage benefit claims, reviews, appeals and related casework on behalf of clients.
• Support Client Finance colleagues with complex cases, providing guidance on benefits and financial matters where required.
• Monitor clients' financial circumstances to maximise income and minimise the risk of benefits being affected unnecessarily.
• Work collaboratively with social workers, healthcare professionals, the DWP and other partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes for clients.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure all work is completed in line with relevant legislation, policies and procedures.
• Act as a key point of contact for benefit-related enquiries and contribute to training and knowledge sharing across the team and council.
• Undertake home visits, outreach work and tribunal attendance as required.

About you:

We're looking for a knowledgeable and motivated individual who is passionate about helping vulnerable adults access their financial entitlements and achieve positive outcomes. You will have strong welfare benefits knowledge, excellent organisational skills and the confidence to advocate on behalf of clients when needed.

• Experience and knowledge of welfare benefits, including assessing entitlement, supporting benefit claims and helping people achieve the best possible outcomes.
• Strong advocacy and communication skills, with experience of, or the ability to, represent individuals with external organisations, including at appeals and tribunals.
• Experience supporting vulnerable adults within social care, welfare rights, client finance, advice services or a similar setting.
• An understanding of financial inclusion and the ability to manage sensitive financial information accurately and in a person's best interests.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage a varied caseload, prioritise competing demands and meet deadlines.
• Good numerical, administrative and IT skills, including experience of using Microsoft Office applications, Excel and case management systems.
• The ability to build positive working relationships with clients, colleagues and partner organisations, and work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Knowledge of, or the ability to develop knowledge of, Appointeeship and Deputyship responsibilities, relevant legislation including the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Care Act 2014, and work with organisations such as the DWP, Office of the Public Guardian and Court of Protection.
• Flexibility to undertake visits and attend tribunals when required.

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 10. Please locate the job profile here:

Additional information

We are changing
Hertfordshire County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.

LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visithttps://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

Disability Confident

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding

This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

English Fluency

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.