Money Advice Caseworker (1 Full-time and 1Maternity Cover – Fixed Term)

South West London Law Centres

5th Floor

Davis House

Croydon

CR0 1QQ

T 020 8767 2777

F 020 8043 0665

E info@swllc.org

DX 144264 Croydon 24

www.swllc.org

SOUTH WEST LONDON LAW CENTRES

Legal Action for Local Communities

JOB ADVERT – Money Advice Caseworker

South West London Law Centres (SWLLC), one of the largest and most progressive Law Centres in

the country, is seeking add a money advice casework post.

There is considerable demand for the work of the law centre. We get over 60,000 calls for assistance

each year and have thousands of people are helped through services delivered by SWLLC. We help

people at some of their most difficult times of their lives to resolve their legal problems. As part of

a small team of case workers and volunteers you will to resolve client’s money advice issues through

a mixture of casework and guided advice as part of the London- wide Debt Free Advice project

funded by the Money and Pensions Service

POST: Money Advice Caseworker

Salary : £34.5k – 36.5k per annum

Reports to: Economic Justice Manager and Senior Money Adviser

Line Manages: Volunteers assigned to the project

Functional Links: Board of Trustees, CEO, Deputy CEO, Head of Legal Practice, Finance Manager,

Team Leaders, Branch Administrators

Term: Permanent (subject to grant funding with the funder - Debt Free Advice)

Based at: Croydon with travel to our SW London offices and outreach locations as required

Hybrid: If required our staff can work 2 days per week at office/outreach locations and 3 days

homeworking

The post is available for immediate start. If you would like to discuss the post further, please email

recruitment@swllc.org.

To apply, send your CV and cover letter to recruitment@swllc.org.

South West London Law Centres is a charity registered in England and Wales no. 1102433 and a

company limited by guarantee no. 05018587. VAT no. 656907303. OISC registration reference

F201300787. Registered office: 5th Floor, Davis House, Robert Street, Croydon CR0 1QQ. The

solicitors of South West London Law Centres are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

SOUTH WEST LONDON LAW CENTRES

Legal Action for Local Communities

JOB DESCRIPTION

Key Tasks

1 To provide a targeted debt and money advice service to clients in accordance with

the Debt Free Advice Debt Advice Partnership under funding from a Money and

Pensions Service programme. The provision of the service will be face to face and

also via video, telephone, email, WhatsApp and web access.

2 To be part of a team including volunteers to provide advice to around 1804 people

per year.

3 If you are recruited without holding the MIMA qualification and without being a

Debt Relief Order Intermediary then these would be expected to be applied for as

part of the role.

Duties & Responsibilities

4 To meet the performance targets set by Debt Free Advice and the Economic

Justice Manager and Senior Money Adviser.

5 To ensure that all advice, assistance and representation complies with the

requirements of our Lexcel quality mark

6 To ensure all work is recorded within the Debt Free Advice framework. Ongoing

casework will be recorded through the Advice Pro case management system. The

post holder will be expected to meet Debt Free Advice performance targets.

7 To carry out file reviews in accordance with Lexcel requirements.

8 Produce files for Debt Free Advice to review and score an average quality score of

90% or higher under the Debt Free Advice File review scheme

9 To participate in team and staff meetings.

10 To be responsible for your own word processing, filing and case recording within

the Debt Free Advice framework and the Advice Pro case management system.

11 To advise and provide training and talks to Law Centre staff and volunteers and to

front line advice agency staff within the Law Centre’s catchment area as necessary

12 To attend coordinating bodies as required.

13 To share the work of maintaining everyday necessities.

14 To provide cover for colleagues during absences.

Advice & Casework

15 Provide casework face to face, via telephone, video, Flex, email and outreach

16 Provide the full range of advice activities including full advice on debt options

available to our client group.

17 Deal with contentious and complex debt advice problems, including mortgage and

rent arrears re-possession cases, bankruptcy proceedings, and Consumer Credit

Act disputes.

18 Prepare information for clients, where appropriate, who have cases at County

Court, Valuation Tribunals and Magistrates Court as well as assisting clients who

are self-representing with information.

19 Advise on and assist with income maximisation issues making appropriate

referrals for things which cannot be dealt in-house.

20 Identify debt emergencies, deadlines and other social welfare advice needs to

enable signposting or making referrals to other agencies where they cannot be

dealt with in-house.

21 Keep up to date, accurate and detailed case records.

22 Complete statistical information records fully compliant with organisational: Debt

Free Advice and Money and Pensions Service requirements.

23 To assist other teams in the Law Centre in helping clients resolve any debt and

money advice matters

Project Record Keeping and Reporting

24 Maintain relevant client databases and produce monthly returns to Debt Free

Advice – in accordance with Debt Free Advice and Money and Pensions Service

requirements

25 Search for and collect missing data to enable monthly return to Debt Free Advice

and Money and Pensions Service

26 Work with the Senior Money Adviser to provide monthly case studies and follow

up clients to develop profiling reports and data

27 Assist with the development and maintenance of a database of standard

documents - wording to aid in the efficiency of delivery of money and debt advice

Training and professional development

28 Attend relevant training courses and appropriate internal and external meetings,

to enhance skills as a money advice caseworker. Undertake and pass core training

programme to become a debt specialist through the MIMA qualification and a

Debt Relief Order intermediary if not already qualified

29 Consult relevant colleagues to ensure that working practice is consistently of a

high quality.

30 Keep up to date with all relevant current legislation and policy and share

knowledge with colleagues

31 Provide feedback to trainers and own manager or supervisor on the effectiveness

of informal and formal learning activities

32 Take part in regular supervision meetings with Senior Money Adviser and other

caseworkers and obtain informal support as necessary.

33 Take on and competently progress a money advice caseload reflective of the post

holder’s money advice casework experience

34 To be appraised regularly and to engage fully in this process to further personal

development and maximise your contribution to SWLLC.

Supervision and Support

35 Supervise your own volunteers and file/peer review of colleagues.

36 Oversee and monitor volunteer advice sessions to provide money and debt

advice.

37 Assist with the Operations Manager in maintaining a cadre of volunteers to assist

with all aspects of money and debt advice and including the administration of this

project.

Service Development

38 Take part in service planning activities to help ensure relevant elements of the

Capitalise project meet project targets.

39 Take part in activities to raise the profile of the organisation’s Debt Free Advice

services.

Social Policy

40 To be alert at all times to the social policy implications of issues presented by

clients.

41 To take appropriate action to influence social policy in regard to these issues

Equal Opportunities

42 To have regard at all times in the planning and execution of duties to SWLLC’s

Equality and Diversity Policy.

Other Duties

43 Play a full role in the organisation supporting colleagues to maximise their

effectiveness.

44 In addition to the tasks and duties listed in this job description to undertake such

duties as may be identified and which are generally compatible with the functions

of the post.

Working Hours

45 This post requires some vary rare evening and weekend work across South West

London.

Location

46 South West London Law Centres is made up of 4 branches based in Wandsworth,

Croydon, Kingston, and Merton. You will be required to work out of outreach

locations in these locations and at any of our 4 offices. You may also be expected

to undertake one-off outreach sessions at other locations in our catchment area.

Essential Experience & Skills

1. We require at least twelve months of experience providing debt advice either as a

trainee or as a qualified caseworker under a Money and Pensions Service contract.

We require at least twelve months of experience as a qualified caseworker

providing debt advice if working under any other contract or employer.

1. If you have not worked under a Money and Pension Service contract then to hold

to the MIMA qualification.

1. Good GCSE passes in English and Maths grade B or above or equivalent

qualification.

1. Good customer services skills both face to face and over the telephone and other

media. Ability to respond sensitively to clients from a variety of backgrounds that

are under pressure and negotiate with third parties in order to minimise conflict.

1. Ability to meet stringent Debt Free Advice – Money and Pension Service funding

specification and target client numbers. Each full-time caseworker with volunteer

support is expected to provide full advice and debt options to 230 new clients per

year.

1. Ability to write detailed up to date case notes, letters and reports as required in

plain English. Accurate typing speeds of at least 40 words per minute.

1. Ability to deal with client’s advice needs face to face, over the telephone, via video,

email, Skype, WhatsApp or outreach

1. Ability to manage a challenging caseload and prioritise work in the face of

competing demands on your time.

1. Ability to research, understand and explain complex information both orally and in

writing.

1. Practical knowledge of IT sufficient to use Microsoft Office applications including

Word, Outlook and Excel to administer your own workload. Proficient use of Excel

1. Commitment to taking part in social policy, research or evaluation activities as

required, for example by responding to surveys and identifying trends in your

caseload

1. Commitment to undergo training and participate in other forms of professional

development .

1. Willingness to travel to outreach sessions as required within the boroughs of the

employing organisation and in neighbouring boroughs as required for daytime and

evening advice sessions.

1. Willingness to undertake evening and weekend work if required with prior notice.
2. Commitment to equal opportunities as set out in the principles and policies of

South West London Law Centres