Welfare Benefits Advisor

Job Title: Welfare Benefits Advisor 
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract – 12 months
Salary: £37,768.38
Working Hours: 35 per week
Working Pattern: Monday - Friday
Location: Arlington House, London - Hybrid
For your application to be considered please ensure you attach a current CV.
Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.
Why Riverside?
At Riverside, we’re a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives. 
We have a portfolio of over 90,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.
Working with us, you’ll enjoy:
Competitive pay & pension 
28 days holidays plus bank holidays
Flexible working options available
Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
A wide range of benefits 
The difference you will make as Welfare Benefits Advisor
Provide and develop a Welfare Rights Service to maximise benefits entitlement of residents and prospective residents of the Group.  Support residents to budget, reduce their rent arrears and access specialised support services as required.
About you
We are looking for someone who believes in working together as part of a team, who shares our values and who is positive and friendly. The successful candidate will have at least two years’ experience in the field of Welfare Rights/Money Advice OR a minimum of 2 years’ experience in housing/welfare.  A customer focused background with excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, showing the ability to meet the needs of a varied customer base.
Role profile

• Proactively manage customer contact to complete welfare benefit assessments via inbound and outbound calls, text messages, other digital channels or a face to face service, for identified tenants, including progressing applications, revisions and appeals on behalf of the tenant to maximise benefit entitlement. 
• Identify and refer appropriate cases onto other specialist providers e.g. debt counsellors as well as internal support services. 
• Deliver Welfare Benefits advice in a proactive and targeted manner, taking account of good practice in the field. 
• Assess, analyse and solve complex issues in the delivery of Welfare Rights. Prepare and present cases to the appropriate statutory bodies, tribunals and courts where appropriate 
• To work closely with Income Collection Team to minimise arrears particularly due to affordability and budgeting issues which can include none take up of benefits, overpayments and sanctions and focusing on priority debts. 
• Stay abreast of legislative changes in Welfare law and incorporate into the running of the service. 
• Develop welfare benefit take-up campaigns to target areas of need 
• Develop links with other service providers, voluntary and statutory, and maintain good working relationships, maximise income, cover costs and extend provision actively promoting Riverside 
• Use a case management system to maintain full and accurate case management records and provide monitoring information as required 
• Participate in team meetings and contribute to developing services to meet tenants needs 
• Undertake personal development and training to keep abreast with developments in the fields of housing and welfare to deliver best practice. 
• Respond flexibly to any necessary changes in work priorities and undertake other duties when required to support the effective operation of the service. 
• Ensure that all Data Protection requirements are met in accordance with the Group’s policy, procedures and statutory requirements. 

Person specification
Essential

• At least two years’ experience in the field of Welfare Rights / Money Advice OR a minimum of 2 years’ experience in housing / welfare
• Customer focused with excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, showing the ability to meet the needs of a varied customer base. 
• Proven track record of problem solving. 
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to work under pressure, deliver to strict deadlines and manage conflicting priorities 
• Ability to remain calm in a pressurised environment 
• Excellent team player who can work flexibly to meet business requirements

Desirable

• NVQ Advice Level 3 or equivalent 
• Experience of working in a housing environment