Senior Welfare Benefits Officer

Senior Welfare Benefits Officer

18 Hours and 30 mins week (Working days – Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)

Derbyshire County Council Welfare Rights Service is committed to maximising the benefits of Derbyshire residents. In the financial year 2023/24 the Welfare Rights Service supported over 25,000 Derbyshire residents with benefit enquiries, providing information, advice, casework, and appeal representation.

The Welfare Rights Service have worked with Macmillan Cancer Support to provide benefit advice to clients diagnosed with cancer or have a terminally illness and their families. As postholder you will provide advice to clients and their families and maintain a caseload. This can range from making new claims to challenging decisions and providing representation at first-tier tribunals and Upper Tribunal. You will lead at an assigned venue and work closely with health professionals to delivery on the project and support your clients. This will include briefings and training to partners and health professionals.

All colleagues across the Welfare Rights Service, regardless of team allocation, will support the work of the wider service providing benefits advice across a range of different workstreams, including supporting our Advice Line and representing at appeals. The posts will require travel across the county.

As a Senior Welfare Benefits Officer, you will use your experience to mentor other colleagues across the Service.

The successful candidate will have a strong range of benefits advice knowledge and practice including a specialised area, particularly working with special rules and have good interpersonal skills to network with health professionals across the county.

Employees have access to a range of benefits and discounts including:

• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme
• 27 days annual leave per year (rising to 32 days after 5 years continuous service) plus 8 bank holidays (pro rata for part time).
• Training and development opportunities
• Paid travel expenses if required to travel to other sites
• Smarter travel scheme including access to the cycle to work scheme
• Supportive management and team
• Access to our in-house occupational services which also includes free eye tests, physiotherapy and counselling
• Derbyshire rewards – offering hundreds of discounts and cashback

More details on the benefits of working for the council can be found on our reward and recognition page here

Provisional Interview Date: Friday 14 February 2025

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