Income Maximisation and Recovery Officer

Elmbridge Borough Council; Esher; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Elmbridge Borough Council is seeking an Income Maximisation and Recovery Officer to join the Private Rented Sector and Temporary Accommodation Team in Esher. This newly created permanent role focuses on helping residents maximise their income, sustain accommodation and reduce rent arrears.

You will work closely with Housing Officers, Housing Benefit teams, the Department for Work and Pensions and other partners to address financial difficulties while ensuring effective income management for

Qualifications

• Experience in housing, welfare benefits, debt recovery, or financial inclusion work.
• Ability to communicate confidently with residents and partner agencies.

Responsibilities

• Help residents maximise income and sustain accommodation.
• Reduce rent arrears by supporting residents and income collection activities.
• Collaborate with Housing Officers, Housing Benefit teams, and the DWP.
• Influence service development and establish effective processes and ways of working.
• Manage a varied workload with a pragmatic approach to problem solving.
• Contribute to homelessness prevention by improving residents' financial circumstances.

Skills

Housing experience

Welfare benefits

Debt recovery

Income collection

Communication with residents

Job description

Income Maximisation and Recovery Officer

Employer:

Elmbridge Borough Council

Location:

Elmbridge Borough Council, Civic Centre, High Street, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9SD

Contract:

Permanent

Working Pattern:

Full Time

Hours:

36 hours per week.

DBS Check:

Yes

Closing Date:

30/11/2026 at 09:00

Reference:

SER/26/349541

Are you passionate about helping people sustain their accommodation and improve their financial circumstances?

Do you have experience working with welfare benefits, rent recovery or supporting vulnerable households?

Are you looking for a role where you can help shape a developing area of service delivery?

This is a new role within the Private Rented Sector and Temporary Accommodation Team, focused on helping residents maximise their income, sustain their accommodation and reduce rent arrears. Working closely with Housing Officers, Housing Benefit teams, the Department for Work and Pensions and other partners, you will support residents to address financial difficulties while helping the Council manage temporary accommodation income effectively.

As a newly created post, this role offers an opportunity to influence how the service develops. We are looking for someone who can bring practical ideas, identify improvements and help establish effective processes and ways of working. You will have the chance to shape the approach from an early stage and contribute to the longer-term development of this area of work.

This role would suit someone with experience in housing, welfare benefits, debt recovery, income collection or financial inclusion work. You will be able to communicate confidently with residents and partner agencies, manage a varied workload and take a pragmatic approach to problem solving.

This is an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to homelessness prevention by helping residents improve their financial circumstances and sustain suitable accommodation.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Sherone Lee, Private Rented Sector and Temporary Accommodation [e-mail] .

About us

• Flexibility: We understand the importance of work-life balance and offer a hybrid working approach to support you.
• Wellbeing: When you thrive, Elmbridge thrives. We offer a strong and varied wellbeing programme for our employees.
• The package: Including an excellent pension, discounts with local businesses, free employee parking at the Civic Centre, your birthday off, and time off between Christmas and New Year without needing to use annual leave.

Join us and help develop a new function within Housing Solutions, supporting residents to maintain their accommodation and achieve better housing outcomes.

Closing date: 9am on Monday 30 November 2026.

Elmbridge Borough Council - Working for Equality. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. If you require any adjustments to be able to engage in the recruitment process for this role, please let us know by emailing [e-mail]