Benefit Assessment and Fairer Charging Officer

REFERENCE: MNAJV050

LOCATION: Stafford, Staffordshire

JOB TITLE: Benefit Assessment and Fairer Charging Officer

SALARY: Grade E GBP19,939 - GBP22,434 per annum

BENEFITS: Flexi-hours scheme and access to a local government pension

WORKING HOURS: 37 hours per week

THE COMPANY: Our client is a shared council service, who services the Cannock Chase and Stafford boroughs. As a shared service they are committed to achieving excellence in the processing of Housing Benefit, Local Council Tax Reduction claims and assessing the charge for domiciliary (including residential and nursing homes) care packages. Due to this they are currently looking to recruit a Benefit Assessment and Fairer Charging Officer to join their team.

THE ROLE: The opportunity has arisen for a Benefit Assessment and Fairer Charging Officer. You will be based primarily in Stafford but will be required to work at various locations within the Cannock Chase and Stafford borough areas, including customers' homes.

Benefit Assessment and Fairer Charging Officer Job Purpose:-

• To deal promptly and efficiently with applications for Housing and/or Local Council Tax Support (inc applications for Council Tax Benefit)
• To undertake financial assessments to determine how much new and existing service users will pay towards their care and support services.
• To provide advice/help and/or support to service users in relation to benefits and the assessment related issues and assist in the completion of claim forms and reconsiderations.

THE CANDIDATE: You will need the ability to communicate with a wide range of people to obtain specific, detailed and accurate information, as well as dealing with face to face and telephone enquiries in an efficient, polite and sensitive manner.
You should be able to plan and organise your own workload without supervision and often under pressure in order to meet deadlines and be able to adopt a systematic approach in the completion and processing of all types of claims.
You will also have the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English.

Essential criteria:

• GCSE's Grade C or above (including Mathematics and English) or equivalent academic or vocational experience
• Knowledge of Housing Benefit and Local Council Tax Reduction legislation and guidance
• Experience of carrying out financial assessments for welfare claims

Desirable criteria

• Driving licence and own transport
• Previous experience of working in local authority benefits administration and/or financial assessment service

To apply for the Benefit Assessment and Fairer Charging Officer vacancy in Stafford, Staffordshire please hit the apply now button.

You will then be sent to an online questionnaire, please fill in the details. Upon completion of this we will then direct you to an application form to complete for the next steps of the recruitment process.