Income Collections – Apprenticeship

About the role

Role Summary

• Working with Income colleagues and under the direction of the Area Income Manager you will play a key role in providing an effective income management service for Town and Country Housing.
• The apprenticeship will provide you with a structured learning path to gain practical experience across various administrative functions while building essential skills in organisation, communication, and rent account management. Under the guidance of experienced team members, you will assist with day-to-day administrative tasks, case management, and contribute to the overall productivity of the Income Team.

Salary:

£23,205 per annum

Hours of Work:

35

Contract:

Permanent

Probation Period:

Six months

Notice Period:

One month

Who are we?

We provide more than 13,000 homes across Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Over the years we have invested heavily in our homes and continue to do so as part of the Peabody Group. We promote hybrid working and have more than 300 employees based in various locations across our operating area.

Meet your Manager

"I have worked in social housing for 15 years and have had various roles. As the Income Area Manager, I am responsible for a team of Income Managers who provide a great service to our customers, and who work closely with other teams to achieve positive outcomes.
In my spare time I enjoy reading a good book, doing crafts and spending time with friends and family."

Natasha Stanley-Andrews, Income Area Manager

What will you be doing?

Role Specific Responsibilities

During your apprenticeship you will

• Dedicate at least 20% of your working hours to training or studying by attend training sessions, workshops, and meetings to gain essential knowledge in the field.
• Participate in off and on-the-job training to apply your learning in real-world scenarios, enhancing your practical skills and understanding.
• Complete assignments, assessments, and coursework to fulfil the programmes requirements.
• Engage in 1:1 sessions and performance reviews, providing valuable insights for personal growth and skill development.
• Receive mentoring and support from experienced professionals, offering guidance to help you succeed.
• Have opportunities for career development within the company, exploring potential growth and advancement.
• Complete a final end point assessment to demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and competence at the end of your apprenticeship. If you have not yet achieved a Level 2 in Functional Skills in math’s and English (or equivalent, such as GCSEs at grades A-C/9-4), you will also be required to complete these qualifications during your apprenticeship.

• Manage a portfolio of cases which will include former tenant arrears, former tenant credit cases and non-rent debts.
• Issue former tenant credit refunds, collect former tenant debts promptly, support the successful ending of tenancies and recommend debt and credit write offs as required.
• Maintain the housing management computer systems, ensuring that all arrears’ actions and contact with customers are recorded accurately and appropriately.
• Regularly monitor accounts, initiating appropriate action where necessary and applying a consistent approach to arrears management by complying with the arrears policy and procedure.
• Provide advice and information to tenants/customers by telephone, letter or in person.
• Carry out interviews with tenants/customers and establish and monitor repayment agreements.
• Respond to queries and arrange appropriate repayment agreements.
• Identify cases that require legal action in accordance with policy and procedures and assist in applying for and enforcing money judgements.
• Identify potential blockages to delivering an excellent standard of service and making or recommending changes to remove any problems.
• Produce accurate, well-presented documents/reports with recommendations as required.
• Learn and maintain a good understanding of Government policies, regulations, and procedures and relevant legislation.
• Share information with colleagues and other departments to ensure continuity of service.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support the delivery of an excellent service.
• Understand and appreciate the wider context for the work of the department/team and liaise with other departments/teams to ensure that the businesses objectives are optimised.

General

• To adhere to the equal opportunities policy and to actively promote equality of opportunity wherever possible.
• Recognise, respect, and promote the different roles and diversity of the individuals within the business.
• To actively contribute towards key performance indicators and professional standards.
• Work in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Law and be responsible for the integrity of personal information you process. This may include identifying anomalies in data and investigating and correcting them where appropriate. Ensure you attend training on data protection regularly.
• To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and relevant EC directives.
• To take responsibility for your own development and professionalism, ensuring that you keep up to date with new developments and continuously expand and build on your knowledge.
• Attend and participate in training and other meetings and staff events as required.
• Be an effective member of your team, presenting a positive impression of your section and the business.
• This job description is a guide to the nature of the work required. It is not comprehensive, and it is expected that other duties will be undertaken as this role develops and as may be reasonably expected.

About You

Education & Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE standard or equivalent.
• Level 2 qualifications, including Maths and English (equivalent to 5 GCSEs).
• Strong communication skills and proficiency in MS Office and Outlook.
• High attention to detail with a problem-solving approach.
• Ability to work flexibly, under pressure, and meet tight deadlines.
• Understanding of GDPR requirements and commitment to confidentiality.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Clear, effective written and oral communication skills.
• High level of IT literacy including knowledge of Word and Excel.
• Ability to adapt and respond to work in a pressurised environment.
• Ability to work without direct supervision and organise own workload.
• Determination to provide excellent customer service.

Behaviours

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for apprenticeship funding you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You must have been a resident in the UK, or EEA, Switzerland, or Gibraltar if you are an EEA national with pre-settled status in the EUSS, for at least the previous three years (you will be asked to provide evidence of this)
• You must not hold a qualification at the same level or higher in the same subject
• You will need to be 18 or older at the start of the apprenticeship

If you are unsure whether you meet the eligibility criteria please contact recruitment@tch.org.uk and one of the team will be happy to discuss your application with you.

• Committed to delivering excellent results and customer service with a positive, flexible approach.
• An organised, hardworking team player with a “can-do” attitude.
• Willing to learn task prioritisation in a fast-paced setting.
• Passionate about learning and achieving great results for all customers.
• A strong communicator who takes ownership of issues and seeks timely solutions.
• Enthusiastic about Apprenticeships and dedicated to ongoing professional growth.
• To work in a flexible manner in order to support the team.

Why Choose Us

• Contributory pension scheme 4% to 10% matched contributions
• Hybrid working
• Free onsite car parking
• Life assurance of 4x annual salary (Terms and Conditions apply)
• 30 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays
• Two volunteer days per year
• Employee assistance programme (24/7 telephone advice, information portal & face to face counselling sessions)
• Corporate eye care scheme providing free eye tests and free VDU glasses or contribution towards VDU glasses
• Extensive annual Staff Wellbeing programme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave provision
• Flexible annual benefits (for dental, healthcare, shopping vouchers, technology etc.)
• Annual flu vaccinations
• Access to an extensive range of corporate discounts on shopping, travel & days out
• Social events, including lunchtime walking, rounders, festive Fridays
• Travel loan

Our Values

Our culture is about the shared values, beliefs and behaviours that determine how we do things, then the ways and systems of working that help to get those things done.

Our new values, principles and behaviours will put customers at the heart and provide the foundation for the culture of the new organisation. Only by delivering a cohesive and customer-focused culture will we be able to achieve our purpose and priorites.

We have taken an inclusive and collaborative approach to developing the following values, working together with colleagues, customers and the Board:

Equal Opportunities Statement

TCH is an equal opportunities employer committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity or paternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, or caring responsibilities.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join TCH.

We are recognised as a ‘Disability Confident Committed Employer’. As part of this commitment, individuals who disclose at application stage that they have a disability, will be invited to interview provided they demonstrate that they meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy. Candidates will be asked if they require any support or reasonable adjustments to enable them to fully participate in the recruitment process.

Apply

Internal Applications

Please send a letter clearly demonstrating how your skills and experience meet the criteria contained on the job description and person specification to the HR inbox.

For internal staff only: Please note, if you're currently on legacy TCH, Rosebery, InTouch, Family Mosaic etc Terms and Conditions and are successful in your application, you will automatically be transferred to the new Peabody Terms and Conditions.

Additionally, if you move to a TCH role on a secondment basis, your Terms and Conditions will not change.

If you have any questions, or require further clarification, please speak to HR.

External Applications

Please complete our online application form by clicking the Apply button below. We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward, so we strongly encourage early applications.

Please note: As an employer, Town & Country Housing does not provide sponsorship as a licensed UK employer.

Key dates

Applications Close:

Monday, 15 September 2025

Interview Date:

Friday, 19 September 2025