Benefits and Housing Needs Officer
Location: Hackney Service Centre E8 (with travel across the borough)
Service: Benefits and Housing Needs
Hybrid
Length: Until March 2027
Pay Rates: £23.62 per hour (PAYE) | £31.83 per hour (Umbrella)
Job Type: Full-time, Temporary
About the Role
An experienced, proactive, and resilient Benefits and Housing Needs Officer is required to join the Move On and Temporary Accommodation Transfers Team. In this essential role, you will work directly with households residing in temporary accommodation, reviewing their circumstances, processing transfer requests, and assisting them in securing suitable, settled housing solutions.
You will deliver high-quality, customer-focused support to vulnerable residents while maintaining strict compliance with statutory housing legislation, local policies, and financial standards.
Key Responsibilities
Assessments & Suitability Reviews: Conduct home visits and thorough reviews of households requiring transfers in line with Ombudsman good practice guidance on unsuitable temporary accommodation. Evaluate applicant suitability for alternative temporary housing or permanent settled accommodation.
Move-On Options & Advice: Provide detailed advice on move-on pathways, including private rented sector (PRS) and out-of-London settled housing. Effectively manage expectations regarding social housing availability and guide families through relocation, utility setup, and financial support.
Property Inspections & Viewings: Inspect nightly-paid accommodation, council-managed stock, and private provider properties to verify health, safety, and suitability standards. Attend property viewings alongside clients and their support networks.
Casework & Decision Enquiries: Investigate accommodation refusals, gather necessary supporting evidence, and enforce offers where appropriate. Work closely with the Reviews and Legal teams regarding suitability reviews and statutory end-of-duty decisions.
Multi-Agency Collaboration: Liaise with Adult and Children's Social Care, School Transport Services, health professionals, and support networks to ensure a well-coordinated approach to household moves.
Casework Administration & Monitoring: Record accurate case notes and decisions on internal databases to ensure clear audit trails. Collect supporting documentation, including medical evidence, to inform priority assessments.
Benefits & Financial Probity: Apply sound knowledge of Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, and discretionary housing schemes to maximise client income while safeguarding public funds against fraud and error.
Person Specification
Experience: Substantial experience working within a local authority housing needs or benefits environment, specifically covering homelessness assessment/prevention, temporary accommodation management, or lettings and allocations.
Legislation: Working knowledge of statutory housing legislation (Part VII Housing Act 1996, Homelessness Reduction Act), suitability guidance, and welfare reform frameworks.
Communication & Negotiation: Exceptional interpersonal and de-escalation skills, with the ability to convey complex decisions with empathy and clarity to clients facing difficult circumstances.
Partnership Working: Proven ability to work productively with external agencies, legal teams, and multidisciplinary public services.
Workload Management: Strong organisational skills with the capacity to manage conflicting priorities, tight deadlines, and complex caseloads.
Flexibility & Travel: Mobility to travel across the borough to conduct visits, property inspections, and client interviews.
Desirable: Professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) or Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV).
How to Apply
To apply for this position, please submit your up-to-date CV along with a brief supporting statement detailing your relevant experience in temporary accommodation transfers and housing needs.
Please note due to the high volume of applications only successful applicants will be contacted
Commercial Services Trading Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy
