North Highland Housing & Homelessness Project: Debt Advisor (Full Time, Fixed Term), Ross and Cromarty Citizens Advice Bureau

Post Funded by:         Scottish Legal Aid Board

Main Purpose:          

To provide Advice Specialist Level Debt Advice, assistance and negotiation to clients under the remit of the North Highland Housing & Homelessness Project

Responsibilities

• Advise and assist clients with both secured and unsecured debt up to III of the Scottish National Standards.
• To carry out benefit checks and income maximisation work with clients.
• Assist clients with all aspects of housing related debt across all tenure
• Negotiate with creditors on behalf of clients prior to court action being taken.
• To provide advice, assistance, negotiation and representation to clients under the project remit including in Wick, Tain & Inverness Sheriff Courts where required.
• Assist clients with other related problems where they are an integral part of their case and refer to other advisers or specialist agencies as appropriate.
• Keep comprehensive records of casework which meet audit requirements, including use of CASTLE case recording system.
• Maintain case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.
• Provide advice and assistance to other staff across the range of debt issues.
• Refer clients on to colleagues or other agencies as appropriate for specialist help with issues that fall outside the remit of the service.
• Extract and compile information for social policy and other reporting purposes.
• Assist in developing and gathering evaluation feedback from service users and partners.
• To undertake other duties as may reasonably be requested by your team leader or bureau manager