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Dear Applicant

RE:Benefits OfficerPost Ref:

Thank you for your interest in the above post. Please find enclosed in this application pack the following documents:

  • Job Description
  • Person Specification
  • Structure Chart
  • Service Overview

Application Form:

The application form plays a key part in our selection process. We use the information you provide to shortlist for interview.

You are urged to ensure that all the information contained in your application is relevant and that you demonstrate how you meet the criteria on the person specification. Please use the person specification for guidance when filling in the application form.

References: If successful at interview, Ipswich Borough Council will seek to obtain two employment references. Wherever possible the name of your first referee must be from current employment/education and the second from either current or former employment/education. If you cannot provide an “employment” reference please contact the HR Team at Ipswich Borough Council for further assistance.

If you have any recruitment queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01473 433402. Please leave your name, number and brief details of your question and a member of the recruitment team will call you back.

Shared Revenues Partnership

Job Description: J90b

Benefit Officer

Main Purpose of Job

To assess, calculate and afford Housing Benefit, Council Tax benefit and Council Tax Reduction, within the Shared Revenue Partnership reporting to the Shared Services Team Leader - Benefits

Main Duties

  1. Evaluate entitlement, including complex cases, to Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Council Tax Reduction schemes and maintaining those claims. Must be able to understand, interpret, retain and apply an in depth knowledge of the relevant Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Council Tax Reduction legislation and regulations. Identifying and indicating within a claim that it may be fraudulent and referring suspected fraud as appropriate.
  2. Affording benefit payments and monitoring benefit records to ensure interface with other systems, both manually and by computer, and reconciliation of benefit awards. Ensuring all claims meet verification standards, ensure confidentiality and data protection.
  1. Determining and calculating overpayment of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, using computer systems and manual calculations applying underlying entitlement where appropriate. Determining classification of overpayments, ensuring all overpayments are coded correctly for subsidy purposes and determining whether they are recoverable or not. Where an overpayment is defined as recoverable, deciding whom to recover from, and determining the most suitable method of recovery. Ensuring that the correct notifications and enclosures are sent detailing the overpayments. Recommending whether to recover recoverable overpayments. Providing advice to overpayment and recovery officers.
  1. Evaluating the nature of tenancies to refer rents to VOA for market rents decision. Determine the nature and various components of rent payments to establish the eligible and non-eligible elements and identifying general counselling and support cases. Deciding where reference to Specialist Advice is necessary.
  1. Applying an in depth knowledge of all related welfare benefits and housing legislation. Accessinternal and externalsystems to retrieve/verify claim dataensuringsecurity criteria are met.
  1. Making decisions or recommendations within policy on such areas as rent restrictions, discretionary housing payments, backdating, service charges, reconsiderations etc. Determining the effect of the results of these decisions on the subsidy and the individuals involved. Having consideration for the need for accuracy and the substantial financial and other consequences, in the event of a Benefits Officer making an error in assessment.
  1. Undertaking on the job training of new and inexperienced colleagues on a one to one basis. Providing benefits advice to Benefits Assistants and Customer Services Assistants when requested. Advising customers, landlords and external organisations about benefit entitlement by telephone and written correspondence.
  1. Such variations as may be required from time to time without changing the general character of the duties shown above or the level of responsibility entailed.

/ PERSON SPECIFICATION
Benefit Officer
ATTRIBUTES / ESSENTIAL / DESIRABLE / METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Knowledge/Qualifications / 5 GCSE’s including Maths and English grades A-C or NVQ 3 qualification demonstrating Literacy and Numeracy skills and two years’ experience in a similar role or related field.
Up to date knowledge of Housing / Council tax Benefit Regulations and Legislation
Demonstrating Data Protection Act knowledge / Relevant Benefits Qualification
Basic knowledge of Revenues legislation and knowledge of other welfare benefits / Certificates / Application form
Work related experience, skills and competencies / Experience of working in a similar role
Experience of solving complex numerical calculations, including determining and calculating overpayments
Experience of recovering overpayments
Experience of Performance Managed culture, working to personal and team targets
Experience of using R&B software systems
Experience of working through change
Experience of contribution to service improvement and process re-engineering / Application Form/Interview
Personal skills / Ability to investigate and interpret complex benefit cases
Computer skills: databases; word processing, email
Demonstrate strong customer focus approach
Ability to communicate with people of all levels, external organisations and members of the public
Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a Team
Can organise / prioritise own workload and meet deadlines
Ability to approach work flexibly with a can-do attitude / Application Form/Interview
Special working conditions / A basic disclosure from Disclosure Scotland is required for this post.

Ipswich Borough Council

Shared Revenues Partnership

(SRP)

The Shared Revenues Partnership was formed in April 2011 to provide Revenue and Benefit services for Babergh District, Ipswich Borough and Mid Suffolk District Councils.

Revenues and Benefits services include the billing and collection of Council Tax and Business Rates, the calculation of discounts and reductions, granting of exemptions, the calculation and award of Housing Benefit on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions and the administration of the Local Council Tax Reduction scheme.

Based at Grafton House, SRP staff have accommodation and support services provided by Ipswich Borough Council although our operating costs are funded by the partnership authorities. Whilst there have been synergies from forming the partnership, each authorities identity has been maintained and our customers still transact with their local council.