Guidance

LA Welfare Direct lite 11/2021

Updated 20 December 2021

© Crown copyright 2021

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Contact

Queries about the:

  • technical content of this bulletin, contact details are given at the end of each article
  • general content and distribution of this bulletin, contact lawelfare.correspondence@dwp.gov.uk

Who should read

All Housing Benefit (HB) staff

Action

For information

Secondment opportunity in Housing Policy Division

1. An exciting opportunity has arisen for a local authority (LA) secondee to join the Housing Policy Division (HPD). HPD is responsible for the maintenance and development of policy for Housing Benefit (HB) and housing support within Universal Credit (UC). Our work involves developing, designing and implementing new policy initiatives as well as existing policies.

2. The successful secondee will work on a mixture of high-profile policy areas, including understanding how to improve the quality and value for money from housing support expenditure, as well as working with LAs to understand what is working in particular geographical areas.

3. This role will give excellent exposure to high-profile policy making and contact with senior civil servants and ministers at both DWP and across other government departments. It involves working at pace and will give the secondee the opportunity to help formulate policy and shape future housing strategy.

Personal requirements

4. Candidates should possess the following:

  • good drafting and communication skills
  • ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with LAs and other stakeholders
  • ability to work with people at different levels in the organisation and to work as part of a team to achieve results
  • ability to deliver work at pace and with successful, quantifiable outcomes

5. Desirable knowledge possessed by the candidate could include:

  • homelessness
  • rent guarantee schemes
  • housing supply strategy
  • planning
  • LA funding
  • Housing Benefit

6. The secondment is offered for an initial period of 3 months which will be extended by a further 6 months if all parties (the individual, their LA and DWP) are happy to do so. This is a hybrid working role. The individual will work from home up to 80% of time with a minimum of 20% of time spent in one of our policy ‘hubs’ (Sheffield, Leeds, London).

7. Neither travelling expenses nor a move at public expense can be considered.

8. If you are keen to undertake this role and are at SO1/SO2/PO1/PO2 (roughly equates to Civil Service HEO/SEO grades) please:

  • check with your LA that you could be released; and then
  • send your CV and/or express your interest to joanne.hawkins1@dwp.gov.uk before the closing date on 30th November 2021
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