Westmorland and Furness Council

Salary: £29,777 - £30,296

Hours: 37 hours per week

Location(s): Barrow, Kendal, Penrith, Remote/Hybrid

Contract: Permanent

About this opportunity

Westmorland and Furness Council is seeking to recruit 3 x Senior Benefit Officers to work within the Benefits Team. This is an exciting opportunity to become part of Westmorland and Furness Council’s Revenues and Benefits service. 

The Benefits team provides a vital service for its residents, where support is given to those on the lowest income with Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims. You should have previous experience of administering and processing all types of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims, in accordance with Regulations and the Councils procedures and policies. You will undertake more complex cases that will require a more detailed understanding of relevant service processes and compliance, regulations, and legislation in all aspects of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, including supported accommodation, self-employed, students and Persons from Abroad assessments. You should be an excellent team player with good communication skills and able to respond to enquiries in a polite and professional way. Remote/hybrid working will be considered for the right candidate.

What are we looking for in a Senior Benefit Officer?

• Have experience of working in a local authority Benefits Team
• Possess and maintain a working knowledge of Housing Benefit Regulations and other welfare benefits and an ability to comply with those Regulations
• Be educated to GCSE or equivalent or extensive experience of working in a Benefits environment
• Have an excellent working knowledge of a Revenues & Benefit System
• Have excellent communication skills with a range of different audiences.
• Be able to work on your own initiative
• Experience in resolving complex benefits cases
• Have the ability to provide technical advice and guidance to customers, colleagues, and external organisations, in the most appropriate way
• A flare for working with systems and well-developed ICT skills, with an ability to learn new systems quickly
• A proven ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines with high levels of accuracy
• Proven ability to be accurate, detailed and professional in approach to work
• Proven ability to deliver high standards and good customer service
• Proven ability to analyse and respond to requests and understanding when to escalate a case
• Proven ability in decision making with minimum supervision
• Proven ability to work in an agile way.

What can we offer you!

• Excellent training and development offers
• Flexible working opportunities
• Opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Boost your pension with Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributions (facilitated by AVC Wise)
• Various perks and discounts schemes, including money off your phone contract and local gyms
• Competitive rates of pay
• A 12-month digital trial (from 1 June 2024) of a new scheme that allows free workplace car parking for employees in all Westmorland and Furness Council owned car parks between Monday to Friday.

DBS

This role requires a basic DBS check.

Application and Interview information

Closing date: 18 July 2024

Interview date: w/c 29 July 2024

We are currently operating both in-person and virtual interviews. Options will be discussed with candidates once they have been invited to the interview stage of the process for this specific position, and if you have any concerns or adjustments are needed, we are happy to discuss.

If you are invited to a virtual interview, this will preferably be undertaken using the Microsoft Teams software, which is currently free for new users, however if there are any issues with accessing this technology, we are happy to discuss alternative arrangements prior to the interviews.

Safer Recruitment

At Westmorland and Furness Council we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all employees, volunteers and the Externally Provided Workforce (EPWs) to share this commitment.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

Please read the Supporting Information:

Post Specification

Role Profile