Benefits Assessor- Crisis fund assessment officer
17 days ago
Reading
Crisis Resilience Fund Assessment Officer • Contract Type: 6-month interim, • Location: Reading, • Salary: £30 per hour (inside IR35 via Umbrella) Day-to-day of the role: • Assess Crisis Payment and Housing Payment applications in accordance with the Crisis Resilience Fund policy and government guidance., • Determine if circumstances qualify as a crisis or risk of crisis and decide on the appropriate support., • Implement a cash-first approach, selecting the most suitable payment methods, and using vouchers or goods only when they better meet the needs., • Conduct proportionate verification checks including identity, income, savings, and housing costs., • Provide benefit checks, income maximisation advice, and basic budgeting support., • Identify problem debt, offer immediate harm-reduction advice, and signpost to appropriate support., • Make warm referrals to welfare advice, financial inclusion, housing support, and voluntary sector partners where consent is given., • Experience working directly with the public in person, by phone, or online, handling sensitive enquiries., • Understanding of welfare benefits, housing costs, debt advice, or financial support services., • Ability to gather and assess information, apply eligibility rules, and make fair, evidence-based decisions., • Proficiency in assessing financial information including income, expenditure, and housing costs., • Clear written and verbal communication skills using plain English., • Ability to support residents experiencing distress or crisis in a calm, respectful, and trauma-informed way., • Confident use of IT systems including case management and document management tools., • Flexible hybrid working arrangement., • Opportunity to contribute to community support and resilience.
Sally A.Active 3 hours ago