JOB TITLE: Disabled Facilities Grant Support Officer
DEPARTMENT: Strategic Housing (Private Sector Housing)
POST NUMBER: 1967
GRADE: Scale 3
DURATION OF ROLE: Full time HOURS: 37 hours per week
ACCOUNTABLE TO: Housing OT – Private Sector Housing.
LOCATION: City Offices and hybrid working from home (first three weeks at the City Offices)
POST OBJECTIVE: To contribute to the delivery of the councils Disabled Facilities Grant service to ensure that residents can safely remain in their homes without the need to move, ensuring our most vulnerable residents are safeguarded.
The post holder will assist the Private Sector Housing Team with the day-to-day operational delivery of Disabled Facilities Grant administration for the provision of both mandatory and discretionary grants.
All work will be carried out in accordance with statutory requirements as well as council policy and procedures.
SPECIFIC TASKS:
- Refer to Winchester City Council’s DFG Policy to administer DFGs and other discretionary grants.
- Acknowledge receipt of DFG referrals and recommendations from Occupational Therapists and record on the relevant systems.
- Ensure all relevant information is provided in the Occupational Therapy referral.
- Keep any relevant spreadsheets up to date and create records for each referral.
- To visit clients in their homes to complete the formal application as well as other paperwork including proof of income and benefits, and to explain the grant conditions to the applicant.
JOB DESCRIPTION
- To support residents in applying for and securing charity funding towards the cost of adaptations to their homes.
- To provide advice to residents on benefit maximization. This can include assistance with applications for attendance allowance or to ensure the applicants are on the correct benefits.
- To provide advice on Energy Efficiency and the Warmer Homes Programme.
- To carry out means testing to determine client contribution using the government approved FERRET software.
- To liaise with applicants and other parties throughout the application process to ensure they are kept fully informed of progress.
- Maintain accurate electronic records at all stages of the application process.
- Provide data and information to the Senior Private Sector Housing Officer when required for the reporting of performance monitoring.
- To provide assistance when required for any statistical reports needed for monitoring and freedom of information requests.
- Undertake other duties as may reasonably be expected and required within the general scope of the role.
In addition, the post holder will be required to: 1. Comply with the council’s safeguarding Policy. 2. Comply with the council's Equal Opportunities Policy. 3. Comply with the Code of Conduct and other relevant policy, procedures and legislation. 4. Comply with and/or ensure compliance with the Council's Data Protection Policies and the General Data Protection Regulations and other relevant legislation.
Health and Safety Every employee while at work has a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work - Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Equality
Winchester City Council bases its employment practices on the concept of equal opportunity. As an equal opportunity employer the Council opposes all forms of discrimination or unfair treatment on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, colour, nationality, national origin, ethnic origin, religious belief, sexual orientation, disability or June 2025 June 2025 age. No employee or job applicant will be disadvantaged by any condition or requirement which cannot be shown to be justifiable.
Safeguarding
Winchester City Council has a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation. No job description can be entirely comprehensive, and the post holder will be expected to carry out such duties as may be required that are broadly consistent with the job description and the status of the post within the organisation.
Personal Specification
- Previous experience of working in a customer focused environment.
- Previous experience in the administration of Disabled Facilities Grants.
- Previous experience of working with vulnerable clients and their varied needs.
- Previous experience of working with different disabilities to ensure all clients have fair access to the service.
- Educated to GCSE level in Maths and English.
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- Ability to communicate information well to a range of individuals often with complex needs.
- Ability to deal with people at all levels, both internals and externally, using a variety of communication methods.
- Ability to work under pressure to plan, prioritise and time manage competing demands to ensure targets are met.
- Ability to handle complaints calmly and effectively and deal with difficult and confrontational customers.
- Ability to be structured, logical and objective when approaching work.
- Good numeracy skills and ability to carry out simple mathematical analysis.
- Computer literate. Competent in Microsoft systems, Excel and spreadsheets.
- Knowledge of the Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 as well as DFG processes.
- Knowledge of DWP administered benefits, and others.
- Ability to communicate information well to a range of individuals often with complex needs.
- Ability to deal with people at all levels, both internals and externally, using a variety of communication methods.
- Ability to work under pressure to plan, prioritise and time manage competing demands to ensure targets are met.
- Ability to handle complaints calmly and effectively and deal with difficult and confrontational customers.
- Ability to be structured, logical and objective when approaching work.
- Good numeracy skills and ability to carry out simple mathematical analysis.
- Computer literate. Competent in Microsoft systems, Excel and spreadsheets.
- Knowledge of the Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 as well as DFG processes.
- Knowledge of DWP administered benefits, and others.
- Able to meet the travel requirements of the post.
- Commitment to customer care and service users.
- Full valid UK Driving Licence.
