Council Tax & Housing Benefits Officer
Summary: The Council Tax & Housing Benefits Officer role involves providing expert customer service and support regarding Council Tax and Housing Benefits. The position requires handling inquiries, processing applications, and maintaining accurate records while ensuring compliance with council procedures. The role is hybrid, requiring in-office presence two days a week, and is full-time for a 3-month contract with potential for extension.
Key Responsibilities:
- Handle a high volume of telephone and customer enquiries relating to Council Tax, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support.
- Provide clear, accurate and professional advice on benefit entitlement, council tax accounts and payment arrangements.
- Negotiate and agree payment plans with customers in accordance with council procedures.
- Maintain accurate customer records and update accounts using council systems.
- Process applications, correspondence, discounts, exemptions, direct debits, refunds and account changes.
- Support residents in using online services and digital platforms such as MyAccount.
- Liaise with internal departments and external organisations to resolve customer enquiries efficiently.
- Manage sensitive and potentially challenging customer situations with empathy, professionalism and resilience.
Key Skills:
- Working knowledge of Council Tax and/or Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support legislation.
- Essential software knowledge of Northgate/NEC/Iworld.
- Working knowledge of a document imaging system.
- Minimum one year's experience within a customer service or service delivery environment.
- Proven ability to resolve customer enquiries by telephone.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to remain calm and professional when handling difficult or distressed customers.
- Experience using Microsoft Office, CRM systems and other ICT applications.
Salary: £27.33 Hourly Umbrella
City: Ealing
Country: UK
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: inside IR35
Seniority Level: undetermined
Industry: Other
Detailed Description From Employer:
Job Title: Council Tax & Housing Benefits Officer
Location: Ealing, W5 2HL - Hybrid working (2 days Office, Tuesdays & Wednesdays)
Hourly rate 20.96 PAYE/27.33 Umbrella per hour
Contract Length: 3-month contract (possibility of extension)
Working Pattern: Full Time, Monday - Friday, 35 hours
ASAP Start
We are looking for a Council Tax & Housing Benefit Customer Service Officer to join our Customer & Transactional Services team. In this customer-focused role, you will be the first point of contact for residents, providing expert advice and support on Council Tax, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support enquiries. You will play a key role in helping customers understand their accounts, manage payments, access benefits and utilise online services.
Key Responsibilities
- Handle a high volume of telephone and customer enquiries relating to Council Tax, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support.
- Provide clear, accurate and professional advice on benefit entitlement, council tax accounts and payment arrangements.
- Negotiate and agree payment plans with customers in accordance with council procedures.
- Maintain accurate customer records and update accounts using council systems.
- Process applications, correspondence, discounts, exemptions, direct debits, refunds and account changes.
- Support residents in using online services and digital platforms such as MyAccount.
- Liaise with internal departments and external organisations to resolve customer enquiries efficiently.
- Manage sensitive and potentially challenging customer situations with empathy, professionalism and resilience.
About You
You will be a confident communicator with strong customer service skills and experience working within Council Tax, Housing Benefits and a local government environment.
Essential Requirements
- Working knowledge of Council Tax and/or Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support legislation.
- Essential software knowledge of Northgate/NEC/Iworld.
- Working knowledge of a document imaging system
- Minimum one year's experience within a customer service or service delivery environment.
- Proven ability to resolve customer enquiries by telephone.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to remain calm and professional when handling difficult or distressed customers.
- Experience using Microsoft Office, CRM systems and other ICT applications.
Adecco acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. The Adecco Group UK & Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
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