Advertised from 22 July 2025

Role

About Citizens Advice Edinburgh

The Citizens Advice Service was first established in Edinburgh in 1939. 

Currently, we deliver services from 4 Bureaux (Dundas Street, Leith, Muirhouse and Portobello) and over 20 project/outreach locations across the capital. In 2007 the separate Bureaux merged to form Citizens Advice Edinburgh (CAE). 

Through a team of core and project staff and over 100 highly trained and committed volunteers, CAE provides a free, confidential, independent and impartial service to the citizens of Edinburgh on a wide range of issues including:

• Debt and money
• Welfare Rights
• Consumer issues
• Immigration 
• Employment and workforce problems 
• Housing
• Relationship and family issues
• Discrimination
• Health services
• Legal rights & responsibilities

The charity is a trusted and well-respected organisation. It enjoys high levels of client satisfaction, and the excellence of its training programme is widely recognised. Its volunteer workforce and paid staff are fully committed and strive, with limited resources, to provide the advice sought by thousands of clients each year.

For a full overview of all our services and current work, please visit our website at: www.citizensadviceedinburgh.org.uk

Citizens Advice Edinburgh works in partnership with the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board to deliver an outreach advice service from 8 GP Practices in Edinburgh. 4 part-time staff members provide weekly sessions for these sites.

The present vacancy comprises ½ day of client contact and ½ day follow-up work for Southfield and Niddrie Medical Practices and 1 day of client contact and 1 day follow-up work for Craigmillar Medical Practice, however the specific practices served may change. The total weekly hours are 28hrs.

The project delivers face-to-face welfare rights and health-related advice to patients of the named practices, on site, at the practices. The successful candidate will therefore need to be confident advising in outreach locations, without immediate access to managerial support.

Research indicates that resolving problems with benefits, debt, employment, housing, and family issues can have a positive effect on patient health. Embedding advice services within GP Practices has also been shown to reduce repeated contact between patients and GPs, and to successfully engage clients who have not sought advice elsewhere.

The successful candidate must be experienced in giving advice, particularly in relation to benefits, including appeal and tribunal work. They must have an understanding of the role within the healthcare environment and the impact of poverty on health. The post holder will be required to assertively develop and maintain links with NHS staff, Community Link Workers, CAE specialists and external agencies.

The health sector can be a challenging environment in which to work. Clients are frequently extremely unwell and may present with multiple, complex advice issues. In addition to possessing the necessary practical knowledge, candidates will therefore require energy and resilience to make the project a success.

Application notes

Application deadline: 5pm, Sunday 10th August 2025

Interview date: W/B 11th & 18th August 2025

Interview location: Via video call (Teams)

Interview format: 50-minute interview

Please email your applications to markcarter@cabedinburgh.org.uk

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