Skip to main content

This job has expired

Benefit Assessor

Employer
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Location
Council House/home working
Salary
£20,493 - £30,451 per annum
Closing date
7 Aug 2022
Reference
SOL000004770

Job Details

Hours:
37.0 Hours per Week

Band C/D - £20,493 to £30,451 per annum. 

Candidates can be appointed at Band C or Band D level. Incremental progression between bands is dependent on experience, performance and undertaking the additional specified criteria of the Band D role.

We are looking for experienced Benefits Assessors with a passion for delivering high quality customer service and with a detailed knowledge of Benefit legislation to join our Benefits team at Solihull Council.

You will be responsible for:

  • Processing new and change of circumstances claims for Council Tax Reduction and Housing Benefit
  • Dealing with queries and requests raised by members of the public by telephone, email or letter
  • Liaising with other sections, departments and outside bodies e.g. Department for Work and Pension, Landlords and Housing Associations.
  • Undertaking report checking and analysis.
  • Updating office procedures and training members of staff within the Division.
  • Producing high quality, accurate work to agreed performance levels and meeting agreed service standards

37.0 Hours per Week

This is a career graded post and applicants can be appointed at a grade C or D dependant on their level of existing experience. At Band D level, your responsibilities will also include:

  • Assisting in the investigation and collation of information for complex complaints and MP Enquiries.
  • Making appropriate revisions and decisions on reconsiderations in relation to Housing Benefit & Council Tax Reduction entitlement.
  • Assisting with the implementation of new legislation and budget announcements, reading Government guidance, making recommendations what to test, developing test plans, carrying out the testing and reporting any issues.
  • Assisting with staff development and training and carrying out accuracy checking where appropriate.
  • Assisting with the preparation of data for subsidy, subsidy workbooks and audits.
  • Reviewing, analysing and making decisions on Specified and Supported Exempt Accommodation of all types.

To join our team, you will need GCSE's Maths and English grades A*-C or 4-9 (or equivalent Level 2 qualifications) or be able to demonstrate an equivalent level of numeracy and literacy skills.

Great communication skills and accuracy and attention to detail are also essential.

As an employee Solihull Council offers you:

  • A friendly working environment with a range of flexible and agile working options including flexi leave up to 24 days per year. The role will be on a hybrid basis and include a combination of office and home-based working.
  • Generous annual leave entitlements
  • Family and carer friendly policies
  • Opportunities for training and development
  • Access to our Employee Assistance Programme – a 24 hour independent, free and confidential advice and support service
  • Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme
  • Employee benefits including a staff discount card

We are currently implementing our Smarter Ways of Working strategy, as we recognise that work is what you do and not necessarily where you go. For this role that may include a combination of home and office based working.

If you enjoy a high paced working environment, have a passion for delivering high quality customer service and have the expertise and skills within a Benefits environment that we are looking for then we would love to hear from you.

To apply, please click on the link below.

For more information please contact Debbie Oakes, Benefits Manager, for an informal discussion on 0121 704 6557.

Interview Date:  17th August 2022

The Fluency Duty is outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers. The Fluency Duty for this role is Required .

This post requires the following Disclosure and Barring check: DBS standard .

Solihull Council is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

Solihull Council has a responsibility for, and a commitment to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Supporting documents
Job Description & Person Specification

Company

We've implemented a new system from Monday 4th March which will improve your candidate experience!

There is more information on the WMJobs candidate help page WMJobs Help!

About Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

Solihull

Solihull is regarded as a popular and vibrant place to live in the UK. As one of the most prosperous towns in the Midlands, almost two thirds of our borough is designated as green belt. We have over 1,500 acres of parks across the borough, with 16 Green Flag Awards. Solihull is very well connected, with great transport links such as the M40, M42 and M6 all close by, and an excellent rail network, plus, of course, an international airport. We are home to the award-winning Touchwood Shopping Centre, National Exhibition Centre, Resorts World Birmingham, and the Resorts World Arena.

It is an exciting time for Solihull, although we are a relatively small local authority (c. 6000 employees), we still have ambitious plans including the development of UK Central and HS2.

Here at Solihull Council, we want to ensure that all our citizens have an equal chance to share in Solihull’s success. We do this by putting our customers at the heart of everything we do.

We recognise that our employees are the key factor in achieving our vision and as such, we are always on the lookout for talented individuals, who want to make a real positive difference to people’s lives and can help us to continue building on our success.

Both Smarter Ways of Working and Employee Wellbeing are key Council Priorities.

The transition to Smarter Ways of Working has presented us with the opportunity to re-think how and where we work. With the option to access portable technology, dependent upon the requirements of the role, a lot of our people are not bound to a single workplace or traditional ways of working, with many choosing to spend a good proportion of their week working from home.

tomOur people told us that they value flexibility, and that choice enables them to have a better work-life balance, manage family responsibilities, enhance their personal wellbeing, and continue to deliver excellent outcomes for the residents of Solihull.

Our people are our number one asset, and our aim is to have a healthy, happy engaged and thriving workforce.

Wellbeing is at the heart of our employee offer and we are a bronze accredited West Midlands Combined Authority Thrive at Work employer.  This recognises our commitment and action in support of employee wellbeing; we are currently working towards silver accreditation.

Unpaid carers carry out a key role within our community and know that this can be challenging when combined with employment.  Our Carer’s Policy and the ongoing support we give to our employees has resulted in us winning Employer of the Year 2022 at the Carer Friendly Awards.

We will offer you:

  • A friendly, supportive and inclusive working environment;
  • Competitive salaries including, for those at the top of their scale, the opportunity to receive a non-consolidated lump sum;
  • A range of flexible working options;
  • Annual leave starting at 25 days and rising to 30 days after 5 years' service in addition to public holidays with an opportunity to purchase up to 10 additional days' holiday per year;
  • A generous flexitime scheme (available for most roles);
  • Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme;
  • A wide range of learning and development opportunities;
  • A range of family friendly policies;
  • Employee benefits including subsidised travel passes, Cycle 2 Work Scheme, confidential Employee Assistance Programme and staff discounts.

Solihull Council is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer.  We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees – a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

As users of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who demonstrate they meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

Solihull Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

For roles eligible for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check this will be indicated in the advert and supporting recruitment documents.  Where the post involves working with children, other vulnerable groups or in a position of trust it is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.  Further guidance is available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/945449/rehabilitation-of-offenders-guidance.pdf

Please note, where sufficient numbers of applications are received, we reserve the right to close a vacancy before the advertised closing date. We therefore advise that you submit your application as soon as possible.

Solihull New Logo

Facebook Logo [square]Twitter LogoLinked In Logo

Company info
Website
Telephone
0121 704 6000
Location
Council House
Manor Square
Solihull
West Midlands
B91 3QB
United Kingdom

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalised job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert