Debt Advisor/Caseworker

Supporting Leicester South Foodbank

Job Description

Responsible for:

Advising food bank clients and conducting assessments with people who are experiencing financial crisis or hardship and struggling to pay off debt. Required to provide advice through various service delivery points, including outreach locations.

Responsible to: Team leader, and Service Delivery Manager

Base Location: The LSFB Community Hub, Wigston, Leicestershire

Hours: 20 Hours per week

Term: Fixed Term until October 2026. This may be extended dependant on further funding opportunities

Salary:£13.50ph
Holidays: 25 days p.a. plus 8 days Bank Holidays pro-rated if the role is part time

Main Responsibilities

●      Uphold the aims and principles of the Helping Hands Community Trust and the Leicester South Foodbank.

●      Work within the service’s ethos and values, especially regarding equality and discrimination.

●      Work within health and safety guidelines, sharing responsibility for own health and safety and that of colleagues.

●      Keep up to date with legislation, policies and procedures and undertake appropriate training.

●      Meet with clients face-to-face

●      Provide confidential, specialist, debt and budget advice to clients at our main hub and in consultation with the line manager’s, outreach surgeries and venues across Leicester and Leicestershire

●      Research, validate, and analyse information provided by a client in order to support and advise them on how to prioritise their debts and ways to repay it affordably and provide advice on dealing with the impacts

●      Develop and agree realistic client budgets that fully reflect the client’s situation.

●      Present a range of solutions, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages according to the client’s personal situation and make recommendations based on this information

●      Compile financial statements

●      Advocating on behalf of clients when negotiating with creditors, and other 3rd party organisations

●      Ensure that all advice and solutions are presented in accordance with the charity’s policies and procedures and in line with AQS (Advice Quality Service) and thereby compliant with FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) and Debt Management directives)

●      Assessing client needs through confidential interviews and hold a personal caseload

●      Assist people to complete forms, writing letters or making phone calls on behalf of claimants

●      Provide advocacy and assist clients with appeals and preparation for tribunals where the client has grounds to challenge decisions

●      Working with our partners, other agencies and organisations on behalf of clients

●      Assist clients in gaining access to other specialist, legal and professional services as appropriate.

●      Liaising with other organisations when referring clients on

●      Keeping confidential records, updates and training on our CMS (AdvicePro)

●      Adhere to our Safeguarding, confidentiality and GDPR Policies and procedures

Casework

• Using the CMS AdvicePRO database to maintain electronic case records, for the purpose of continuing casework and information retrieval. These records must be inputted onto the database immediately following the appointment to ensure the records are up to date and accurate
• Act where necessary by calculating, drafting or writing letters and producing written submissions for clients as appropriate
• Negotiate with third parties
• Ensure income maximisation through the take up of appropriate benefits
• Prepare paper submissions to the appropriate statutory bodies, tribunals and courts as appropriate.
• Assist with related problems where they are an integral part of the case and refer to other advisers or specialists as appropriate.
• Make outreach visits, where necessary and subject to resources and risk assessments.
• Provide advice and assistance to staff and volunteers across the whole range of Welfare Benefits and debt issues.
• Ensure that all casework conforms to the AQS quality standard.

Administration

• Make recommendations for improvements to services.
• Effectively utilise AdvicePRO for statistical recording, case recording & document production.
• Provide 1 Case study/Good news story Monthly to the line manager
• Keep up to date with policies and procedures

Personal Specification

Essential:

• To hold a current DBS certificate, or willing to undergo a DBS check
• English and Maths Grade C/Level 4 or above
• Full UK Driving License with Business Insurance
• Traveling across sites in Leicestershire to see clients in appointment
• IT Confident
• Proficient in Information, Advice and Guidance to clients
• Understanding of the Debt system, and keeping up to date with the change alerts
• Knowledge and experience of giving competent accurate Debt advice to FCA and AQS Quality Mark standards
• Providing debt advice via face to face or telephone 
• Negotiating with creditors, bailiffs, third parties by letter/ telephone
• Working with vulnerable clients
•  Providing representation and advocacy on behalf of clients
• Generalist advice work
• Active Listening skills
•  Excellent organisational skills and managing of own diary
• Working as a member of a team
• Undertaking casework and achieving set outcome
•  Working within a funded partnership
•  Have full working knowledge of Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, One-drive)
• General knowledge of the welfare benefit system to assist with income maximisation
• Budgeting knowledge

Desirable:

• Completed training in money advice from MaPS accredited training provider
• DRO accredited intermediary, would be desirable
• Working knowledge of the CMS system AdvicePro database
• On The DBS Update system
• Ability to deliver services using video links via Microsoft Teams, and Zoom
• Ability to deliver services via social media and our interactive website