Benefits Assessment Officer

Job Title: Benefit Assessment Officer

Location: Working from Home or Hybrid at Corby or Kettering offices.

Rate of Pay: Negotiable

Working Hours: Monday to Friday - 37 hours

Type: Temporary role until Oct 24

Opus People Solutions are working with North Northamptonshire Council to recruit for two Benefit Assessment Officers, to administer the Housing and Council Tax Benefit Scheme in accordance with Legislation and Council Policy.

Main Responsibilities:

Benefit Administration

• Processes and maintains all types of Benefit Claims received using the Document Imaging Processing System.
• Deals with Rent Officer referrals and Pre-Tenancy Determinations.
• Identifies cases where discretion is required to be exercised and refers to the Senior Benefit Assistant for a decision.
• Identifies cases where there is suspicion of fraud and refers such cases to the Fraud section for action.
• Calculates amount of weekly benefit savings and notifies Benefit Enquiry Officer of result.
• Issues and instigates Interventions.
• To undertake monitoring of benefit transactions in accordance with legislation.
• To report to the Benefits Manager with the results of monitoring exercises using computer technology.
• Monitor performance in order to complete returns to government agencies relating to performance.
• Keeping up to date with legislation.
• Ensure Benefit claims are assessed accurately to ensure subsidy is maximised for residents of the Borough.

Overpayments

• Identifies and categorises overpayments.
• Determines the most appropriate method of recovery for overpayments and initiates recovery mechanism, e.g., from on-going entitlement, by sundry debt, through the Council Tax account.
• Identifies cases where recovery of the overpayment is inappropriate and refers to the Senior Benefits Officer or Appeals and Overpayment Officer for a decision.

General

• Liaise with creditors section to facilitate direct payment for landlords and claimants by cheque or BACS.
• Operates office machinery.
• Complies with all Council Policies with particular reference to the Health & Safety, Equal Opportunity and Communication Policies.
• Undertakes any other duties with the scope and grade of this post.

For more information or to process your application for this role, please apply online now.