Welfare & Benefits Specialist

We have an exciting opportunity for a Welfare & Benefits Specialist/Customer Support Officer to join our team in Oldham. We are looking a motivated individual to help our customers to sustain their tenancies. This is a telephone-based service covering our national geography, working closely with our Customer Liaison Officers and Customer Account Teams.

Our ideal candidate will have recent proven experience of providing complex welfare advice and benefits and the knowledge to signpost customers who have specific support needs to the relevant external agencies and make suitable employment referrals. This role is being offered on a full-time, permanent basis, we operate a hybrid working basis which offers the opportunity to work in the Oldham office 2 days per week and from home 3 days a week.

Overview of the team
The Customer Support team consists of 25 people all working hard to deliver an amazing customer focused service. You will be part of a team of 20 Customer Support Officers who help our customers by:

* Working with them to improve their finances and ability to pay for their home

* Managing our Hardship Fund to support customers who are in crisis

* Liaising with external support providers to ensure they have the right support package in place

Reporting to the Customer Support Team Manager, the Customer Support Officers key responsibilities will be to support our customers with:

* Income and Expenditure assessments to maximise income & benefit entitlements

* Benefit assessments for Housing Benefit

* Support Universal Credit claimants

* Applications for Discretionary Housing Payments

* Providing information for personal budgeting

* Reviewing customers entitlement for Job Seekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance and Tax Credits

* Assess eligibility for Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independent Payments

* Applications for utility grants to pay off utility debt

* Researching and identifying appropriate support providers

* Liaising with external agencies such as social workers, health care providers and floating support agencies

We are looking for an outstanding individual who:

* Display a real commitment to customer service

* Have proven knowledge of current welfare and housing benefits

* Experience of multi-agency working

* Proven ability to communicate complex information to colleagues and customers sufficiently to aid their understanding and actions.

* Proven ability to advocate on behalf of the company and/or customers when dealing with local authorities and other benefit agencies.

* Experience of explaining complex information

* Ability to build positive working relationships within our team and across the business

* Good communication skills, both oral and written

* Is able to work through problems and resolve them

* Can manage their own time

* Is committed, enthusiastic and displays empathy

* Experience of caseload management

Desirable experience:

* Up to date knowledge of new initiatives in the housing sector.

* Experience of providing cross-cutting services in the voluntary or statutory sector.

* Knowledge of current thinking to sustain tenancies

How do I apply?
If you feel you have what we’re looking for then we’d love to hear from you! Please review the role profile to ensure you meet the essential criteria and hit the ‘apply’ button to submit your online application by uploading your CV and cover letter.

Face to Face interviews will take place on Monday 10th or Tuesday 11th June at Bower House in Oldham