Disabled Facilities Grant DFG Case Officer

JOB TITLE: Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) Case Officer

DEPARTMENT: Strategic Housing (Private Sector Housing)

POST NUMBER: 1839

GRADE: Scale 4

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Housing OT – Private Sector Housing.

LOCATION: City Offices, home working and site visits

POST OBJECTIVE: To support housing services, and the Private Sector Housing Occupational Therapist (OT) to undertake the council’s statutory duty to deliver both simple and complex, DFGs through home adaptations. To assist with the assessment, processing and implementation of DFGs to maximise the independence and safety of residents across private sector and registered social housing tenures.

SPECIFIC TASKS:

• To provide advice to customers on the scope and nature of the Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) process and potential outcomes.
• Ensure all grants approved are necessary and appropriate as well as reasonable and practicable, in line with the requirements of the Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.
• Carry out site visits for DFGs, with other partner agencies where appropriate, prepare schedules of works, and manage and monitor the process of the DFG from allocation through to completion of the works.
• To liaise with clients through all communication methods including home visits across the whole Winchester district to determine applicants’ eligibility for DFGs and relevant financial assistance in accordance with policy and legislative requirements.
• Process DFG applications ensuring all relevant supporting information to process applications is thoroughly checked, complete and ready for approval.
• To case manage and keep all applicants fully informed on the progress of their application and adaptation request, liaising with OTs, partner agencies and contractors where necessary.
• Collect and record appropriate documentation for DFG grant applications and keep detailed statistical and financial records of grants issued on Uniform /SharePoint and Financials.
• To ensure timely payments are made to contractors selected to install disabled adaptations under the terms of the Disabled Facilities Grant.
• To carry out Land Registry searches and update the database.
• To attend operational meetings as required and to deputise when required.
• To attend training and development sessions to keep updated in the field of Disabled Facilities Grants, housing issues and relevant legislation.
• To play an active role in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults wherever concerns are raised and / or identified, and to refer relevant concerns to the council’s safeguarding lead for appropriate action.
• To provide high levels of customer service for our residents, staff, managers and external partners, so that they are made to feel warm, welcome, wanted and cared for.
• Support the team in any policy reviews and audit.

In addition, the post holder will be required to: 1. Comply with the council’s safeguarding Policy. 2. Comply with the council's Equal Opportunities Policy. 3. Comply with the Code of Conduct and other relevant policy, procedures and legislation. 4. Comply with and/or ensure compliance with the Council's Data Protection Policies and the General Data Protection Regulations and other relevant legislation.

Health and Safety Every employee while at work has a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work – Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Equality

Winchester City Council bases its employment practices on the concept of equal opportunity. As an equal opportunity employer the Council opposes all forms of discrimination or unfair treatment on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, colour, nationality, national origin, ethnic origin, religious belief, sexual orientation, disability or June 2025 June 2025 age. No employee or job applicant will be disadvantaged by any condition or requirement which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

Safeguarding

Winchester City Council has a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation. No job description can be entirely comprehensive, and the post holder will be expected to carry out such duties as may be required that are broadly consistent with the job description and the status of the post within the organisation.

Personal Specification

• Experience of DFG / similar case work within a community setting.
• Experience of working within a housing or related field.
• Experience of working with older people and people with disabilities
• Knowledge of basic building construction and defects
• Fully conversant in the Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996
• A minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade A-C or 4-9 inclusive of English and maths, or equivalent.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to deal with people at all levels, both internally and externally, using a variety of communication methods.
• Time management: ability to manage a varied case load and ensure that targets are met.
• Good numeracy skills and ability to carry out simple mathematical tasks.
• Computer literate.
• Able to work under pressure.
• Able to use your own initiative
• Appreciation of client’s diverse needs and circumstances.
• Full valid UK Driving Licence and access to the use of a vehicle.
• Committed to customer care and service user involvement.