About Us
Meet the Team
We are a small team of hard working individuals committed to combating poverty.
Julia
Julia Service is the Managing Director of Housing Systems. She has 30+ years' experience in the housing sector - starting out as a housing benefit assessor she moved into housing management before becoming a benefits adviser and trainer. She enjoys going to music gigs with her two daughters.
Liam
Liam is our Welfare Benefits Advice and Information Specialist. He worked in a variety of legal and housing roles before moving into benefits advice, firstly with Citizens Advice. He enjoys travelling, reading and going to the theatre.
Jon
Jon Wilkinson is our Welfare Benefits Advisor. He previously worked for 18 years in a variety of advice and supervision roles for Citizens Advice, including Welfare Benefits specialist. He enjoys walking, sailing, board games, and spending time with his family.
Emma
Emma is our Business Administrator and is responsible for the administration of the organisation's finances, which includes updating logins and sending (and chasing!) invoices. She's a busy mum of two young children and works part-time at Housing Systems between the school runs! She likes walking her dogs and horse riding - when she gets the chance. She used to be involved in coaching football and is a black belt at karate.
Doug
Douglas Service is contracted as our Technical Co-ordinator and is always on hand help with any technical issues and co-ordinate our online training, conferences and webinars. In his free time he enjoys travelling around in his campervan and going on long walks.
Jane
Jane Crawford is our Advice and Information Director. She has spent over 20 years dealing with benefits within a variety of roles - ranging from working for the DWP (then Benefits Agency), to a Benefits and Income Adviser for a large Housing Association. She enjoys baking cakes and Zumba (to offset the cakes!).
Ruth
Ruth Billington is our Welfare Benefits Training and Advice Specialist. She has worked in the charity sector for many years both advising on debt and welfare benefits. She has also worked for the DWP. She enjoys camping, travelling and reading.
Kirsty
Kirsty Boys is our Welfare Benefits Adviser and over the last 16 years has worked in a variety of specialist adviser roles within Citizens Advice and as a benefits and financial inclusion officer at a Housing Association. Kirsty has far too many hobbies which include growing vegetables on her allotment, teaching about the benefits of cold water swimming and crochet.
Brydie
Brydie Service is our Creative Designer, she develops visual concepts alongside our trainers that are used in the training we deliver. She also helps design our videos and other publications. Brydie works for Housing Systems part-time to fit in with her disability, when she's not working she enjoys looking after her 30 houseplants.
Jill
Jill Dearden is our Operations Director. Before working at Housing Systems she worked in the voluntary sector mostly in children's educational charities, leaving behind a background in marketing and business in the financial services industry. She is a qualified trainer, and a keen cyclist.
Rachel
Rachel Service is our Research and Development Manager and has been with us since 2010. She has a varied role, that includes making our E-learning courses and online tools, keeping on top of the news and delivering training. When she's not working she enjoys travelling and cooking food from around the world.
Jennifer
Jennifer Smith is our Design and Development Manager. She works with the team to develop ideas and bring them to life. She is involved in editing our website and tools as well as illustrating our E-Learning courses. In her spare time she enjoys crocheting and cooking up a storm in the kitchen.
Janet
Janet Morley works for us as a Trainer. She has a wealth of housing and benefits experience. She is a qualified Housing Manager, and has worked as a benefits adviser both for a large housing association and Macmillan CAB. She enjoys travelling to unusual places.