Welfare Rights Team

 

The Welfare Rights Team provides specialist advice and casework support to council tenants and some tenants living in Temporary Accommodation or Camden Living properties who are experiencing financial difficulty or need help to maximise their income.

 

The team is based on the third floor, 5 Pancras Square, and primarily works within the Income Team. Referrals can also be submitted by the Neighbourhood Team and other frontline services to support vulnerable residents at risk of hardship, benefit problems, or rent arrears.

 

Our Services

 

The Welfare Rights Team provides free, confidential, and independent support focused on benefits and income maximisation, including:

 

Benefits advice and casework

 

·       Conduct full benefits assessments to identify entitlement.

·       Assist with making new benefit claims.

·       Support to resolve benefit problems.

·       Challenging incorrect Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decisions

·       Represent residents at Tribunal where required.

 

Crisis support

 

·       Where appropriate, the Welfare Rights Team will refer residents to Money Advice for further financial support and assessment.

 

Please note: The Welfare Rights Team no longer provides debt advice.

 

Support for Frontline Council Colleagues

 

The Welfare Rights Team also provides support to colleagues by:

·       Delivering training and coaching to frontline housing staff on benefits, and income maximisation

·       Operating a daily duty advice service for staff who need specialist welfare guidance for a tenant or case.

This is not a floating support service. Staff are encouraged to speak to the duty adviser before requesting formal casework support.

 

Support for council colleagues

 

The Welfare Rights Team also:

·       Provides training and coaching to frontline Housing staff on benefits and income maximisation.

·       Operates a daily duty advice service for colleagues who need specialist welfare advice about a tenant or case.

 

This is not a floating support service; colleagues can speak to the duty adviser before requesting formal casework support.

 

Temporary Accommodation (TA) referrals

 

Support for residents in Temporary Accommodation is available only through referrals submitted by TA Income Officers.

 

Other staff, including housing officers and support workers, should discuss cases with the TA Income Officer, who will determine if a referral is appropriate and submit it.

 

Referrals should only be made where there is a clear benefit issue, such as:

 

·       Benefits have stopped or been refused.

·       There is a risk of loss of accommodation due to benefit problems.

·       Complex benefit disputes requiring specialist intervention.

 

Routine benefit checks for new TA residents should not be referred to the Welfare Rights Team.

 

Duty Advice Service (for Council staff)

 

A specialist adviser is available every weekday to provide guidance by phone or email.

 

Day	Duty Adviser	Contact
Monday	Sussy Quirke	0207 974 6768
Tuesday	Jonakey Begum	0207 974 1992
Wednesday	Ben Fidler	0207 974 5535
Thursday	Agnes Olufola	0207 974 6576
Friday	Mark Hall	0207 974 7824

 

Temporary Accommodation & Camden Living Welfare Rights Support

 

Monday- Friday

Vanessa Kusah

0207 974 3713

Income Maximisation Manager

Rita Akinosi - 0207 974 7540

 

What to consider before requesting support

 

Before seeking Welfare Rights involvement, please ensure:

·       You have spoken to the duty adviser first.

·       The tenant (or household member) is vulnerable.

·       There is a clear benefit problem (not just a general benefits check)

·       The tenant has agreed to their details being shared.

·       The tenant is engaging with you.

·       You are not referring someone already supported by another advice agency (e.g. Citizens Advice or Mary Ward)

·       You can provide full details of income, benefits stopped and what help is needed.