Welcome!

Welfare Rights Officer's Forum

Supporting the delivery of welfare rights services in social housing

We support members to deliver welfare benefits advice, assistance and tribunal representation, and to achieve good practice. We also seek to raise matters of mutual concern, on behalf of members, with statutory bodies such as the DWP and local authorities.

Providing a forum for consultation

We offer organisations (e.g. Housing Departments, benefit authorities, Housing Management Services, SFHA etc) a forum for consultations on their proposed changes to policy and practice that may have an impact on the financial lives of people who use our services.

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Membership

Membership is open to persons who provide a welfare rights service in the housing sector ...

• They must provide advice, assistance or representation, without charge to service users
• Membership of the Forum is on an individual basis and as such members’ employers are not bound by what is decided by the Forum.

Membership can also be granted to others.  Anyone wishing to join under this provision must apply to the Forum, either in advance of, or by raising the matter at, a Forum meeting, at which membership can be granted by agreement of at least two thirds of those present.

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