Income Maximisation Officer

Help Residents Sustain Their Tenancies and Maximise Income Collection

Are you an experienced housing professional with a passion for helping residents maintain their homes while delivering excellent income collection performance? Do you have the skills to build positive relationships, identify solutions and support residents through financial challenges?

Hillingdon Council is seeking an Income Maximisation Officer to join our Homes and Neighbourhoods Service. This is a rewarding role where you will play a key part in supporting residents, preventing tenancy failure and maximising rental income that helps fund essential housing services.

Managing your own caseload, you will take a proactive and preventative approach to rent collection, working with tenants at the earliest opportunity to provide advice, support and practical solutions that promote successful and sustainable tenancies.

As an Income Maximisation Officer, you will be responsible for managing rent accounts and supporting the collection of rental income across the Council's housing stock.

Working closely with residents, internal teams and external partners, you will help prevent arrears from escalating, support vulnerable tenants and ensure appropriate recovery action is taken when required.

You will:

• Manage a caseload of rent accounts, identifying and responding to arrears at the earliest opportunity.
• Promote a strong payment culture and support residents to meet their tenancy responsibilities.
• Negotiate and monitor realistic repayment plans tailored to individual circumstances.
• Support residents to maximise household income through benefit advice and referrals.
• Work closely with Welfare Benefits Officers, the Department for Work and Pensions and other partners to support successful benefit claims.
• Monitor tenants transitioning to Universal Credit and help minimise the risk of rent arrears.
• Identify vulnerable households and coordinate support through tenancy sustainment and specialist support services.
• Undertake proactive interventions to prevent tenancy failure and homelessness.
• Progress rent recovery cases through all stages of the collection process, ensuring compliance with legislation, policies and procedures.
• Attend case conferences, review meetings and multi-agency discussions where required.
• Maintain accurate records, case notes and performance information using housing management systems.
• Work collaboratively with Housing Management, Adult Social Care, Children's Services and external agencies to achieve positive outcomes for residents.

About You

We're looking for a customer-focused and resilient individual with experience of housing income management, rent recovery or a related housing environment.

You will have:

• Experience of managing rent arrears, income recovery or tenancy-related casework.
• Knowledge of housing management, welfare benefits and income collection practices.
• An understanding of Universal Credit and its impact on social housing tenants.
• Experience supporting vulnerable residents and working with partner agencies.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills.
• The ability to manage a varied caseload and prioritise competing demands.
• Good analytical skills and the ability to assess risk and identify appropriate interventions.
• Experience maintaining accurate case records and performance information.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving and service improvement.
• A commitment to delivering excellent customer service and putting residents first.

Experience within a social housing or local authority environment would be particularly advantageous.

Why Join Hillingdon?

At Hillingdon, we believe successful income management is about much more than rent collection. It's about helping residents sustain their tenancies, access the support they need and maintain stable homes.

You'll join a service committed to early intervention, prevention and customer-focused solutions, working alongside dedicated colleagues who are passionate about making a positive difference.

In return, we offer:

• A rewarding role with a direct impact on residents and communities.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment.
• Flexible working arrangements where service needs allow.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Access to a range of employee wellbeing and benefits programmes.

Join Us

If you're passionate about helping residents maintain their tenancies, maximising income collection and delivering excellent housing services, we'd love to hear from you.

Join Hillingdon Council and help us support residents, strengthen communities and continue putting residents first.