What you'll be doing
Housing Support Worker - 5 months FTC
Do you have solid knowledge of welfare benefits and Universal Credit regulations?
Do you have experience of working in a customer facing position?
Do you have strong communication skills?
If the answer is yes, we may have the perfect opportunity for you.
Curo, a well-established Housing Association based in Bath with over 15,000 homes under our care, are looking for a dedicated individual with welfare benefit and Universal Credit regulations knowledge to join our busy Customer Accounts team. We're seeking someone with a blend of administrative expertise, customer service experience, and strong IT skills to contribute to our team of dedicated advisors.
This position will require access to a vehicle and a valid driving license.
What you'll be doing
As a Housing Support Worker, you will play a key role in supporting and empowering our customers to smoothly transition onto Housing Benefit and Universal Credit, while also helping them maximise their income by accessing other unclaimed benefits. You'll work collaboratively with colleagues across Curo, as well as third parties and stakeholders, to help our customers sustain their tenancies and ensure a home for good with Curo.
Key responsibilities include:
1. Working closely with colleagues and local Job Centres, including spending time on-site at the centres.
2. Developing strong relationships with stakeholders such as the DWP, Local Authorities, support providers, charities and advice agencies in our areas of operation.
3. Assessing all new customers making a Universal Credit claim to ensure they are fully supported throughout their journey, handling any necessary administration.
4. Ensuring customers are "rent payment ready", post assessment, and working with them to address any potential arrears that may be caused by the transition to Universal Credit.
5. Collaborating with the Customer Accounts team, to ensure customers' smooth transition onto benefits minimising the risk of tenancy failure and/or increased rent arrears.
For the full responsibilities please read the attached role profile.
More about you
To succeed as a Housing Support Worker, you will need a valid driving license and access to a vehicle. You'll ideally have an administration background and possess solid knowledge of welfare benefits and Universal Credit regulations.
Other key criteria include:
1. A passion for delivering a trusted customer service experience in a customer facing role.
2. Strong communication skills, with the confidence to liaise with both external and internal partners.
3. Experience working, communicating and negotiating with diverse range of audiences, while embracing equity & diversity.
You'll also need to demonstrate resilience and a proactive attitude, thriving in a dynamic environment where no two days are the same.
We will need to take up an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check for this role which we will do for you when you start.
Please note internally the role is known as Benefit Advisor
What you'll get in return
We think you'll have a job that makes you feel good about what you're doing and help us to make a difference to our customers' lives every day.
So in return for all your hard work, not only do you get a great salary but we also offer our Housing Support Worker:
1. 26 days annual leave (plus public holidays) rising to 29 days after 3 years service.
2. An additional day's leave on your birthday.
3. Contributory (Salary Sacrifice) Pension Scheme matched by CURO up to 10%.
4. Annual 'Homes for Good' Reward.
5. Life Assurance Policy (up to 6x your annual salary).
6. Flexible Benefits including the ability to buy up to 5 days additional annual leave, gym membership, Health Cash Plan, Computer Scheme, Green Cars, Cycle to Work.
7. 'Perks at Work' - access to 1000's of discounts online and in-store.
8. Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - providing friendly impartial advice on financial, health, work or mental wellbeing.
9. Free Parking at many of our Offices.
For an informal discussion about the role please call: Sarah Rogers 07773 073 505.
We will be closing applications on 10th November; however, we will be reviewing applications as they come in and may close the vacancy earlier should we find the right applicant. So, if you think you're the person to start a career with Curo, please don't delay and apply today.
About Curo
Curo is an organisation with social purpose at its heart. We provide affordable homes that help people find security and stability and a positive future. We're one of the largest housing associations in the South West and an expanding house builder, using our profits to create more affordable housing in our communities.
Our values are at the core of how we work. We care about our colleagues and their wellbeing and recognise their sense of pride in the work they do to support our customers.
We're proud to say that since 2016 we have been ranked by Best Companies as being in the UK's top 75 Large Companies to work for. We're also listed in the top 10 best housing associations to work for in the country, and among the top 25 best companies to work for in the South West!
One more thing
We provide homes and services to a community that is diverse. We recognise that we need to do more to ensure that the colleagues in our organisation better reflect and understand the community we serve and for that reason we particularly welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and abilities. We are a recognised 'disability confident' employer and we have also signed up to the Social Housing Anti-Racism Pledge (SHARP). We guarantee to interview all disabled, black or minority ethnic applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for our vacancies.
If you need support to assist you to make an application or attend an interview, then please email our recruitment team at recruitment@curo-group.co.uk and we will be happy to help. #J-18808-Ljbffr