Benefits and Housing Advisor

Job Description

• Suffolk County Council 
• Address: Beacon House, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 5PB - Hybrid 
• Salary: £35,570 per annum (pro rata)
• Hours: 26 hours per week, flexible working options available
• Contract: Permanent

As a modern, flexible and effective organisation, we’re driven to make a positive difference to the communities we serve and the careers of our people. When you join us as a Benefits and Housing Advisor, you will be a vital part of a dedicated team supporting professionals in their work with vulnerable and disadvantaged adults and children in Suffolk, by providing expert benefits and housing advice. 

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities 

You will play a key role in delivering a specialist second-tier advice service to Suffolk County Council practitioners, independent advice agencies, and support organisations across Suffolk. Acting as the first point of contact for benefit and housing enquiries, you will provide expert advice and guidance via telephone and email.

Working as part of Adult Social Care’s Financial Inclusion and Advice Service, you will support colleagues through the provision of advice, casework assistance, and quality assurance. You will also monitor and analyse helpline data to identify trends, inform service development, and shape training and learning opportunities.

You will develop and maintain practice guidance and resource materials for use both within the council and across partner organisations. Collaborating with colleagues in the independent advice sector, you will share best practice, build strong partnerships, and keep stakeholders informed of legislative and policy developments.

There will also be opportunities to support the Ipswich County Court Advice and Representation Service, helping unrepresented defendants access advice and support to protect their tenancy and prevent homelessness.

You will need to have

• significant and up-to-date knowledge of social security and housing law, with experience of advising on benefit entitlement, reconsiderations and appeals, homelessness applications and reviews, and possession proceedings
• excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex issues clearly to people with different levels of understanding. You will be able to produce professional, Plain English guidance for Suffolk County Council staff, external partners, and members of the public
• a genuine passion for making a positive difference to the lives of people in Suffolk by supporting advice agencies, independent charities, and social work practitioners
• strong problem-solving skills and the ability to find effective solutions to complex benefit and housing issues
• a working knowledge of the Care Act and charging regulations

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.  

If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application. 

The team 

The Specialist Support and Training Team provides expert advice to practitioners inside and outside the council, about benefits, housing and social care eligibility. We deliver training and team briefings and assist with the development of policies and practice guidance. 

We are a small team of five within the Financial Inclusion and Advice Service (FIAS). FIAS also includes teams responsible for carrying out financial assessments for residential and community care, authorising and monitoring direct payments, managing people’s financial affairs, and providing support to people with cancer in conjunction with Macmillan.

We work closely with our colleagues in adult social care, children’s services and the independent advice sector, helping them to resolve financial and housing problems that impact on the outcomes they are hoping to achieve with individuals and families. 

Empowering Everyone 

We are big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We are always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information 

Please contact Jason Whittaker for a casual conversation. You can reach him by calling [phone removed] or emailing: [email removed]

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word). 

Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word).  

1. Please give an example of when you had to interpret and apply legislation, policy or guidance to resolve a complex case or enquiry. How did you ensure your advice was accurate and effective?
2. Give an example of when you had to communicate complex information to someone with limited knowledge of the subject. How did you adapt your approach to ensure understanding?
3. Suffolk County Council values a rights-based approach. Please provide an example of how you have empowered an individual, family, colleague or organisation to access support, improve outcomes or exercise their rights.

Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.  

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page. 

Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read ourguidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable. 

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at: [email removed] or [phone removed].  You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages.  

This role is being advertised as Benefits and