About The Role
North Northamptonshire Council is recruiting within our Revenue and Benefits team for multiple experienced Benefits Officers. Do you want to make a difference to support the local community? The Revenues and Benefits Service is undergoing an exciting restructure, creating multiple opportunities to join the team as a Benefit Officer.
Responsibilities
As a Benefit Advisor you will be responsible for establishing eligibility for housing benefit and council tax support, ensuring correct entitlement is awarded and housing benefit subsidy.
We are seeking an enthusiastic, dedicated team player who is able to demonstrate a commitment to providing a high quality customer service, with patience and a flexible approach. You will deal with all aspects of Housing benefit and Council Tax Support, from advising the public on the benefits scheme to the decision making on benefit awards and payment of benefit.
The ability to work under pressure and often to tight deadlines will be an essential part of your daily routine as you will be dealing with sensitive and contentious situations in a busy environment.
What will you be doing?
* Receiving applications for Housing Benefit and Council tax support and determine eligibility
* Request documentation to support claims
* Ensuring correct entitlement is awarded in accordance with legislation
* Processing claims accurately to support Housing Benefit subsidy requirements
* Maintain and keep accurate records
* Resolving and responding to customer queries and provide advice
* Proactively identifying false claims
* Issue invoices
* Recovery of Housing Benefit Overpayments
Managing all aspects of casework from initial enquiry through to decision-making and award/payment of benefits
About You
You will require:
* English and Maths GCSE Grade C or above
* Good IT skills
* 2 years experience of assessing claims for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support
* Demonstrate and ability to understand government legislation and the ability to keep up to date with changes
* Good verbal and written communication
* Negotiation skills
* Work well under pressure and deadlines
* Good attention to detail
* Able to work on own initiative
* Able to use discretion and judgement
* Able to demonstrate awareness and understanding of equal opportunities
Benefits
Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we’re transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people. You’ll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think!
Why choose us?
* A competitive salary
* A pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
* Lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
* Generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
* Hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.
We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.
About Us
* Our Values Define Who We Are And How We Operate, By Forming The Foundation For How We Interact With Our Customers, Colleagues And Provide Our Services. They Are Also At The Forefront Of Our Decision Making And Delivery And Are
Customer-focused
Respectful
Efficient
Supportive
Trustworthy
Disability Confident Employer
We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and is committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.
Our Employment and Disability Service provides bespoke support to individuals facing barriers to employment, helping them work towards their goals to start, stay and succeed in employment. For further information please click here The Employment and Disability Service (EADS) | North Northamptonshire Council
Armed Forces Community
The council obtained the Gold status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).
Further information can be found at Jobs and careers | North Northamptonshire Council (northnorthants.gov.uk)
Attached documents
* Benefits Officer JD PS.pdf
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