Role description
Initially funded until March 2028
Purpose of Post
To provide a targeted, holistic advice and support service to clients experiencing financial hardship, delivering early intervention to prevent escalation of crisis.
The post holder will:
- Increase household income and financial stability through income maximisation and access to entitlements
- Prevent escalation of financial crisis through timely, proactive advice and supported casework
- Strengthen long-term financial resilience through financial capability support and sustained engagement
The role will prioritise vulnerable clients requiring supported advice and will contribute to coordinated local support systems through partnership working.
Location: Office base to be at Evesham with a requirement to travel to other areas within the Wychavon District. Outreach working will be required for which travel expenses will be reimbursed.
Duties and Responsibilities
Advice:
- Ensure income maximisation through the take up of appropriate benefits and tax credits to include assistance with making applications where appropriate.
- Support clients to claim all benefits and entitlements and maximise household income.
- Assist with applications, mandatory reconsiderations, and liaison with third parties.
- Assess income and expenditure using recognised tools to support financial planning and debt options.
- To provide advice and assistance where cases can be resolved by advice and negotiation with third parties (by phone or letter/email).
Crisis prevention:
- Identify early indicators of financial crisis, such as increasing debt, reduced income, insecure housing, food and fuel poverty.
- Intervene at the earliest opportunity to prevent deterioration of financial circumstances.
- Prioritise vulnerable clients requiring supported advice and ongoing casework.
- Ensure timely referrals to specialist advisers where issues are complex or escalating.
Building Resilience:
- Where appropriate, work with clients to build longer term resilience to potential financial shocks or changes to income.
- Support clients to develop sustainable money management behaviours.
- Facilitate access to wider support including local welfare provision, grants and charitable support, food networks and support with essential goods.
Partnership Working:
- Identify when it is appropriate to make referrals to other Citizens Advice services like caseworkers or housing support as well as external organisations for ongoing and relevant support: These should include – other VCSE organisations, Act On Energy, Local Authority/Housing support, foodbanks etc.
- Deliver outreach in community settings to improve access for vulnerable clients.
- Work with Money Management colleagues across Worcestershire to ensure consistency across the County and equality of opportunity to access services for residents.
- Represent the service and promote access through partner networks.
Case Administration:
- Maintain case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, and statistical monitoring and report preparation.
- Record financial and non financial outcomes and appropriate funder codes in line with CRF requirements. Eg income gains, crisis prevented, long term outcomes achieved
- Ensure all work conforms to the organisation’s systems and procedures
- Attend team meetings as required
- Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and reporting for funders and partners
Professional Development and Compliance:
- Uphold Citizens Advice values, including equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and policy.
- Undertake relevant training and personal development in order to maintain and develop skills and increase knowledge.
- Prepare for and attend regular supervision meetings and annual appraisals
- Support Citizens Advice South Worcestershire’s Research & Campaigns work by recording data and feedback on issues of concerns or emerging trends.
- Adhere to safeguarding, data protection, confidentiality, and quality standards.
Person Specification:
We are ideally looking for someone with the following skills:
- Experience of delivering generalist advice i.e welfare benefits, debt and housing
- Knowledge of income maximisation and the welfare benefits system
- Awareness of local services and referral pathways supporting crisis prevention and building resilience
- Effective negotiation and advocacy skills
- Empathy and sensitivity towards vulnerable people
- Strong communication skills, including explaining complex information in ways appropriate for each individual client
- Competent IT skills for case recording and reporting purposes
- Client centred approach, non judgemental and able to empower others to improve their own situations with support
- Experience of community based outreach roles and strong partnership working skills
- Commitment to Citizens Advice values, diversity, inclusion, confidentiality and data protection
- Ability to travel around the District area as required
July 2026