Description
NCFE CACHE Level 2 Certificate in Information, Advice or Guidance
- £261
- *Prices shown are all-inclusive of VAT—no extra charges!
- Priority Track option available
Why Study with us?
- Priority-track assessments and workbook marking
- For advice, support, customer service and student services staff and volunteers
- Flexible, self-paced study – most learners finish in 2–4 months
- Courses designed and assessed by subject-qualified industry trainers and assessors
- One-to-one live sessions (if desired) with expert tutors
Level 2 Certificate in Information, Advice or Guidance Course Overview
The NCFE CACHE Level 2 Certificate in Information, Advice or Guidance is an Ofqual-regulated qualification for people who help others find the right information, make informed decisions or reach the right service – in advice centres, housing and benefits teams, careers and student services, local authorities, charities and customer-facing roles. It explains the difference between giving information, giving advice and offering guidance, and how to work within the boundaries of your own role.
Across five units you will learn how to identify what a client needs, use a structured approach to interactions, ask effective questions, listen actively, and work in a supportive, impartial and non-discriminatory way while respecting confidentiality and data protection. You will also learn when and how to signpost or refer clients to other agencies, why accurate records matter, how to help specific client groups overcome barriers, and the stages of an advice interview. The course is assessed through a portfolio, with no exams. Once you are working in an advice or guidance role, you can build on it with our Level 3 NVQ Certificate in Advice and Guidance.
Career Opportunities and Progression after the IAG Level 2 Certificate
This information, advice and guidance course supports frontline roles where people come to you for help. NCFE lists roles such as customer service adviser, help-desk adviser, housing support worker, learning support worker, legal services support worker and peer mentor, and the qualification is a first step towards adviser roles in careers, debt or employment advice, which usually need further training and experience. It is equally valuable for volunteers with advice charities and community organisations. The certificate strengthens your CV but does not guarantee a job.
Advice and guidance has a clear progression ladder. Once you are working or volunteering in an advice or guidance role, you can take the Level 3 NVQ Certificate in Advice and Guidance and then the Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Advice and Guidance, which assess your competence in the workplace. NCFE also lists counselling and health and social care as progression routes: our Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills and the NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Counselling Skills are natural next steps if you want to develop your listening and helping skills.
Do I need a work placement to complete this course?
No work placement is required. However, the certificate is designed for people who work in, or are looking to work in, an information, advice or guidance role, and several assignments ask you to describe how things are done in your own organisation – for example its referral procedure or how client records are kept. If you work or volunteer somewhere that offers information, advice or guidance, you can use it as your example. If you do not, your tutor will help you base these tasks on an organisation you know well or have researched.
There are no exams. You build a portfolio of evidence – for example written answers, case studies and short reports – which is internally assessed by your tutor and externally quality assured by NCFE. You need to meet every assessment criterion, and the qualification is graded Achieved or Not Yet Achieved. Assignments are marked within 3–5 working days, or 1–3 working days on Priority Track.
You complete two mandatory units (6 credits) and three optional units (9 credits), 15 credits in total.
Unit 01: Information, Advice or Guidance in Practice
Unit 02: Developing Interaction Skills for Information, Advice or Guidance
Unit 03: Signposting and Referral in Information, Advice or Guidance (optional unit)
Unit 04: Information, Advice or Guidance – Context (optional unit)
Unit 05: Skills for Advice Providers (optional unit)
The Level 2 Certificate in Information, Advice or Guidance has 114 guided learning hours (GLH) and a total qualification time (TQT) of 150 hours. Study is self-paced, and most learners complete it in 2–4 months, depending on how much time they can give each week. Your enrolment includes 12 months’ access to the learning platform and unlimited tutor support; if you need more time after that, access can be extended for a re-enrolment fee.
Qualification Number: 601/4321/6
NCFE is an Awarding Organisation regulated by Ofqual, ensuring that all qualifications adhere to rigorous standards.
Vocational Courses we offer in Bundle
Pricing Plans
Standard One Time Purchase
Make a single payment, and you're all set to begin your learning journey.
£261*inc. VAT
- OfQual-approved qualification
- 24/7 access to LMS and unlimited tutor support
- Transparent pricing, no hidden charges
- Start when you're ready with a full year of access.
- Unlimited revisions
- Receive feedback within 3 – 5 working days
Standard Monthly
Spread the cost of £300.12 (inc. VAT) with convenient monthly payments over 6 months.
£50.02*inc. VAT
per month
Priority Track One Time Purchase
Make a single payment, and you're all set to begin your learning journey.
£300*inc. VAT
- OfQual-approved qualification
- 24/7 access to LMS and unlimited tutor support
- Transparent pricing, no hidden charges
- Start when you're ready with a full year of access.
- Unlimited revisions
- Receive feedback within 1 – 3 working days
Priority Track Monthly
Spread the cost of £345.00 (inc. VAT) with convenient monthly payments over 6 months.
£57.50*inc. VAT
per month
Discounted Business/Corporate Purchases
Enjoy Bulk Discounts
The following bulk discounts are applicable to our corporate clients:
5% for booking 3 learnersÂ
10% for booking 5 or more learnersÂ
15% for booking 10 or more learners
For enquiries, please contact our sales team at +44 20 8178 4802
Flexible Payment Options
Take advantage of a 30-day payment term when buying 5 or more courses. Please note that an upfront payment will be required unless you are a regular buyer.
Course reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
The Level 2 Certificate in Information, Advice or Guidance is for anyone aged 16 or over who gives, or would like to give, information, advice or guidance – advice and support workers, customer service and help-desk staff, housing and benefits staff, student services and learning support staff, and volunteers with advice charities and community organisations. It also suits people preparing to apply for advice roles.
Information is factual material, such as eligibility rules or where to find a service. Advice goes further: it helps someone understand their options and suggests a course of action for their situation. Guidance is a more in-depth, supportive process that helps a person explore their options and reach their own decisions. This course teaches you to recognise which one a client needs and to stay within the boundaries of your role.
You will learn how to identify client needs, structure an interaction, use questioning, listening and non-verbal communication skills, stay impartial and protect confidentiality, signpost and refer to other agencies, keep accurate records, support specific client groups to overcome barriers, and understand the stages of an advice interview and the role of social policy in advice work.
Yes. You study entirely online through our learning platform at times that suit you, submit your assignments online and contact your tutor whenever you need support. Optional one-to-one live sessions are available if you would like to talk through your work.
You can apply for frontline advice and support roles or use the certificate to develop in your current job. If you are working or volunteering in an advice or guidance role, the natural next step is the Level 3 NVQ Certificate in Advice and Guidance. You could also move into counselling skills training.
You must be aged 16 or over. There are no formal entry qualifications, although NCFE notes that a Level 1 qualification can be helpful. It is useful, but not essential, to be working or volunteering in a role where you give information, advice or guidance. You will need a device with an internet connection.
No. There are no fixed deadlines for individual assignments, so you can study at your own pace as long as you complete the course within your 12-month access period.
This qualification is awarded by NCFE, an awarding organisation regulated by Ofqual, under its CACHE brand. When you complete it successfully, you will receive an NCFE CACHE certificate.
Qualification Number: 601/4321/6
If you still have any questions, please refer to our main FAQs page or contact us for further assistance.
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