The National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA) is a membership body for organisations and advisers across the UK.
NAWRA aims to challenge, influence and improve welfare rights policy and legislation by building a national network of advisers who share ideas and good practice.
What are the benefits of membership?
- A free place for you and all your colleagues at each of our quarterly conferences at venues around the UK for every adviser at your organisation. Each event includes a programme of presentations, guest speakers, information exchange and participatory group workshops where you can share examples of best practice and get practical hints and tips in the ever-changing world of benefits advice. And if you can’t attend, you can always find minutes, presentations and workshop materials on our website. Please contact us with any accessibility requirements.
- Regular email newsletters with useful information, reports, news, advice sector jobs and much more.
- As the representative body for advisers, NAWRA makes the case for advice services across the UK through our research and development activities.
- You can contribute to NAWRA’s policy and lobbying work. We strive to represent your views in national stakeholder groups, respond to government consultations and help develop campaigns.
- Access to the members area of our website. There’s a range of useful content including shared resources, our famous benefit changes updater chart, our consultation responses, our newsletter, research, news and opinion.
- Advertise your welfare rights job vacancies for free.
“NAWRA helps me to provide the best possible service for my clients by giving me the opportunity to network with other professionals”
Membership of NAWRA is only available to organisations with policies, procedures and mechanisms in place that ensure that their clients can rely on receiving a quality assured service. Please note that we are unable to offer membership to ‘independent’ welfare rights advisers or similar, including those offering ‘no win, no fee’ services. Fee-charging organisations are required to be a member of a regulatory body, give clear information about their fees and signpost potential clients to organisations offering free advice.
Annual membership fees 2024-2025
- Academic institution (£250): This category is for universities and other academic institutions. One membership covers staff and students.
- Local authorities, national charities, housing associations, and all other large organisations (£120): This category brings together all large organisations including local authorities, national charities, housing associations and solicitors. One membership covers all advisers, including paid staff and volunteers, within the organisation.
- Individual advice agencies (£50): This category is for small/local organisations such as independent advice centres, Citizens Advice Bureau, law centres, and student unions. One membership covers all advisers, including paid staff and volunteers, within the organisation.
- Self-employed professional adviser (£50): This category is for professional advisers, such as self-employed freelance trainers and other consultants working in the field.
- Individual membership (£20): Although NAWRA membership is essentially aimed at advice organisations, we introduced this category for those individuals who have retired from a member organisation or who may be students.
Apply to join NAWRA