Welfare Benefits Caseworker

BVSC EDI Group; Coventry; Híbrido; GBP 28.000 - 35.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Central England Law Centre in Coventry is seeking a Caseworker to provide high-quality welfare benefits advice, manage cases, and represent clients through First-tier social security appeals. You will work within CELC’s multidisciplinary team to help clients access entitlements, challenge decisions, and reduce financial hardship, with involvement in project-based initiatives.

You will contribute to policy and practice improvements while collaborating with partners and communities, ensuring

Formación

• Strong understanding of welfare benefits systems and related legislation.
• Experience providing welfare benefits advice and casework, with success in challenging decisions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and commitment to delivering high-quality and empathetic client service.
• Able to work collaboratively with teams and stakeholders to support clients effectively.
• Organised, proactive and capable of managing their own caseload efficiently.

Responsabilidades

• Provide in-depth welfare benefits advice and manage cases from start to finish through face-to-face appointments, phone calls, and home visits when needed.
• Prepare appeal papers, gather medical and financial evidence, and represent clients at First-tier Social Security Appeal Tribunals. Identify when a decision should be appealed to the Upper Tribunal.
• Help clients resolve benefit problems early through casework and dedicated projects—focusing on issues like the benefit cap, sanctions, bedroom tax, deductions, and right-to-reside rules.
• Maintain high standards of case management, recording and client care in accordance with CELC’s quality requirements, Lexcel and Legal Aid Agency requirements.
• To support colleagues within the welfare benefits team and the wider organisation.
• Provide training and support to frontline staff and stakeholders on key welfare benefits policy and its implementation.
• Prepare and present policy briefs, reports, and position papers to influence decision-making.
• Attend and actively participate in key forums and networks in support of the policy objectives.
• Build and maintain relationships with government agencies, voluntary sector partners and community groups.
• Review colleagues' files and carry out internal quality audits to make sure work meets Lexcel standards.
• Help less experienced advisers with technical questions, case planning, and difficult appeals.
• Draft applications for permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal, and spot cases that may need judicial review.
• Help assess new enquiries and decide how cases are shared out across the team.
• Help track project targets and report case outcomes to funders.

Conocimientos

Welfare benefits

Interpersonal skills

Team collaboration

Caseload management

Descripción del empleo

Central England Law Centre. Closing Date: Monday 23rd November.

Department / Team: Welfare Benefits

Work Location: Coventry Office

Salary: Caseworker £28,459 - £32,158, Senior Caseworker £33,067 - £34,655 (Depending on experience)

Hours: Full-time (37 hours/week) or Part-time (minimum 30 hours considered)

Contract: Permanent

About the Role

To provide high-quality specialist welfare benefits advice, casework and representation to people referred to the Law Centre through CELC’s projects and trusted community and voluntary sector partners. The role will help clients understand and secure their entitlements, challenge incorrect decisions and resolve problems as early as possible, reducing the risk that financial hardship leads to wider difficulties in their lives. Working as part of CELC’s wider multidisciplinary team, the postholder will contribute to projects designed to reach people who may otherwise struggle to access advice and ensure that welfare benefits issues are addressed alongside other legal and social welfare needs. Learning and evidence from casework will be used to support CELC’s work to improve policy, practice and systems, helping to prevent problems, strengthen access to rights and achieve lasting change for individuals and communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide in-depth welfare benefits advice and manage cases from start to finish through face-to-face appointments, phone calls, and home visits when needed.
• Prepare appeal papers, gather medical and financial evidence, and represent clients at First-tier Social Security Appeal Tribunals. Identify when a decision should be appealed to the Upper Tribunal.
• Help clients resolve benefit problems early through casework and dedicated projects-focusing on issues like the benefit cap, sanctions, bedroom tax, deductions, and right-to-reside rules.
• Maintain high standards of case management, recording and client care in accordance with CELC’s quality requirements, Lexcel and Legal Aid Agency requirements.

Depending on experience you may also be expected to undertake the following

• To support colleagues within the welfare benefits team and the wider organisation.
• Provide training and support to frontline staff and stakeholders on key welfare benefits policy and its implementation.
• Prepare and present policy briefs, reports, and position papers to influence decision-making.
• Attend and actively participate in key forums and networks in support of the policy objectives.
• Build and maintain relationships with government agencies, voluntary sector partners and community groups.
• Review colleagues' files and carry out internal quality audits to make sure work meets Lexcel standards.
• Help less experienced advisers with technical questions, case planning, and difficult appeals.
• Draft applications for permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal, and spot cases that may need judicial review.
• Help assess new enquiries and decide how cases are shared out across the team.
• Help track project targets and report case outcomes to funders.

What We Are Looking For

• Have a strong understanding of welfare benefits systems and related legislation.
• Possess experience in providing welfare benefits advice and casework, with proven success in challenging incorrect decisions.
• Can demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills and a commitment to delivering high-quality and empathetic client service.
• Are able to work collaboratively with teams and stakeholders to support clients effectively.
• Are organised, proactive, and capable of managing their own caseload efficiently.

We warmly welcome applications from diverse and lived-experience backgrounds.