Allocations Support Officer

Westmorland and Furness Council; Barrow-in-Furness; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Westmorland and Furness Council in Barrow-in-Furness is seeking a proactive Housing Landlord Service administrator to assess and process housing applications, verify information, determine eligibility, and maintain accurate records to support fair allocations for residents of Barrow and the wider Westmorland and Furness area.

You will join a flexible, supportive housing team dedicated to delivering fair outcomes for residents.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in housing administration, customer services, or a related field.
• Knowledge of housing policy and service standards.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Able to manage a varied workload and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Assess and process housing register applications and changes in circumstances.
• Verify applicant information and supporting evidence.
• Determine eligibility and priority per Allocations Policy and legislation.
• Maintain accurate case records and update housing management systems.
• Respond to enquiries with guidance on housing options and allocations.
• Support the administration of property advertising and allocation procedures.
• Liaise with internal teams and external partners to progress applications.
• Ensure service standards, targets, and statutory requirements are met.
• Identify and escalate complex cases when appropriate.
• Advise customers/tenants on available help and support.

Skills

Excellent communication

Housing administration experience

Customer services experience

Attention to detail

Time management

IT skills

Job description

Following an exciting restructure of our Housing Team, we are delighted to offer several new opportunities - including this rewarding role within our Housing Landlord Service. If you are someone who is proactive, enthusiastic, and motivated to make a real difference, and you enjoy working with and supporting customers, this could be the perfect role for you.

About this opportunity

This is a key role supporting the assessment and administration of housing applications, ensuring applicants receive a fair, efficient and transparent service. You will be responsible for processing applications, verifying information, assessing eligibility and housing need, and maintaining accurate records in accordance with housing allocations policies and relevant legislation. Working closely with applicants, housing officers and partner agencies, you will help ensure social housing is allocated fairly and efficiently to those most in need.

In this role, you will:

• Assess and process housing register applications and changes in circumstances.
• Verify applicant information and supporting evidence.
• Determine eligibility and priority in line with the Council's Allocations Policy and relevant legislation.
• Maintain accurate case records and update housing management systems.
• Respond to enquiries from applicants, providing advice and guidance on housing options and allocations processes.
• Support the administration of property advertising and allocation procedures.
• Liaise with internal teams and external partners to gather information and progress applications.
• Ensure service standards, performance targets and statutory requirements are met.
• Identify and escalation complex cases where appropriate
• Advise customers/tenants of the help and support available

This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference. You will be joining a flexible, supportive, and responsive Housing Team where we work collectively to deliver the best outcomes for our residents.

Who we are looking for

• An excellent communicator on all levels with a strong ability to listen and build effective and meaningful relationships, including developing partnerships with external agencies
• Has experience in housing administration, customer services, or a related environment.
• Good knowledge of some or all aspects of the service area and housing policy.
• Knowledge and understanding of service standards and performance criteria.
• Has strong administrative and organisational skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Is confident managing a varied workload and meeting deadlines.
• Can work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Possesses excellent IT skills and ability to use IT systems

Whilst this post is based in Barrow, you must have the ability to travel efficiently around the Westmorland and Furness area to conduct visits and attend meetings.

At Westmorland and Furness Council we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and we expect all workers, employees and volunteers to share our commitment.

Individuals may be required to have Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in place for this role, dependent on access to specific government systems, which does include a Basic DBS check. The recruiting manager will discuss the requirements for this appointment, with the successful candidate.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Leader, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

We also offer guaranteed interviews to Armed Forces personnel and veterans and those in care or care experienced and under 24 years old (someone who has been looked after by a local authority at any point, for any length of time, e.g. foster care, residential care, or under the authorities of any...)