Crisis Payment Officer

We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced individual to join our team as a crisis fund officer, where the role will be focusing on the distribution of the Crisis Payments to residents across Surrey. This role will be essential in delivering a vital fund that will benefit many residents who are struggling with financial hardship. The role will provide timely support of applications in conjunction with the wider crisis payment team to distribute the household support fund to residents. Part of this support will be assessing the application for welfare provision and making a decision on whether the application should be approved and awarding a monetary value in the form of an e-voucher. As a Crisis Payment Officer, you will be responsible for assessing applications in a timely fashion, delivering at pace recommendations and speaking with residents on a daily basis to unblock any potential issues with an application. You'll do this by:

• Assess applications for the Crisis Payment Scheme.
• Ensure timely and fair distribution of financial aid to residents in risk of financial hardship.
• Maintain accurate records of applications, decisions, and outcomes.
• Ensure all activity aligns with DWP guidance and local grant conditions
• Contribute to regular monitoring and reporting to demonstrate impact and ensure transparency.
• Provide empathetic, non-judgmental support to residents in distress.
• Signpost to other services where appropriate to prevent going into crisis.
The role has exciting and large impact on residents with the opportunities to impact lives on a daily basis.


• Strong decision-making skills with a practical, solutions-focused mindset
• Excellent time management and ability to prioritise effectively
• Proficient in IT with a proven ability to quickly learn new systems
• Confident communicator with strong interpersonal and customer service skills
• Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and remains calm under pressure, If you are passionate about building strong partnerships and making a difference in the community, we would love to hear from you.
  
  The starting salary for this role is £34,660 per annum, based on a 36 hour working week. This is a Fixed Term Contract up until 31st March 2029.
We are excited to be hiring a Crisis Payment Officer to join our fantastic new Community Service. We support hybrid working with the right balance. We come together in person for 2 days per week on average (40% of the working week) and support working from home arrangements. The team works flexibly across Surrey County Council officers but currently are primarily based in Dakota, Weybridge. Office however, post Vesting Day, this base will change to Victoria Gate in Woking. Our Offer to You
• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service (pro-rated for part time opportunities)
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents
About the Service The Communities Service at Surrey County Council is committed to fostering vibrant and resilient communities where everyone can flourish. We aim to strengthen the feeling of community across Surrey, so that more people are participating, engaging and living a healthy and fulfilled life. To help ensure no one is left behind. Our focus is on empowering communities, so people feel connected, and confident they have a say over the places in which they live and the services they use.