About The Gatehouse and OWNS:
The Gatehouse and Oxford Winter Night Shelter (OWNS) are working in partnership to provide support for adults experiencing homelessness or who are vulnerably housed in Oxford.
Both organisations provide welcoming, trauma-informed environments where people can access practical support, community and opportunities to move towards greater stability and independence. This project has been developed to strengthen access to employment, training, volunteering and financial resilience opportunities for people who may otherwise face significant barriers to engaging with these pathways.
Staff receive a 5% pension contribution, cashback healthcare scheme and other benefits.
Job Purpose:
The Money Advice Worker will provide specialist support to people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity who are facing financial difficulties, debt, benefit-related challenges or problems managing their income.
The role will focus on helping guests improve their financial resilience through practical advice, advocacy and support. This may include budgeting, debt management, income maximisation, accessing benefits, dealing with arrears, negotiating with creditors and helping individuals understand and manage their finances more effectively.
Working across both The Gatehouse and The Living Room, the postholder will build trusting relationships with guests, helping them overcome barriers that place them at risk of homelessness or prevent them from moving forward.
The Money Advice Worker will form part of The Gatehouse's established Casework Team and work closely with colleagues, volunteers and external agencies to improve financial stability and reduce homelessness caused by poverty, debt and financial exclusion.
This is a rewarding role that enables people to take greater control of their finances and build the foundations for a more stable future.
Key Responsibilities
Money Advice and Financial Inclusion
- Provide one-to-one support to guests experiencing financial difficulties
- Carry out assessments of income, expenditure, debts and financial circumstances.
- Support guests with budgeting and money management skills.
- Help individuals maximise income by securing access to benefits and other financial support.
- Assist guests to understand entitlement to welfare benefits and support schemes.
- Support guests to address debt issues, arrears and financial crises.
- Help guests communicate with utility providers, landlords, creditors and other agencies.
- Provide practical assistance with letters, forms, applications and telephone calls.
- Support guests to obtain identification documents, bank accounts and other financial essentials.
Homelessness Prevention
- Work with guests whose financial circumstances place them at risk of homelessness
- Support people to sustain accommodation by improving financial stability and managing housing-related debts.
- Help guests understand and address the financial barriers preventing them from obtaining or maintaining accommodation.
- Work alongside other Caseworkers to provide holistic support that addresses wider issues affecting financial wellbeing.
Partnership Working
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with specialist debt, welfare and financial inclusion services.
- Liaise with external agencies and refer guests to specialist services when appropriate.
- Work collaboratively with The Gatehouse Casework Team, OWNS staff and volunteers.
- Advocate on behalf of guests where necessary to improve financial outcomes.
Monitoring, Recording and Evaluation
- Maintain accurate and confidential records in line with GDPR requirements.
- Record outputs, outcomes and progress using organisational systems.
- Gather case studies and evidence demonstrating project impact
- Contribute to monitoring, evaluation and reporting activities required by funders.
General Responsibilities
- Deliver services using ethical, trauma-informed and person-centred approaches.
- Follow safeguarding procedures and work closely with the Safeguarding Lead and Casework Manager.
- Participate in supervision, team meetings and training.
- Contribute to service development and continuous improvement.
- Undertake any other duties reasonably required by the Casework Manager.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
- Experience of providing money advice, welfare benefits advice, debt advice, financial inclusion support or related guidance.
- Good understanding of welfare benefits and the financial challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness or poverty.
- Experience of supporting individuals facing complex financial difficulties.
- Ability to explain financial information clearly and sensitively.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to build trusting relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.
- Ability to work independently and manage a varied workload.
- Experience of maintaining accurate and confidential records.
- Ability to collect and record outcomes and case studies demonstrating impact. Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Commitment to delivering services using ethical and trauma-informed approaches.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience of working within homelessness, housing or community support services. Knowledge of debt management and creditor negotiation
- Understanding of housing-related financial issues, including rent arrears and tenancy sustainment.
- Knowledge of local support services across Oxfordshire.
- Experience of advocacy work.
- Experience of supporting people facing multiple and complex disadvantages.
- Training in welfare rights, money advice or debt advice.
- Experience of delivering workshops or financial capability sessions.
Pay: £14.06 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Health & wellbeing programme
Work Location: In person
