Job info	Job info details
Job title	Benefits Officer Level 1
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Revenue and Benefits
Business unit	Benefits (Benefits Team A, Benefits Team B or Welfare Team)
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Benefits Team Leader (Benefits Team A, Benefits Team B or Welfare Team)
Accountable to (line manager)	Benefit Manager
Salary grade	E
JE ref	FIN110

1. Key purpose of job

• To correctly and accurately administer claims for local and national benefits and to collect and enforce payment of Council Tax, Business Rates, and Business Improvement District (BID), to ensure that the Council’s income is maximised.
• To follow a robust process incorporating all available recovery options that is focused on maximising the council’s income collection of Council Tax Business Rates, and Housing Benefit Overpayment.
• To respond to Housing Benefits, Council Tax, Council Tax Support, Working Age Council Tax Reduction and other Discretionary payment enquiries on a daily basis by telephone, face to face, web, email, or letter in a professional way that promotes accuracy, clarity, and resolution at the earliest opportunity whilst supporting the organisations service priorities and maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction.
• To engage with customers, landlords, the Department for Work and Pensions, HMRC Valuation Office Agency, and other Council departments to obtain the information required to support the accurate assessment, processing and payment of Council Tax, Housing Benefit, Working Age Council Tax Reduction, Council Tax Support, Business Rates, and Business Improvement District.
• Understand and meet the needs of our customers and identify and signpost customers to relevant information relating to benefits and debt management.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• Council Tax, Business Rate bills, BID invoices, Housing Benefit, Working Age Council Tax Reduction and Council Tax Support claims are processed accurately and efficiently, enabling effective income collection and minimising overpayments, while maximising Department for Work and Pensions subsidy.
• Department for Work and Pensions key standards are met focusing on speed of processing targets for new claims and change of circumstance work, accuracy, fraud prevention and engagement with DWP oversight.
• Council income is maximised through the efficient use of recovery powers and application of appropriate debt collection policies and procedures for Council Tax, Business Rates, Business Improvement Districts, and Housing Benefit overpayments.
• Customer enquiries across the full range of Council Tax, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Business Rates, and Business Improvement Districts are responded to in a clear, concise, and timely manner.
• Council policy is followed when working with customers identified as vulnerable or financially struggling, ensuring the most appropriate solution is found to balance income maximisation with individual circumstances, reducing risk of homelessness and hardship.
• Fraud and error are prevented from entering core systems through adherence to quality assurance standards and accurate processing of claims and billing.
• Housing Benefit processing and collection is undertaken efficiently, accurately, and in accordance with relevant regulations and financial policies.
• The service works collaboratively with external and partner organisations including enforcement agents, government departments, voluntary sector bodies, judiciary, and insolvency services to support income recovery and customer outcomes.
• The service contributes to the reduction of outstanding debt owed to the Council through proactive recovery and customer engagement strategies.
• High-quality customer care is delivered, ensuring customers can resolve multiple debt-related issues through a single point of contact.
• All relevant Council policies related to staff conduct and working practices - including health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, data protection, and information security - are understood and adhered to.
• Services are delivered in a manner that supports and upholds Torbay Council’s core values of being forward thinking, people orientated, and adaptable - always with integrity.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• To accurately assess and award all types of new and existing Housing Benefit, Working Age Council Tax Reduction and Council Tax Support claims in accordance with legislation and guidance, including: 
  • supporting and advising customers to maximise income. 
  • ensuring customers are fully advised of any financial help they may be entitled to. 
  • authenticating supporting documents. 
  • providing appropriate assistance and taking appropriate action, such as signposting to Housing Options Service. 
• identifying and investigating possible fraudulent claims using National Fraud Initiative information, making referrals to the Investigation Team or the Department for Work and Pensions Fraud team as necessary. 
• To accurately identify and calculate refunds on Council Tax accounts. Notifying customers of Housing Benefit overpayments, advising on the most appropriate method of debt recovery, negotiating, scheduling and monitoring customer repayment arrangements, in accordance with guidelines, legislation, local policy and procedures.
• To follow guidelines to advise on complex claims or in relation to vulnerable customers requiring additional support and using discretion in safeguarding procedures where a customer is unable to manage their financial affairs, utilising the visiting team where appropriate discussing and agreeing courses of action for complex cases or those where discretion is required with senior assessors/line managers.
• To accurately maintain Council Tax records to ensure the alignment of Housing Benefit and Council Tax systems and the correct level of payment is made and the appropriate Council Tax exemptions and disregards are applied. Gathering information, including verifying records and challenging customer information and, undertaking further investigations and.
• To assist senior officers, as required, with the completion and return of statistical monitoring information, Housing Benefit Matching System, Housing Benefit Award Accuracy, Housing Benefit Reviews and any other review work associated with the Department for Work and Pensions’ project initiatives.
• To develop and apply up-to-date knowledge of Housing Benefit, Working Age Council Tax Reduction, Council Tax Support legislation and the principles of Data Protection and awareness of landlord and tenant law.
• To prioritise and manage own workload to support achievement of personal, section, team and business objectives and targets. Meeting customer requirements to the highest standard in an effective and timely manner, escalating to Team Leaders as required.
• To assist in the preparation of accounts and cases prior to legal proceedings and attending the Court where required.
• To undertake regular duties, including general administrative and back-office support, appointments and providing advice to other areas of the Council in line with the Council’s Customer Charter.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working conditions, with occasional face to face meetings with customers to undertake risk tiering. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical demands. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Normal resources. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

External: 

• Customers, including Torbay residents and businesses. 
• Government departments and statutory agencies, including Department for Work and Pensions, Job Centre Plus, Social Services, Rent Officer Service His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs Valuation Office Agency, Probation Service, Pension Service. 
• Other public bodies, including other local authorities and Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. 
• Voluntary, community and social enterprises, including Citizens Advice, Age Concern, Brixham Does Care. 
• Internal and external auditors, including Devon Assurance Partnership, Grant Thornton and Bishop Fleming. 
• Council suppliers, such as Civica. 
• Letting agents, property owners, housing associations, supported and other accommodation providers. 

Internal: 

• Other Council departments, including Housing Options, Housing Standards, Planning, Building Control, Environmental Health, Counter Fraud. 
• Senior Leadership Team, Finance Directorate staff, Members. 

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job. 

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children’s Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
• The office location for the post is Tor Hill House but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• The post is eligible for both permanent office and hybrid working.
• You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements.  Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Benefits Officer Level 1
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Revenue and Benefits
Business unit	Benefits (Benefits Team A, Benefits Team B or Welfare Team)

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Ability to undertake a wide range of general administrative duties.
• The ability to develop knowledge of Housing Benefits, Council Tax, Council Tax Support, Working Age Council Tax Reduction and other Discretionary payment legislation through training.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills. 
• Ability to give clear and accurate advice on complex matters.
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships.
• Able to influence and persuade others in a sensitive, professional way, both inside and outside of the
• Ability to manage a full workload.
• Effective time management.
• Ability to manage competing demands.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Ability to interpret and apply legislation/regulations, explain and advise on policies and procedures. 
• Ability to translate complex information and decisions to customers who may be vulnerable, in sensitive or contentious situations or where there is conflict.
• Ability to adapt to new areas of work.

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Advanced knowledge of standard office administrative practices and procedures.
• Awareness of the polices, aims and objectives of the Council.
• Basic knowledge of Data Protection Act 2018. 

Desirable knowledge

• Awareness or knowledge of Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support and Council Tax legislation.
• Awareness of housing and homelessness issues.
• Knowledge of other state benefits.
• Knowledge of CIVICA Open Revenues, W2 and Microsoft Office products. 

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Experience of undertaking a wide range of administrative task, to a high standard.
• Experience of efficiently managing a diverse workload and responding effectively to conflicting deadlines, changing needs and priorities.
• Experience of producing accurate reports, letters, spreadsheets, presentations and other electronic documents.
• Experience of undertaking research and analysing information.
• Experience dealing with sensitive and confidential information. 

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of Electronic Document Image System and Workflow.
• Experience of working in a Revenues and Benefits environment. 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Educated to GCSE standard or equivalent relevant experience.
• Evidence of continued professional development. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• GCSE A-C to include English and Maths. 
• ECDL or similar Microsoft Office qualification. 
• Customer Services NVQ level 2. 
• Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) apprenticeship level 3 qualification. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. 
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties. 
• Ability to accommodate homeworking.