We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

The salary range for this permanent position is £30,647 to £32,867 per annum based on a 36-hour working week. The base for this role is our Millmead Office in Guildford.

Our Offer to You

26 days’ holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years’ service
Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
A generous local government salary related pension
Up to 5 days of carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

We are excited to be hiring an Enabling Independence Worker role to join our fantastic Move to Independence team to be based in the West of Surrey.

Move to Independence (MTI) is a moderate to low level supported housing initiative managed by Surrey County Council and supported by housing providers across Surrey. The aim is to accommodate people with primarily mental health issues who require this level of support who have local housing connections. The aim is that people live in the accommodation for up to 2 years, and the person is supported to move onto fully independent accommodation (a place to call home).

MTI provides support to individuals to maximise their potential by promoting recovery and social inclusion to support people to be part of their local communities. Underpinning the service philosophy is a strength-based approach with outcomes focus from the Care Act to promote recovery.

About the Team

Our supportive team works collaboratively to help individuals achieve independent living. This is an exciting time to join the team. The Move to Independence Team is expanding to cover other areas within Surrey and provide more accommodation to service users who need it the most. You will be part of this development and contribute to its growth and success. We are proud of our excellent team culture as we actively encourage collaborative working, sharing ideas, experience, and knowledge. We are also strong supporters of career development through training and supervision.

About the role

An average day for an EIT worker will consist of attending home visits to meet service users in their home and support them to achieve the goals they have identified. This could include supporting people with public transport, shopping, accessing community-based activities, budget management to name a few.

The role will require driving within the area that you cover to attend visits. Verbal and written communication with various agencies is a core part of what we do to support people to access the wider community, and this will be with statutory and voluntary sector services. Support workers are expected to write up daily notes for each person they visit using the relevant Surrey systems (training is provided). Support workers manage their diaries.

If successful in being offered the position you will be expected to partake in an on-call rota.

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

Experience and understanding of working with people who have mental health/learning disabilities/ASD and or substance misuse needs.
An understanding of social care services and community services regarding mental health needs
Ability to demonstrate a basic understanding of the strengths-based recovery model.
Ability to work on own initiative or under direction of others.

To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 4 questions:

What is your understanding of the challenges people may face when experiencing mental health difficulties or substance misuse issues, and how do you think you could support someone in that situation?
What is your understanding of the social care and community services available to support people with mental health needs?
Describe a situation where your communication and organisational skills were essential to achieving a positive outcome.
Describe a time when you supported someone who was facing a difficult situation and explain what you did to help them and what you learned from the experience.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

Contact Details

For an informal discussion please contact Mandy Grime e-mail at mandy.grime@surreycc.gov.uk or Michelle Dunbar email at michelle.dunbar@surreycc.gov.uk

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 19/05/2026 with interviews planned to follow.

An enhanced DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children’s and Adults’ Barred List checks will be required for this role.

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and social care workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area.

Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.

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