Debt Specialist (Family Support Service) at Lambeth New Career Site

London, England, United Kingdom -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

28 Sep, 26

Salary

45852.0

Posted On

30 Jun, 26

Experience

2 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Debt Advice, Welfare Rights, Financial Inclusion, Creditor Negotiation, Income Maximisation, Problem Solving, Communication, Collaborative Working, Case Management, Risk Assessment

Industry

Government Administration

Description

Debt Specialist (Family Support Service) Full time/Fixed term – Secondment for 12 months PO1: £43,308pa rising in annual increments to £45,852pa incl. LW About Us: Located in the heart of South London, Lambeth Borough is a vibrant community of over 317,600 residents. Stretching from the dynamic neighbourhood of Streatham in the South to the iconic landmarks of Waterloo in the North, we are proud to be the 9th largest borough in London. Our diversity is our strength, with more than 130 languages spoken, making Lambeth the home of the Windrush generation, London's largest LGBTQ+ community, and a thriving Portuguese-speaking community. It is an exciting time to join Lambeth Council, we have bold ambitions for the future of Lambeth’s communities and residents through our Lambeth 2030 Plan ‘Our Future, Our Lambeth. [https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/better-fairer-lambeth/projects/lambeth-2030-our-future-our-lambeth] With exceptional schools, lush green spaces including Brockwell Park, cultural gems like the Black Cultural Archives, and world-renowned institutions such as St Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth offers an enriching and dynamic environment. Please have a look at our dedicated One Lambeth Values and Behaviours page. [https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/jobs-skills/careers-lambeth-council/lambeths-behaviours] About the Team: The Families First Team (FFT) is an innovative, multi-agency pilot at the front door of children’s services, designed to help families earlier, make better decisions faster, and prevent unnecessary escalation into statutory intervention. Operating as a time-limited, 10-working-day assessment and brief intervention model, FFT brings together social care professionals and embedded specialists to rapidly understand risk, need and family context, and take purposeful action. This is a small, high-impact, multidisciplinary team working alongside the Initial Response Hub/MASH. Our approach is: * Child-centred and safeguarding-led * Evidence-informed and analytically robust * Multi-agency from day one Following a time-limited assessment and brief intervention, the team will support clear, confident decisions to: * Step families down to early help or community support * Close cases where needs are met * Escalate appropriately where risks require statutory intervention FFT is a focused, action-oriented service designed to reduce drift, improve family experience, and strengthen decision-making at the earliest point. This is a 12-month pilot with strong senior sponsorship and real opportunity to shape system change, working at the heart of front-door transformation. About the Role: Financial stress is a major driver of family instability. You can help change that. Join Families First Team as our Debt Specialist, providing rapid, targeted financial stabilisation during the 10-day assessment and brief intervention window. What you will do * Complete rapid debt triage and stabilisation plans. * Negotiate with creditors, address rent arrears, and maximise income. * Bring experience of working with vulnerable families or children and help stabilise financial crises contributing to family stress. * Work alongside social workers and other specialists to tackle root causes early. What we are looking for * Experience in debt advice, welfare rights, or financial inclusion. * Strong communication and problem-solving skills. * Ability to work quickly and collaboratively. How to Apply: To be considered for interview, your CV and supporting statement will clearly evidence how you meet the shortlisting criteria on the personal specification marked “A” for application: JD and Person Specification [https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2026-06/Debt Specialist — Families First Team (FFT) Lambeth JD.pdf] We operate an anonymised application process, so be sure to remove personal details when uploading your CV or personal statement. Advert closing date: 11:59pm on 14th of July 2026 Please click here to view: Lambeth Staff Benefits [https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-11/Staff Benefits.pdf] Successful candidates will be asked to apply for an Enhanced Certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Further information about the DBS can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/dbs [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/dbs&data=04|01|SBridgit@lambeth.gov.uk|b68acb6252eb4d873b8b08d941fc8e99|c4f22780485f4507af4a60a971d6f7fe|0|0|637613375243465355|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0=|1000&sdata=XBPg6pRPw3Bzw2k8iMquvPBzrcaqRTAHBJh+Y/SrsqE=&reserved=0] You will be required to undertake a Cifas check. Further information about Cifas can be found here Cifas [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.cifas.org.uk/about-cifas/what-is-cifas&data=05|02|MWilliams6@lambeth.gov.uk|c7e358722ea44836119e08de1c520a1f|c4f22780485f4507af4a60a971d6f7fe|0|0|638979335849571942|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ==|0|||&sdata=mSkV5fzN3k/XEm81l1V9pq2jPU4c96EltSodWMctFxs=&reserved=0] Contact Information: For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Manyara Walker, MWalker1@lambeth.gov.uk. At Lambeth, we are dedicated to providing quality services and equal opportunities for all. We are committed to safer recruitment and are proud to be a Stonewall diversity champion, a Living Wage Employer, and to guarantee interviews for all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role. For a full list of our accreditations, please click here [https://beta.lambeth.gov.uk/about-council/lambeth-council-accreditations].

Responsibilities

Provide rapid debt triage and financial stabilisation plans for vulnerable families during a 10-day assessment window. Negotiate with creditors and address rent arrears to reduce family stress and instability.