Annual Salary
£23,000 to £42,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Welfare rights advisers give free advice to the public to help them get the financial support they are entitled to.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: 9am to 5pm; Mon to Fri
There will be
4% more Welfare rights adviser jobs in 2027.
As a welfare rights adviser, you could:
Your exact duties will depend on your role and level of responsibility within your organisation.
You could work in the community, at a client's home, in a court, in an NHS or private hospital or at an outreach centre.
Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.
You can get into this job through:
You may be able to apply to do a Debt Adviser Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, or a Revenues and Welfare Benefits Practitioner Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.
These apprenticeships are sometimes offered by organisations like housing associations and local councils.
You could start as an admin assistant with an advice organisation and gain experience before taking further training in welfare rights.
Some organisations offer trainee adviser roles. You might start out giving general advice and referring clients to relevant services, or help them to fill in forms.
Numeracy and literacy skills are very important. Employers also value good communication skills and the ability to understand complex written information.
Work in similar fields like community support or with a local authority can be helpful.
A common way to start is by volunteering in an advice centre.
As a volunteer, you would receive training in interviewing skills and advice topics, including welfare rights. It can take between 6 and 12 months to get enough experience to apply for jobs.
You can search for volunteering opportunities through:
You can apply to an advice agency for a range of different jobs, or for a trainee position.
Experience of supporting people with welfare rights issues can be helpful, for example:
Personal experience of dealing with the benefits system can also be useful.
A background in working with the public may also give you an advantage.
This might include:
Once working, your employer will give you training in welfare rights advice.
You'll need to:
Gaining experience by volunteering or working in a related role where you support people on low incomes can give you an advantage when applying for jobs.
The ability to speak a community language or British Sign Language can be helpful for some work.
You could join the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers for networking opportunities, access to resources and to share information on best practice.
You can find out more about working in welfare rights from:AdviceUK; Citizens Advice; rightsnet
With experience and training, you could become a team leader or advice centre manager.
You may wish to specialise, for instance, working with:older people; people with disabilities; specific benefits, like Universal Credit
You might also move into policy research or business development.
You'll need: