Work for us

Encircle Housing provides high quality specialist supported housing specifically designed to meet the need of the individual, relating to learning disability, mental health conditions, acquired brain injury, physical or sensory disability, or a diagnosed long-term condition, such as dementia.

We believe that everyone has the right to feel safe and secure in their own home. We ensure tenants achieve this and more, by providing them with high quality housing with support provided by our partner care providers.

We work closely with our new and existing tenants, their families and support agencies to gain a full understanding of their individual needs and housing requirements.

Our values

• We are approachable and passionate about everything we do.
• We are honest and respectful, and open about everything we do and say.
• We are committed to helping our tenants find a personalised housing option.
• We understand people’s housing needs and we do our best to help people achieve
  their goals.

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Income team as an Income Recovery Officer. The role is responsible for delivering a wide range of duties focused on maximising income streams and reducing debt. The post holder will ensure that financial activities are proactive, with staff and stakeholders fully engaged in achieving this objective.

The role

An Income Recovery Officer at Encircle Housing plays a vital role in safeguarding the organisation’s financial sustainability by ensuring the effective and proactive recovery of income. The postholder will be responsible for managing former tenant arrears and tenant recharges, using a customer-focused yet firm approach to maximise recovery rates while maintaining positive relationships. This includes early intervention, tailored repayment arrangements, and the appropriate use of enforcement action where deemed necessary, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

In addition, the role focuses on maximising income opportunities across the business by supporting tenants to access all available financial support. This includes assisting eligible tenants to secure Severely Mentally Impaired (SMI) Council Tax discounts and ensuring Council Tax exemptions are applied to void properties promptly to minimise costs. The postholder will also take a proactive approach to utilities management, particularly water rates, by ensuring tenants are on the correct social tariffs where applicable. Through these activities, the Income Recovery Officer will contribute to delivering demonstrable value for money, supporting both tenants’ financial wellbeing and Encircle Housing’s overall financial performance.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Assist the Income Team by checking the housing system for Housing Benefit claims and liaise with the Council Housing Benefit Department regarding housing benefit notifications that should have been received and any queries
• To manage cases of complex debts including low level tenant arrears, former tenant arrears, council tax exemptions and rechargeable debts. By contacting debtors by all lines of communication and in line with our policies and procedures. You will be managing your case load with minimal supervision using your skills, knowledge and experience to provide quality case management
• Assist in minimising overheads by assessing and challenging utility costs
• Assist in updating the system on a weekly basis, with new service users, movers and leavers, including any adjustments for working and overpayments.
• You will contribute towards developing and implementing arrears and other collection policies and strategies for dealing with debtors and be responsible for meeting KPI’s
• Develop effective working relationships with other teams to promote income maximisation and compliance of our rental arrears
• Ensure that customer information is input and maintained carefully using the in-house systems by monitoring progress of payments and housing benefit claims
• To assist with the monitoring and collection of recharge invoices
• Provide information to callers ensuring that they understand any actions they may need to take and the consequences for not engaging
• In accordance with the complaint’s procedure, deal promptly with complaints, including those from residents effectively. Resolve, where possible, any issues raised or escalate to management
• Assist with the banking process when required
• Handle customers personal information maintaining the highest level of confidentiality in accordance with GDPR regulations
• To undertake any other reasonable duties which may be identified by the Head of Housing and Income Manager to support the needs of the business

You should have excellent standards of customer care and be able to demonstrate a real empathy with tenants with complex care and support needs.