Job Description

Financial Inclusion Caseworker

£24,884 Salary. 18-month Contract (potential to be extended)

Do you have a passion for helping people? Do you have experience in welfare benefits?

If so my client in the Housing Sector is looking for a Financial Inclusion Caseworker to join their team.

Who you will be working for

You will be working for a local housing association providing over 1,200 quality affordable homes for rent and shared ownership in Sheffield and Rotherham. Founded in 1975 they are proud to serve vibrant and diverse communities in the Sheffield City Region.

The overall purpose of the Welfare Benefits Caseworker is to support customers with the ongoing changes to the welfare benefits system in-line with delivering effective, sensitive and customer-focussed income management service.

To provide high quality welfare advice to current tenants and prospective customers via telephone, digital access channels and face to face visits (including home visits), especially for those where the roll-out of Universal Credit would impact on their ability to sustain their tenancy.

To have a particular focus on providing advice and support on financial inclusion issues, including money management, enabling customers to manage their finances, pay their rent and sustain their tenancy during times of change.

What you will be responsible for.

This is a busy role assisting the team in delivering an outstanding service their new and existing tenants. Some of your main responsibilities will include:

1. To provide a professional and confidential casework service to tenants covering the full range of universal credit advice, through a combination of home visits or office appointments and telephone advice, as appropriate.
2. To promote financial inclusion and help maximise the income of households by advising on local programmes available, provide assistance with claims for welfare benefits, Discretionary Housing Payments, Crisis Fund and other applicable grants and funds, and signpost to appropriate partners and third parties where applicable
3. To holistically assess a customer's circumstances by conducting interviews, undertaking visits to customers in their homes, and maintain accurate case notes and information on databases.
4. To help tenants to prioritise their expenditure and work out sensible budgets, including setting-up repayment plans, together with the Income Maximisation Officers.
5. To understand and analyse complex information and to communicate effectively at all levels within the organisation.
6. To ensure all communications, either face to face, by telephone, in writing or electronically, are sensitive to the needs of customers whose first language may not be English.
7. To work effectively with a range of external partners and stakeholders, including the council and third sector organisations, to proactively promote the prevention of debt to achieve joint outcomes for customers and the company.
8. Support the delivery of an effective housing management service, including estate management and lettings, where needed.
9. Adopt an early intervention approach to support the company's tenants to maintain a clear rent or sundry debt account by developing account monitoring systems and pro-actively providing advice and support at the earliest opportunity.
10. Manage a variety of tasks aligned to key performance areas, while maintaining a practical focus on outcomes for their customers.
11. To keep up to date with changes in welfare reform and sector best practice to improve the business understanding of the impact it will have on the client group and operating processes and Policy.
12. Build and maintain positive and productive relationships with staff, board members, customers, external partners and other key stakeholders relevant to the role.
13. Support the Head of Housing Operations to undertake any incident management or customer complaint investigations including the analysis of trends.

You must have exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to work unsupervised and to tight deadlines are also important.

What our client is looking for in you

A proven track record of your brilliance is essential. You should also have a high degree of competency in Microsoft Office packages, including Outlook, Word and Excel.

Experience in a housing or similar debt collections environment.

Experience of working with statutory or voluntary bodies.

Experience of working within a Universal Credit and Housing Benefit welfare environment.

Knowledge of current housing legislation in relation to debt recovery and/or Welfare Benefits.

Able to understand Government, Regulator of Social Housing and other relevant bodies requirements and best practice in relation income collection including Universal Credit.

Full driving licence with vehicle available for business use

There may also be a requirement to travel on a wider basis to attend training seminars and other events. Although the staff working week is 5 days, staff may agree a different pattern. If needed you may be required to work additional hours for which time off in lieu will be granted, to ensure the objectives of the job are completed in accordance with set deadlines both internally and of the housing regulator. The ability to speak another language would be desirable.

What's in it for you

Along with a great salary, you will be working in a positive work environment with a great team who will push you to join in with their success.

This role is active now! Please submit your CV now