Appeals Officer - Housing Benefit - AR

Job Title

Temporary Appeals Officer - Housing Benefit (Specified Accommodation)

PO2

Temporary - up to 3 months

The role will cease once identified Housing Benefit Specified Accommodation appeals have been prepared and submitted to Tribunal.

Purpose of the Role

To provide short term, specialist capacity to review, prepare, and submit Housing Benefit Specified Accommodation appeal cases, with a particular focus on supported and exempt accommodation. The postholder will ensure appeals are legally sound, compliant with statutory requirements, and appropriately coordinated with Legal Services, supporting the orderly reduction and exit from the current appeals backlog.

Scope of the Temporary Role

The temporary resource will be required to:

• Review and triage existing supported and exempt accommodation appeals, identifying cases suitable for revision, withdrawal, or progression to Tribunal.
• Prepare and submit Tribunal documentation, including Statements of Case, written submissions, evidence schedules, and appeal bundles, ensuring they meet Tribunal standards and statutory timescales.
• Coordinate with Legal Services on lead case and test case strategy, ensuring consistency of legal argument and approach across appeals.
• Ensure statutory compliance and defensible decision records, including clear application of Housing Benefit Regulations, DWP guidance, and relevant Upper Tribunal caselaw.
• Support the orderly exit from the current appeals backlog, prioritising cases by risk, age, and strategic importance.

This role is expressly time limited (up to 3 months) and will conclude once the identified appeals have been prepared and submitted to the Tribunal Service.

Key Responsibilities Appeals and Legal Casework

• Manage a defined caseload of Housing Benefit Specified Accommodation appeals, including exempt accommodation cases.
• Review disputed decisions to determine whether revision or supersession is appropriate prior to appeal submission.
• Produce robust, well reasoned appeal submissions capable of being defended at First tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber).
• Represent the Council at Tribunal hearings where required, including oral hearings.
• Apply and interpret Housing Benefit Regulations, DWP Circulars, and Upper Tribunal caselaw, particularly relating to specified and exempt accommodation.

Specified Accommodation Expertise

• Assess whether accommodation meets the statutory definition of Specified Accommodation, including:
  • Status and nature of the landlord/provider
  • Whether care, support, or supervision is provided
  • Distinction between support and general housing management
• Examine rent levels, eligible service charges, and restriction decisions, including Rent Officer considerations.
• Address complex issues such as liability to pay rent, contrived tenancies, and commerciality.

Decision Quality and Compliance

• Ensure decision making and appeal documentation is legally compliant, auditable, and defensible.
• Maintain accurate and complete electronic records on benefits systems (e.g. Civica D360).
• Identify learning points or systemic issues arising from appeals and feed back to operational teams where appropriate.

Stakeholder and Liaison Work

• Liaise effectively with Legal Services, HB processing teams, Quality Assurance, and Housing colleagues.
• Engage professionally with claimants, landlords, support providers, welfare rights advisers, and Tribunal staff.

Knowledge and Experience Essential

• Substantial experience of Housing Benefit administration, including appeal or dispute resolution work.
• Strong working knowledge of Specified and exempt accommodation within Housing Benefit.
• Proven experience of preparing Tribunal submissions and managing appeal cases to statutory deadlines.
• Ability to interpret and apply complex legislation and caselaw.

Desirable

• Experience of First tier Tribunal representation.
• Knowledge of supported housing providers, CICs, charities, and registered providers.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to produce legally robust submissions.
• Strong analytical and case management skills.
• Ability to work independently and at pace to clear defined backlogs.
• Professional judgement, attention to detail, and commitment to fairness and accuracy.