Welfare Rights Assistant

Hull City Council; Hull and East Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Hull City Council, through the Hull Money Team, is recruiting a Welfare Rights Assistant for a full-time fixed-term role until 31 March 2029. The post involves helping residents access welfare benefits and advising on entitlements, with a focus on preventing financial hardship.

You will work as part of a supportive team, interviewing clients, guiding them through complex forms, and collaborating with partner organisations to deliver high-quality, accessible welfare advice.

Responsibilities

• Interview service users to understand personal and financial circumstances.
• Explain grounds for entitlements and assist with claims processes.
• Prepare complex legal submissions for appeals where needed.
• Assist with benefit take-up and publicity campaigns.
• Establish outreach in partnership with other agencies to improve access to services.
• Produce information materials on welfare provision for staff and service users.

Job description

Number of Vacancies: 1 Time Type: Full time Worker Type: Fixed Term (Fixed Term) Proposed Interview Date: Monday, November 30, 2026 Hours of Work: 37 Hiring Manager: Michelle Hazelwood Contact Number: 01482 613693

Job Description Summary: This is a Full Time, Fixed Term position until 31st March 2029 due to specific funding. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Darren Christison on 01482 612 122 or [e-mail]

Help people access the support they need The Hull Money Team is focused on helping residents improve their financial resilience, maximise their income and access support before problems reach crisis point. We are looking for a customer-focused Welfare Rights Assistant to join the team and support the delivery of high-quality welfare benefits advice and assistance. This is an opportunity to make a real difference by helping people understand their options, access available support and improve their financial wellbeing. Working as part of a supportive team, you will help residents navigate the benefits system, ensuring they can access the information, advice and support they need at the right time. You will also work closely with colleagues and partner organisations to help provide a joined-up approach to supporting people experiencing financial difficulties.

Why Join the Hull Money Team?

The Hull Money Team is committed to helping residents increase income, reduce financial hardship and access support as early as possible. Through a focus on prevention, early intervention and partnership working, the team aims to help people improve their financial wellbeing and build greater resilience for the future.

ROLE AND PURPOSE

To contribute to the provision of a comprehensive welfare rights service and to support and promote access to specialist, independent benefit advice amongst a broad range of client groups.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. To interview service users and gain a comprehensive understanding of their personal and financial circumstances in order to be able to identify relevant benefit and service entitlement.
2. To explain the grounds for potential entitlements to service users and the associated claims processes and to provide assistance throughout the process to enable service users to access those entitlements. This will include assistance with the completion of lengthy and complex forms.
3. To provide advice and information to service users on the social security appeals procedure and to provide a legal representation service to service users who need to use the appeal route to establish their correct legal entitlement. This will include the preparation of complex legal submissions before appeal tribunals.
4. To assist in benefit take‑up and publicity campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of entitlements and promoting applications amongst groups of service users. This task may involve carrying out duties in a range of locations and the postholder will need to make decisions on how to represent the service in different environments.
5. To establish outreach facilities in partnership with other agencies in order to facilitate access to the service by service users who find it difficult to access mainstream services.
6. To produce information / publicity materials that inform service users and staff groups on social security provision and on available services/projects to ensure that services can be accessed effectively.
7. To work closely with Welfare Rights Officers and staff in partner agencies to ensure that resources are targeted efficiently and that there is a seamless transfer of cases to more specialist provision where this is necessary.
8. To compile detailed and up to date client files and records of advice to comply with service requirements.
9. To consult with service users on their needs and experiences. This will enable senior officers to influence national policies and assist in the development of service provision.
10. To promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and/or vulnerable adults.
11. To contribute to the provision of the welfare rights consultancy and training service in order to support other services in giving good quality advice on benefits. This will include responding to consultancy queries and providing training to staff and public groups.
12. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated legislation places responsibilities for health and safety on Hull City Council, as your employer and you as an employee of the council. In addition to the Councils overall duties, the post holder has personal responsibility for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of other employees; additional and more specific responsibilities are identified in the Council’s Corporate H&S policy. NC2836.Welfare Rights Assistant.docx

Compensation Grades: GRADES 6.

Pay Ranges: £30,515.00 - £33,119.00

Job Classifications: 10- Enhanced (Adult Workforce) with BPSS - (Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)), 3- Not Politically Restricted - Designated As Not Politically Sensitive (Politically Restricted Posts), 6- Enhanced (Adult Workforce) - (Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)), Casual - (Travel Allowance Policy), No - (Childcare Disqualification Requirement), No - (Statutory Post)

Online searches, including social media, may be carried out as part of the recruitment process.

We are committed to “our values” at the Council of People First, Respect, Learning, Ambition and Partnership.

https://www.hull.gov.uk/jobs/welcome-hull-city-council/introduction-working-hull-city-council

Benefits of Working of Hull City Council:

• A competitive salary
• An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year, and three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New year period
• Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods
• Supportive and forward-thinking culture
• Great career development opportunities