Benefits and Housing Advisor

Suffolk County Council; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave (pro rata)

LGPS pension

Travel, lifestyle, health and wellbing

Training and development

Career development opportunities

Staff networks

Flexible working from day one

Job summary

Suffolk County Council's Benefits and Housing Advisor is a 26-hour per week, hybrid role in Ipswich. You will provide expert benefits and housing guidance to professionals working with vulnerable adults and children, supporting colleagues and partners across Suffolk.

As part of the Financial Inclusion and Advice Service (FIAS), you will deliver casework assistance, quality assurance, and help shape training, resources, and guidance for staff and external partners.

Qualifications

• Significant and up-to-date knowledge of social security and housing law with experience advising on entitlements, reconsiderations and appeals.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex issues clearly and produce professional guidance.
• Genuine passion for making a positive difference supporting advice agencies and practitioners.
• Strong problem-solving skills to address complex benefit and housing issues.
• Working knowledge of the Care Act and charging regulations.

Responsibilities

• Deliver specialist second-tier advice to practitioners, agencies, and partner organisations.
• Act as first point of contact for benefit and housing enquiries via telephone and email.
• Provide advice, casework assistance and quality assurance within FIAs.
• Monitor helpline data to identify trends and inform service development.
• Develop and maintain practice guidance and resources for council and partners.
• Support Ipswich County Court Advice and Representation Service to protect tenancy and prevent homelessness.

Skills

Social security knowledge

Housing law knowledge

Communication skills

Plain English guidance

Problem solving

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

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 01473 264646 or emailing: [e-mail]

This role is being advertised as Benefits and Housing Advisor for advertising purposes. If appointed, you will be employed as Financial Inclusion Officer.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 15 November 2026.

Interview date: Week commencing 23 November.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.

In return, you'll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk) .