Eligibility Support Officer

Job Description

Job Title: Eligibility Support Officer Salary: £29,253 - £32,736 per annum (pro-rata to hours worked for part time)

Grade: C

Permanent Contract

30 Hours per Week

About the Department

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Thurrock School Admissions and Children's Transport Team. The service works with relevant internal and external stakeholders including parents, operators, schools, headteachers and other local authorities to ensure that school transport support is awarded fairly and correctly, in accordance with legislation and the Thurrock Home to School Transport Policy.

About the Role

The post holder will support in the assessment of eligibility and processing of home to school transport applications, for both mainstream transport and those with special educational needs, as well as supporting the key statutory functions of the service. Key areas will include:

• Supporting in the assessment of eligibility and processing of all transport applications.
• Assisting and advising parents regarding the provision of home to school transport assistance and making robust decisions regarding transport eligibility, correctly evidenced, and aligned to existing policy.
• Dealing with challenging situations around transport eligibility, and to be able to professionally manage any arising conflict, escalating to senior officers where necessary
• Assisting in the production of appeal case papers for home to school transport, ensuring that comprehensive and accurate information is submitted
• Responding to written enquires and fielding telephone enquiries from internal and external stakeholders ensuring that queries are dealt with efficiently and effectively

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for an individual who:

• Can take on a demanding and varied workload.
• Must be able to work under pressure to statutory deadlines, operating in a service that is open to public scrutiny.
• Must have working knowledge of the legal framework affecting home to school travel and transport assistance..
• Has experience of delivering high standards of customer service within a pressurised environment.
• Has previous experience of working in a Council-run Home To School Transport Team would be advantageous.

DBS: A Standard (DBS) check is required

Advert Closing Date

• Redeployment Only: 22nd June 2026
• Internal & External: 5th July 2026

Interview Date: To Be Confirmed

If you wish to discuss this role further, please contact:

Claire Polley - Senior Eligibility Officer

On 01375 652330 or cpolley@thurrock.gov.uk

To view the Job Profile and Person Specification please follow the link below:

Download Job Profile (PDF Document)

About us

Why Thurrock?

Working at Thurrock Council gives you the opportunity to join an organisation that is changing at pace, one where you can make a real difference to the lives of the people we serve.

Thurrock Council is moving towards a new community leadership approach which involves linking with local partners and communities as we shape our improvement for the years ahead.

This is an exciting time to join us, to shape the future success of our changing organisation and to have a positive influence on our borough.

Our location

Thurrock is located on the north bank of the river Thames. Our urban centres are a vibrant mix of established towns and new young communities, with a diverse and growing population of around 160,000 residents.

We are an emerging cultural and arts centre, home to the production centre for the Royal Opera House and the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills. We have excellent retail and leisure opportunities, including Lakeside Shopping Centre, country parks, forests, and marshes.

Thurrock is just half an hour journey away from the centre of London by train and well connected by road.

Staff benefits

We offer lots of staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement and hybrid working. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome.

Further information can be found here Employment benefits | Working for the council | Thurrock Council

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification.

We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do.

For further information about Thurrock Council please visit our website: Thurrock Council