Benefits Officer
About the role / service
Halton Borough Council’s Benefits Division are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic, motivated and conscientious team player to the position of Benefits Officer within the Benefits Team to help deliver a professional service to the residents of Halton.
The Benefits Team pays housing benefit and council tax reduction to over 12,000 residents in the borough and is responsible for the processing of Housing Benefit/Council Tax Reduction applications. This must done in accordance with the regulations and procedures that are in place and they must be completed accurately in a timely manner.
The main purpose of the Benefit officer role is to undertake work concerning Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, and to ensure that the Benefits computer databases is accurately maintained at all times.
Dealing with enquiries from the public and internal departments in a professional manner through different forms of communication; on the telephone, in writing or face-to-face will be part of the daily tasks involved in this role.
The role requires someone who is able to prioritise their work load and meet deadlines, along with having the ability to work well within a team and on your own initiative.
Halton Borough Council is an excellent employer providing a minimum of 25 days annual leave each year and the option to contribute towards a local government pension scheme.
Decision making plays a big part in this role, and therefore you must be able to make decisions in accordance with the policies and procedures that are set out.
About you (the prospective candidate)
You will possess a high level of written and oral communication and interpersonal skills, and have the ability to make decisions.
You will have a good working knowledge and experience of I.T. systems.
You must have a minimum of 3 GCSEs or equivalent at grade c or above which include Maths and English, or demonstrate the appropriate level of skills or experience.
Have experience of using IT productivity tools that include word processors and spreadsheets, and the ability of using internet based services.
Have the ability to communicate in a professional manner, clearly and effectively with members of the public and other organisation in a face to face environment, over the telephone and in writing.
You must also have the ability to work as a team and on your own initiative. You must be able to make decisions in accordance with the policies and procedures that are set.
For an informal discussion about this post, please contact Gary Tootle 0151 511 8781 or Angela Murphy 0151 511 8497.
Interviews will be held on week commencing 30th September 2024.
At Halton Borough Council we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce and a vital part of this is to encourage diversity in all respects. We are committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and tailored to best suit the needs and strength of the individual. This includes making adjustments for people with a disability, neurodiversity or with long-term health conditions. If you require accommodations, please reach out during the recruitment process so that we can make this the best possible experience for you – resourcing@halton.gov.uk