Work for CPAG
Welfare rights worker – A Safe Place To Be Project
Three year fixed-term post
Grade: C
Salary: £32,396 - £35,806 pa
Closing date for applications: Midday, Friday 28th June 2019
Interviews: Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th July 2019
CPAG is looking for an expert welfare rights adviser and trainer to establish our exciting new Safe Place to Be project which is funded for three years by Comic Relief.
The project will reduce homelessness, rent arrears and housing insecurity by supporting front line workers to increase their knowledge of universal credit, and in particular support for housing costs, and develop their capacity deal with problems such as shortfalls in rent, administrative error and delay.
We are looking for an expert with comprehensive knowledge of benefits and tax credits who can plan and promote a new high profile service across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You will have considerable experience of delivering training events including workshops and seminars and be able to produce high quality written and on-line material about universal credit. You will be able to demonstrate the ability to research detailed aspects of UC law and administration and provide second tier advice to professionals from a variety of services.
Working as a member of CPAG’s respected Advice and Rights Team you will gather case studies reported by project users to our Early Warning System and identify and analyse developing trends in universal credit’s impact on housing and homelessness. You will identify cases which may support CPAG’s strategic litigation and contribute to report writing and policy work on housing and universal credit.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to greatly expand their experience of advice work and training and to develop a comprehensive expertise in UC and its impact on the housing sector.
Welfare rights worker – Early Warning System
Temporary post – Maternity cover – up to a year
Grade: C
Salary: £32,396-£35,806 pa
Closing date for applications: Midday, Friday 28th June 2019
Interviews: Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th July 2019
CPAG is looking for a welfare rights expert to maintain and develop our high profile Early Warning System (EWS) during a period of maternity leave.
The Early Warning System is CPAG’s flagship resource of case studies and information which illustrate the impacts of recent changes to the benefits system on claimants and highlight common areas of difficulty. CPAG uses information submitted by advisers to the EWS to better understand the impact of “welfare reform”, to develop and promote evidence-based innovations and improvements to the social security system and to influence policy and practice.
We are looking for an expert with comprehensive knowledge of benefits and tax credits who can promote participation in the EWS among the advice community, analyse EWS data to identify developing trends and areas of concern in the provision and administration of benefits and write and speak about their conclusions.
You will work as part of CPAG’s well respected and expert advice and rights team to promote the EWS and record submissions from the advice community and other professionals. You will have the opportunity to assist in the research and writing of CPAG reports and publications on recent social security changes, to present insights from the EWS externally and to contribute to the development of CPAG’s training, events and publications based on EWS reports.
This role is ideally suited to someone seeking to build on their experience as a welfare rights adviser and move into a role involving outreach, analysis and influencing policy. The successful candidate will gain valuable experience as part of a nationally recognised advice team, develop their understanding of the wider context of changes to the benefits system and contribute to CPAG’s research and campaigning to improve the social security system for the benefit of claimants.
Experience of gathering information on social security or a related area and drawing informed conclusions in writing would be an advantage. The successful candidate must have the ability to confidently present evidence and conclusions drawn from EWS data to a range of audiences including Government, policy makers, parliamentarians, funders and the advice community.
