Financial Assessments and Benefits Officer (Children's)

Portsmouth City Council; Portsmouth, Barry; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 34,000; Part time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Financial Assessments and Benefits Officer to provide essential support to families in need. This role involves assessing financial eligibility for special guardianship and delivering high-quality welfare rights advice. The successful candidate will build strong relationships with clients, ensuring they receive the necessary support and guidance. If you have a background in front-line services and a passion for helping families, this opportunity allows you to make a real difference in your community. Join a team committed to inclusivity and support for all applicants, ensuring everyone has a fair chance to succeed.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a busy front-line service is essential.
• Understanding of Children's Social Care services is required.

Responsibilities

• Assess financial support eligibility for special guardians.
• Provide welfare rights and benefits advice in clients' homes.

Skills

Communication Skills

Relationship Building

Welfare Benefits Knowledge

Budgeting Advice

Education

Experience in Front-line Service

Job description

Financial Assessments and Benefits Officer (Children's)

Salary: Band: 7, £29,777 - £33,945 p.a. (£14,888 - £16,972 for 18.5 hours)

18.5 hours per week - all day Monday and Tuesday, Friday (am or pm - to be discussed at interview)

What is the role

The purpose of this role is to visit all prospective special guardian order of looked after children in Portsmouth. To assess how much, if any, financial support they are eligible for from the Local Authority. You will be collecting sensitive financial information, relevant to the financial assessment process and providing a high-quality welfare rights and benefits advice within the client's home. You will assist with budgeting advice and support in making welfare benefit applications, signposting customers where needed and processing any changes in financial circumstances to ensure accurate rates of payments are made. You will ensure all changes of circumstances are processed in a timely manner to avoid under or overpayments of financial support.

What you'll need to succeed

With proven experience in working within a busy front-line service you will have the ability to form good relationships and provide a first-class service. You will have an understanding of the services provided by Childrens Social Care as well as experience of working within Welfare Benefits with particular knowledge of benefits that may be applicable to families and children with disabilities. In addition, you will have good communication skills both written and verbal with the ability to prioritise and plan your workload.

Application process

Please read the full job profile for further details on the post to ensure your application matches the requirements of the role stated in the 'Who is the Person' section. When completing the application form, please thoroughly tailor your application to the 'Who is the Person' points in the profile with the use of examples from your experience and attach this as a cover letter in the Supporting Documents section. This is important, or you are likely not to be shortlisted.

We are a disability confident employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible and welcome applications from all areas of society.

Closing: 21 May 2025

You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.

Contact Information

Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact [e-mail] or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616800.