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Do you have previous experience providing benefits and welfare support? Are you confident using computer systems to record information, produce statistics and analyse data for reports? If so, our client is seeking a Housing & Benefits Officer to provide administrative support regarding Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, and Discretionary Hardship Payments schemes. This is initially to cover a project.

The successful candidate will have experience within one of the following:

* Homeless assessments and reviews

* Homeless prevention and housing advice

* Temporary Accommodation management, maintenance, Housing Supply and procurement

* Lettings and the Housing Register

* Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction schemes

This is a full time temporary role for approximately 3 months.

Duties and responsibilities:

* To provide support across the department, and to be responsible for updating, collecting, and collating a range of data and information.

* To provide an effective and efficient discretionary awards and money management advice service to customers to afford solutions to mitigate the impact of welfare reforms and the economic recession and prevent homelessness

* Develop and maintain an excellent working knowledge of the full range of welfare provision, benefits and localised schemes that are applicable to customers and to work with them to identify the benefits and welfare support they are entitled to

* To work constructively with partners and stakeholders from a range of other Services and agencies in order to maximise the effectiveness and to provide solutions for customers.

* To deliver an efficient, high quality and customer-focussed service for a diverse client group including high numbers of vulnerable and disadvantaged households

* To deal with all enquiries and referrals for discretionary awards, budgeting, money management and access to welfare benefits providing advice and information, where relevant in a professional and courteous way

Key skills & experience:

* Excellent organisational skills and the ability to work as part of a team as well as on own initiative

* Excellent communication skills, both written and oral

* Good numeracy skills

* Organise and prioritise your workload and take responsibility to work accurately, efficiently and ensure deadlines are met

* You will have the ability to work under pressure, as part of a team and with minimum supervision

* Experience of using spreadsheets and ability to adapt to changing ICT requirements

* Experience of working in an administrative capacity

If you do not hear from a consultant within 1 week of your application, then unfortunately on this occasion you have not been successful