Welfare Advice Worker (Maternity Cover)

Welfare Advice Worker (Maternity Cover)

Location: West Belfast (BT11)
Salary: £34,434 per year (NJC SO1, PT 23)
Job type: Temporary, full-time (maternity cover)
Hours: 39 hours per week (some unsociable hours, with time off in lieu)
Start: by early November 2026, with a two-week handover

Total Care Recruitment is recruiting a Welfare Advice Worker on behalf of a respected Belfast-based charity that supports victims and survivors of conflict. The charity is committed to human rights and delivers a specialist advice service to its members.

Key responsibilities

• Give information, advice and casework on welfare benefits, appeals and housing.
• Assess client needs and benefit entitlement, carry out income maximisation calculations and support claims.
• Manage a caseload and follow cases through to completion.
• Prepare welfare benefit appeals and represent clients at social security appeal tribunals.
• Negotiate and liaise with agencies on clients’ behalf.
• Carry out home visits where appropriate.
• Keep accurate, confidential records on the CRM system and report on outcomes and financial gains.
• Build partnerships to improve advice services.
• Work sensitively with victims and survivors, following safeguarding procedures.

Essential criteria

• At least three years’ paid experience of working with victims and survivors of conflict.
• Experience of providing welfare benefits advice.
• Strong working knowledge of welfare benefits, income maximisation and social security legislation.
• Understanding of how rights, welfare and housing issues affect victims, survivors and vulnerable groups.
• Experience of partnership working, report writing and monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Welfare rights adviser training and tribunal representation training (Law Centre NI or equivalent).
• Housing Rights Housing Advice Training Programme (or equivalent housing advice training).
• Clear, sensitive communication and strong negotiation skills.
• Ability to manage a varied caseload independently and as part of a team.
• Competent with Microsoft Word, Excel and case recording systems.
• Commitment to human rights.
• Full driving licence and access to own transport, or ability to meet the demands of the post.

Leave: 21 days annual leave (pro rata) plus office closure days.

To apply, send your CV to Kathryn O’Neill at kathryn@tcrsol.com or call 07961 153034 for a confidential chat.