South West London Law Centres Welfare Rights Paralegal

Job Title: Welfare Rights Paralegal
Reports to: Economic Justice Manager
(Economic Justice Co-ordinator)
Line Manages: Volunteers assigned to the project.
Functional Links: Board of Trustees, CEO, Senior Management Team,, Team Leaders, Branch Administrators
Contract Type: Fixed-term (June 2026 - June 2028)
Working Hours: Full time - 35 hours per week
Location: SWLLC’s Croydon Office with outreach to our other offices and community locations across South London

Our award-winning team helps local people on low incomes at some of the most difficult times in their lives, by providing legal advice that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.

In 2020 we were awarded the prestigious Legal Aid Firm of the Year award, in recognition of our team’s commitment to and excellence in helping people in need across south-west London to understand and uphold their rights. We were also highly commended in the Law Society’s Excellence in Access to Justice Award in 2021.

We’re committed to equality

We’re committed to the active promotion and support of equality and opportunity both in the way services are delivered and in our role as an employer. We monitor the sex, age, ethnic origin and disabilities of job applicants to help determine if our equal opportunities policy is effective. We therefore ask all applicants to also complete an equality and diversity monitoring form at the end of the application form.

If no jobs are listed below, please check back later or take a look at our opportunities for Pro Bono work and general Volunteering.

We are currently recruiting for roles that will help us continue delivering high-quality advice and support to people across South West London.

Whether working directly with clients or supporting the smooth running of our services, our vacancies offer the opportunity to make a real difference as part of a supportive and collaborative team. We are particularly interested in hearing from people who are organised, proactive, committed to social justice and passionate about improving access to advice and support.

To provide a targeted welfare rights based casework and representation service through a mix of appointment types including face to face at office or outreach locations, telephone, video, email, web access, outreach. Some appointments will involve home visits.
The beneficiaries of the service will be those living within South West London primarily the Boroughs of Croydon, Merton, Wandsworth, Sutton, Kingston and Richmond, focusing on maximising income for clients by carrying out benefit checks, assisting them to apply for benefits they are entitled to, and where appropriate representing at tribunals.

Key Tasks

1. To provide specialist welfare benefit advice, casework and representation across all benefit types, ranging from one-off benefit checks to Upper Tier Tribunals.
2. To manage and support volunteers and apprentices by providing training and mentorship to enable them to deliver welfare benefits advice themselves.
3. To be responsible for your own case management including using our online case management system AdvicePro, Word and Outlook.
4. To be able to deliver talks/training/webinars to internal and external bodies and the public.
5. To be flexible about delivery methods for the service and able to innovate to improve client engagement.

Duties & Responsibilities

1. To ensure that all advice, assistance and representation comply with the requirements of our Lexcel quality mark and accreditation.
2. To regularly participate in team and staff meetings
3. To carry out file reviews in accordance with Lexcel requirements.
4. To provide training and talks to Law Centre staff, volunteers and to front line advice agency staff within the Law Centre’s catchment area at least once per month.
5. To represent the service at partnership meetings.
6. To provide cover for colleagues during absences as appropriate.

Advice & Casework

1. Provide the full range of advice activities to assist clients with welfare rights advice. This is to include interviewing clients, advising them of their rights and responsibilities, assessing suitability and effectiveness of alternative courses of action, advising on legal procedures
2. To assist other teams in the Law Centre in helping clients resolve any benefits matters.
3. To assist clients in liaising with other people and organisations to resolve their benefits problems where possible.
4. To prepare and represent clients at Tribunals including the necessary preparation and research as well as assisting clients who are self-representing.
5. Keep abreast of changes in legislation, practice and caselaw.
6. Keep accurate and detailed case records.

Project Record Keeping and Reporting

1. Maintain relevant client databases and produce returns to Economic Justice Manager and Economic Justice Co-ordinator so we can provide grant monitoring reports to funders.
2. Search for and collect missing data to enable complete monitoring returns
3. Work with the Economic Justice Manager and Economic Justice Co-ordinator to provide case studies and client voices.
4. Assist with the development and maintenance of a database of standard documents and paragraphs to aid in the efficiency of delivery of welfare rights advice

Training and professional development

1. Attend relevant training courses and appropriate internal and external meetings, to enhance skills as a specialist welfare rights caseworker.
2. Undertake a range of matters and courses to maintain sufficient expertise to fulfil the old Legal Service Commission supervisor standard.
3. Consult relevant colleagues to ensure that working practice is consistently of a high quality.
4. Keep up to date with all relevant current legislation and policy and share knowledge with colleagues
5. Provide feedback to trainers, team members and Manager on the effectiveness of informal and formal learning activities
6. Take part in regular supervision meetings with Manager and other caseworkers and obtain informal support as necessary.
7. To be appraised regularly and to engage fully in this process to further personal development and maximise your contribution to SWLLC.

Supervision and Support

1. Participate in supervision of volunteers and file/peer review of colleagues, volunteers and apprentices
2. Oversee and monitor volunteer advice sessions to provide welfare rights advice given by volunteers or apprentices
3. Assist with the Operations Manager in maintaining a cadre of volunteers to assist with all aspects of welfare rights advice and including the administration of this project.
4. Train and oversee volunteers and apprentices work so that they gain skills in appropriate case management and file maintenance practises including the use of our AdvicePro case management system.
5. Train volunteers in welfare rights law, practices and procedures to deliver the service and make use of external help and resources in delivering this.

Social Policy and Service Development

1. To be alert at all times to the social policy implications of issues presented by clients.
2. To take appropriate action to influence social policy in regard to these issues.
3. Take part in service planning activities
4. Equal Opportunities
5. To have regard at all times in the planning and execution of duties to SWLLC’s Equality and Diversity Policy.

Other Duties

1. Play a full role in the organisation supporting colleagues to maximise their effectiveness.
2. Travel to meetings and other events across SW London as required.
3. In addition to the tasks and duties listed in this job description to undertake such duties as may be identified and which are generally compatible with the functions of the post.

Working Hours

This post may require some evening working providing advice at events or occasional evening advice sessions for workers. You may also work with our partner organisations providing outreach in their offices. You may also be required to work the occasional weekend for one off events

Location

South West London Law Centres is made up of 3 branches based in Wandsworth, Croydon, and Merton. Your main office base will be Croydon

About You

You’ll be someone who:

• Has experience (or strong interest) in welfare benefits advice and casework
• Is confident working directly with clients, including vulnerable individuals
• Can manage a caseload and maintain accurate records
• Is organised, adaptable, and able to work across different settings
• Enjoys supporting others - including mentoring volunteers
• Is committed to social justice and improving access to advice

• The opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives
• A supportive and collaborative team environment
• Ongoing training and development
• Potential qualifying work experience to be gained for SWE for successful candidates
• Flexible working approaches including outreach and community engagement

Additional Information

Some evening or occasional weekend work may be required Travel across South West London will be part of the role Home visits may occasionally be required

Join us and be part of a team delivering high-quality legal advice to those who need it most.

Email your CV and cover letter to recruitment@swllc.org.