Welfare Benefits Advisor

We’re a national law firm with a local reach. Our philosophy is ‘Expert Hand, Human Touch’ – something you’ll find in the way we work with our clients and how we support our teams. But, we’re more than just a law firm – we’re a team, working together to help individuals and businesses navigate life’s ups and downs.

Whichever team you join, working here you’ll feel a part of our friendly and inclusive environment. We’ll value you for who you are and what you bring. We support each other and push boundaries to achieve incredible things, and make a real difference to our clients and communities.

The work we do has been recognised in the awards we’ve won. We’re committed to being even better, and our awards help to show we’re on the right track.

We recognise that the office 9-5 isn’t for everyone. That’s why we’ve introduced ‘Flexible by Choice’. Whether it’s working from home, in our offices, or a combination of the both, we trust each other to support our clients, colleagues and communities at the right time, in the right way.

Your Role

To provide high quality Welfare Benefits Advice and related services to the business’s Clients, and ensure standards and value to the client is consistently met whilst minimising financial risk/exposure to the client and the firm. Provide and improve value to the client through maximisation of their entitlement to statutory funding and services.

This will include all stages of the Welfare Benefits process to include, but not limited to supporting clients with:

• applications
• assessment
• appeals
• Mandatory Re-considerations
• Tribunal Support (where appropriate)
• Consideration of social and/or healthcare provision

There will also be the need to promote IM and IM’s services together with supporting relevant Business Development opportunities that may arise. You will need to be a proactive and independent worker comfortable working in an environment where we are establishing new processes and ways of working. You will need to be able to think on your feet and use your initiative to raise ideas and suggestions.

What You'll Be Doing

• Ensuring a first class service is provided to clients, case handlers and other appropriate stakeholders through the provision of Welfare Benefits Advice across all service lines and geographically on a national basis
• Providing a fully accessible and holistic specialist welfare advice service.
• Ensuring clients are on the correct benefits according to current circumstances and eligibility.
• Assisting with benefits applications, reviews and conduct appeals if appropriate and requested to do so by client and case handler
• Maintaining knowledge of welfare policy, services and advocacy services. This includes identification, attendance and dissemination of appropriate internal and external training
• To support, where appropriate, the development insight of the IM Benefits Advice Service across the business to all appropriate service lines by way of undertaking internal training to case handlers
• Ensure all work carried out meets or exceeds SLAs/client commitments, and ensure quality advice is provided and compliance with the firm’s policies and procedures
• Continue to develop personal and professional development including attending training as required
• Maintaining working relationships across all departments to provide a first class harmonised and integrated client service
• Liaise with Team Leaders across the business and all other relevant personnel to ensure services required are supported and delivered consistently and that any issues are brought to their attention
• Travel being undertaken where appropriate to meet clients’ needs

What We're Looking For

• A minimum of two years’ experience of giving in-depth specialist advice of welfare benefits including supporting clients in making Welfare Benefits Applications, arranging and supporting clients at assessment, representation at welfare benefit appeals and mandatory reconsiderations
• Experience of providing a generalist Welfare Benefits Advice Service to ensure clients’ needs are met
• Working across all the full social demographic range
• Ability to make pragmatic recommendations and explaining the risks / impact to business management
• Ability to take a wider view in evaluating service standards and processes
• Ability to communicate to a wide range of employees and stakeholders
• Some Management Experience
• Research and analysis skills
• Good communication skills with a focus on collaborative working within a team
• Professional presentation and manner, with strong attention to detail
• Able to work on own and as part of team in a sometimes pressurised environment
• Good organisational skills & ability to prioritise
• Willingness to travel during the course of employment
• Experience in working with court of protection and knowledge of deputyships desirable but not essential
• Experience of working with clients without capacity (desirable but not essential)

What we can offer you

• 25 days annual leave, with the opportunity to buy additional leave
• Two fundraising days in a year to give back to the community (fully paid!)
• Westfield Health membership, offering discounted leisure and travel and refunds on medical services

We also offer a huge number of well-being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace as well as flexible working options to ensure that you are fully supported to work the way that best suits you. Our social responsibility programme is fundamental to who we are. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish. We have a range of groups to celebrate our people across sexuality, disability, age, gender and culture.

We welcome applications from all diversity groups and backgrounds. We’re committed to enabling everyone to thrive and understanding and celebrating our differences is a key part of that. We’re proud of our work on the Disability Confident scheme, on the Race At Work Charter and as Stonewall Diversity Champions. We also have a range of networks for LGBT+, disability, generations, gender, social mobility, ethnicity, faith and culture to celebrate our people and to enable everyone to thrive.

Additional Information

As part of the Irwin Mitchell Group’s on-boarding process all successful applicants are required to complete the group’s employment screening process. This process helps to ensure that all new employees meet our standards in relation to honesty and integrity therefore protecting the interests of the Group, existing employees, clients, partners and other stakeholders.

Depending on the role you apply for we may carry out checks that will establish your eligibility to work in the UK, and criminal record check and financial checks ­with a credit reference agency will also be undertaken.

The employment screening process will fully comply with Data Protection and other applicable laws.

Irwin Mitchell LLP is an equal opportunity employer.