Skip navigation | Skip to footer
 

Welfare benefits tutors

The welfare benefits tutors all work for our welfare benefits team. Several have been giving advice on benefits for 20 years and each has considerable experience representing at First-tier and Upper Tribunals appeals.

Team member offer second-tier support to advisers on complex benefits areas and have particular expertise in those topics included in our training programme. They write and edit articles for 'Adviser' magazine and contribute to the Disability Rights Handbook.

Alan Markey

Alan has been Head of Welfare Benefits at Citizens Advice Specialist Support since 2003. He has over twenty years experience in the welfare rights field having worked in the voluntary, community and statutory sectors. Alan is also editor of 'Adviser' magazine, Citizens Advice flagship social welfare periodical, and is chair of the National Association of Welfare Rights Adviser (NAWRA). He also contributes to the 'Disability Rights Handbook'.

Erika Helps

Erika worker for seven years at the DWP and then joined Citizens Advice, where she spent over two years as a Specialist Support Officer. In 2006, she took up her current post of Chief Executive of Rhondda Taff Citizens Advice Bureau. Erika has a particular interest in disability and in work benefits. She also works as an independent management consultant and facilitator.

Kate Fincham

Kate spent five years advising  on welfare benefits in voluntary organisations before joining Citizens Advice as a Specialist Support Officer in 2001. She has an MA in Socio-legal Studies, as well as qualifications in social security including a Diploma in European Social Security Law. Kate is a regular contributor to 'Adviser' magazine.

Kate Smith

Kate has been a Specialist Support Officer since 2000 and has extensive experience in all aspects of social security law. She is benefits subject editor of 'Adviser' magazine and has produced articles on a range of topical issues. She has a degree in Law and has undertaken casework at all levels, including representation before the Upper Tribunal.

Fiona Seymour

Fiona joined Citizens Advice Specialist Support in 2002. She has worked as a benefits caseworker of 13 years and has delivered welfare benefits training for a range of organisations. Fiona has substantial casework experience, including representation before the Upper Tribunal. She is a member of the editorial board and a regular contributor to 'Adviser' magazine.

Greg Voiels

Greg has a degree in law. He has thirteen years experience as a welfare benefits specialist, working for Citizens Advice Bureaux in Somerset and Liverpool and as a caseworker with Merseyside Welfare Rights. He is currently employer as a welfare rights officer with Wolverhampton City Council's Children & Families Service.

Robert Wilson

Robert has over twenty years experience of delivering welfare benefits advice and representation in both voluntary and local authority organisations. He was a training officer with Manchester City Council for over three years and became manager at Citizens Advice Specialist Support in 2005. He is a regular contribute to 'Adviser' magazine.

Sandie Lock

Sandie spent eighteen years delivering benefits for the DWP, before becoming a welfare rights adviser in 1995. Since joining Citizens Advice Specialist Support in 2005, she has devised and delivered training courses, provided second-tier consultancy and represented before the Upper Tribunal. Sandie produces a monthly benefits news bulletin, regularly contributes to 'Adviser' magazine and has appeared on BBC Radio 4's 'Moneybox Live'

Sarah Warburton

Sarah has been a welfare rights adviser since 1998. She began as a CAB volunteer and has since worked in a range of positions across the voluntary, statutory and private sectors. Sarah currently provides a welfare rights consultancy service within a Local Authority Mental Health setting, as well as contributing to our own second-tier consultancy and training provision.