Money Adviser

Portsmouth City Council; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Portsmouth City Council is seeking a Money Adviser to provide proactive, needs-led welfare benefit and debt advice to Portsmouth Homes residents and their households. You will manage a caseload focusing on complex issues to sustain tenancies and build financial resilience.

You will work with Housing Offices and external agencies to ensure high-quality, accessible money advice, including budgeting support and negotiating with creditors where appropriate.

Qualifications

• Excellent working knowledge of welfare benefits and related policies.
• Experience advising on budgeting and prioritising debts.
• Approachable, supportive and non-judgemental demeanor.
• Strong listening, questioning and communication skills.
• Ability to explain complex information clearly and simply.
• Experience negotiating with creditors and professionals.
• Willingness to obtain accreditation with IoMA and DRO Intermediary status.

Responsibilities

• Manage an own caseload of complex welfare, debt, and budgeting cases.
• Assist tenants with mandatory reconsiderations, appeals, Debt Relief Orders and bankruptcy processes.
• Collaborate with Housing Offices to support tenancy sustainment and financial resilience.
• Coordinate with Benefits Teams, Council Tax and DWP to ensure consistent Money Advice.
• Maintain clear, accurate case notes using MS Office tools.

Skills

Welfare benefits knowledge

Budgeting advice

Debt negotiation

Communication skills

Listening skills

Collaboration

Self-motivation

Accreditation readiness

Education

Relevant money advice qualification (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Job description

The Money Adviser role provides a proactive, needs-led service to Portsmouth Homes residents and their households, focusing on complex financial, welfare benefit, and debt issues.

The aim is to help residents sustain their tenancies, improve financial resilience, and complement the support offered by generic Housing Officers.

Money Advisers work collaboratively within Housing Offices and the wider community, offering specialist expertise in welfare benefits, debt management, and budgeting.

You will be required to manage your own caseload, assisting tenants with complex situations requiring specialist intervention, such as mandatory reconsiderations, appeals, Debt Relief Orders, and bankruptcy processes.

Skills

• You must be able to demonstrate a good working knowledge of welfare benefits and local and national policies and legislation regarding Money Debt and Welfare Benefit advice. Preferably with experience of supporting and advocating for customers.
• You should have experience of supporting customers with budgeting advice and advising on priority and non-priority debts, you may hold a relevant qualification, though applications are welcomed from those willing to obtain qualification whilst in post.
• Be approachable, supportive and non-judgemental, and able to foster positive working relationships with customers, colleagues and other professionals.
• Be able to listen well and use effective questioning skills and professional curiosity to understand the root causes of customers problems.
• You should be competent at understanding complex information and relaying this to customers in clear and simple terms, with a focus on the best outcome for the customer.
• You should have strong written and verbal communication skills to enable effective negotiation with creditors or other professionals where appropriate.
• Have experience in developing others, supporting them to perform effectively in their role, with the confidence to reflect with them on the quality of their interactions.
• Be self-motivated with the ability to work without support, and with a willingness to keep your knowledge updated through your own research.
• You should have an awareness of the wider social issues that affect our customers.
• You should hold an awareness of departmental budget constraints and the need to minimise expenditure and ensure that appropriate support is proportionate and timebound.
• Be able to utilise good negotiation and persuasive skills to ensure action plans are met and customers and their households are supported appropriately.
• Be able to work closely with all teams within Portsmouth Homes to ensure tenants with the most complex needs are supported effectively for them to be able to maintain their tenancies.
• You should understand and demonstrate the importance of working collaboratively with Housing Benefit Teams, Council Tax Departments, the Department for Works and Pensions and other Money advice organisations to ensure Money Advice is consistent and in the best interests of the customer.
• You should hold or be prepared to obtain and maintain accreditation with the Institute of Money Advisors, and Debt Relief Order Intermediary status.
• Be competent with using Microsoft Software including Excel, Work and Outlook and be able to use IT systems to keep clear, accurate, concise and methodical records.
• Be flexible as you may be required to work from Area Housing Offices, Community Bases and in customers homes. You may also be required to carry out visits outside of normal working hours.
• You should hold a current Full UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle.