Age UK Vacancy – Welfare Benefits Advisor
Age UK Teesside is an established local charity driven by the needs and aspirations of people in later life working to promote the health and well-being of older people. We currently have a vacancy for:
Welfare Benefits Advisor
Location: Redcar & Cleveland
Salary: £8,053.75 per annum
Hours per week: 15 – Monday to Friday (flexible)
Type of contract: Fixed term – 12 months from 1st July 2020.
Role details:
We are seeking to employ a Welfare Benefits Advisor to provide a home visiting and telephone service for people aged 65+ in Redcar & Cleveland.
Applicants must have a proven track record of recent benefits advice including casework. You will need up-to-date knowledge of social security legislation and practice.
The successful candidate will advise and assist clients with welfare benefit related issues. This will include providing full benefit checks, advising on potential claims, completing application forms and taking action on the client’s behalf. You will also be actively involved in negotiating, and liaising with, statutory agencies.
Applicants need to be flexible, organised and team-spirited. Successful applicants will have access to training, support and a rewarding career.
Closing Date for applications: Thursday 25th June at 4 p.m.
For an application form and job description please visit www.ageukteesside.org.uk or email anne.sykes@ageukteesside.org.uk
These posts are subject to DBS Enhanced Disclosure, CVs will not be accepted.
Age UK Teesside is an Equal Opportunities Employer
Reg. Charity No. 702714. Reg. Co. No. 2152353
Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund (LADGF)
The system is now live please visit our website: https://redcarcleveland.co.uk/business/covid-19-business-support/ to access the application form and guidance notes.
Please note this scheme will close midnight Friday 19th June 2020.
If you have any queries regarding the application form or the process please email business@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk
Further business support information is available at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support
Funding opportunity
Smallwood Trust Community Grant Partnerships – Fund now open
Closing date 19th June 2020
We are looking to fund a range of specialist women’s organisations and services to become Smallwood Trust Community Grant Partners.
Organisations will be able to use the funds to provide small cash grants (up to £1,000) for individual women to help them overcome personal and financial barriers, helping them to make changes in their lives. We will also fund up to 20% management costs to run the programme.
In this funding round we are accepting applications from:
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Liverpool/Merseyside
- Middlesbrough/Teesside
- Rural communities in Staffordshire and the Tees Valley
We are also particularly interested in applications from services led by and/or supporting BAME women.
The fund is open to charities, social enterprises and other non-profit organisations who have existing projects that support women to become financially resilient and could offer grants to individual women linked to the following aims:
- Employment stability
- Financial stability
- Housing stability
- Mental health and well-being
Organisations can apply for up to £25,000 each year for three years (£75,000 total).
We expect to award c.£450,000 in this funding round. The deadline is the 19th June 2020. Successful applicants are expected to be notified in late July 2020.
For further information about eligibility and how to apply please visit
https://www.smallwoodtrust.org.uk/organisations.
Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund
The Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund has been expanded and improved to make more loans to charities and social enterprises affected by the coronavirus pandemic. It offers:
✅ Maximum loan amount now £1.5m (minimum still £100k)
✅ Interest-free & fee-free for the first 12 months
✅ Faster than applying for a standard loan
The first loans have been approved and we have received some very positive feedback:
“Many thanks for your help, it was a very smooth and quick process and the Charity Bank team were a great support. This loan means that we will now be able to plan ahead with confidence that we can survive the Covid crisis…”
Zoe Raven, CEO, Acorn Early Years Foundation
“Once again, Charity Bank comes to the rescue. The application, approval and acceptance processes were seamless… It is very comforting to know that you have an understanding friend in your corner when you need it most.”
Dr Tom Pey, Group Chief Executive, The Royal Society for Blind Children
Find out more: Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund
What is RRLF?
The Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund (RRLF) is an emergency loan fund which will provide repayable finance to charities and social enterprises who are experiencing disruption as a result of COVID-19 and is intended for such organisations who have an otherwise viable business model. It has been established to make the Government’s existing Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) more easily accessible to these entities.
RRLF is not appropriate for everyone and will not work for all charities and social enterprises. For many, grants or other support may be more appropriate (for potential alternative sources, see our COVID-19 Emergency Funding page) and organisations should also consider other government schemes (see our COVID-19 Resource Hub for more information). For smaller loans of up to £50k organisations can consider the Government’s Bounce Back Loan Scheme.
What are the RRLF’s key product details?
Key features of the product include:
- loans will be for between £100k and £1.5m.
- these loans will be interest-free and fee-free to the customer for the first 12 months
- the loan term will be a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years.
- interest will be charged at 6.5% per annum for years 2 and 3 (after principal payments start).
Applicants should also be aware that any monies received under the CBILS does not reduce the borrower’s liability in any way – as with any loan product, the borrower remains 100% liable.
Applicants should also be aware that changes may be made to RRLF as the CBILS scheme evolves. It may take some time for these changes to filter through to the SIB website.
Is my organisation eligible?
This Fund is only for UK charities and social enterprises which fulfil the eligibility criteria of both the Fund and CBILS – the full list of eligibility criteria can be found on the SIB website.
How can I apply and how long will it take?
There is an application portal on the SIB website and the first page of the application is intended to give clear guidance on your likely eligibility. The aim is for the process to take 2-4 weeks from start to finish.
