Job Description

Job Introduction

Senior Benefits Assessor

Full Time /Permanent

Salary: Grade 7 (31,537 - 34,434)

Agile Working (Dudley Town Centre/Home)

Are you an experienced Benefits professional looking to take the next step in your career?

We're looking for a highly motivated and compassionate Senior Benefits Assessor to join our team and play a key role in delivering a high-quality Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction service to our residents.

As a Senior Benefits Assessor, you will use your extensive knowledge of Benefit legislation to assess complex cases accurately and efficiently, authorise discretionary awards, and support colleagues through guidance and training. You will help ensure that residents receive the financial support they are entitled to, while protecting public funds and maintaining the highest standards of integrity and customer care.

Key Responsibilities

Assess and process complex Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims, applying legislation and local policy with accuracy and efficiency. Authorise and recommend Discretionary Awards, ensuring fairness, consistency, and compliance with policy. Provide training, guidance, and mentoring to colleagues to promote learning, consistency, and professional development across the team. Analyse complex situations, identify appropriate actions, and make informed, evidence-based decisions. Respond professionally and empathetically to customer, partner, and stakeholder enquiries by phone, in writing, and via email. Work both independently and collaboratively, managing your workload effectively while supporting team objectives. Contribute to service improvements, helping to identify and implement ways to enhance efficiency and customer experience. Support financially vulnerable residents, ensuring that fraud and error are minimised and that public funds are maximised to help those in genuine need. Act as a supportive and approachable colleague, fostering a positive and collaborative team culture.

Essential Skills and Experience

Proven experience in assessing complex Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction cases. A minimum of 3 years Benefits Assessing experience. Strong understanding of benefit legislation, policy, and local procedures. Demonstrated ability to analyse financial and personal information to make accurate, fair, and timely decisions. Excellent communication skills -- able to explain complex information clearly and sensitively to a range of audiences. Experience in training, mentoring, or supporting colleagues in a similar environment. Highly organised with the ability to prioritise and manage a varied workload. Commitment to providing outstanding customer service and maintaining high professional standards. Experience of calculating and approving Discretionary Housing Payments and Discretionary Council Tax Payments. An understanding of Self-Employed Housing Benefits and Council Tax Reduction cases. A good working knowledge on how Universal Credit is applied to a local Council Tax Benefit/Reduction Scheme. A working knowledge of the overpayments process and ensuring the most efficient recovery method is applied.


Technical Requirements

Proven experience with the following systems is essential:

NEC Revenues and Benefits NEC Document Management System Microsoft Office applications

If you are an experienced Benefits Assessor ready to take on more responsibility -- supporting your team, your service, and your community -- we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today and help us make a real difference for residents who rely on our support.

Workplace Attendance: Working in the office 3+ days a week (pro-rata)

or

Onsite full time
So that we can demonstrate Dudley's commitment to diversity and inclusion and to improve bias in the recruitment process that could create barriers for candidates. Your personal data will be anonymised when you apply, to ensure that you comply with our anonymisation process, please ensure you have removed your name and date of birth from any attachments prior to uploading them to your application.


Online application forms will only be accepted for this vacancy, online facilities for jobs are available at public libraries within the Dudley Borough.


All applicants must be able to provide documentation to prove their right to work in the UK.


Please note: Dudley MBC does not currently offer sponsorship for candidates without the Right to Work in the UK.


If you require support completing an online or paper application form and or interview techniques, please contact Dudley Adult and Community Learning on 01384 818 143 or acl@dudley.gov.uk who can support with Digital Skills and Job Applications.


If you have a disability and require assistance in making an application please contact the HR Resourcing Team via HR.Resourcing@dudley.gov.uk


If you are experiencing a problem whilst applying for a position, please follow the link below to the WM Jobs Help Page in the first instance https://help.wmjobs.co.uk/


If the WM Jobs Help Page does not resolve your issue then please contact the HR Resourcing Team via HR.Resourcing@dudley.gov.uk


Dudley Council will check the information that you have provided against any details already held for accuracy and completeness. The Council will check, share and cross match your information both internally within the council and with external organisations to protect public funds and prevent or detect crime, only where the law allows us to do so.


The Council's full Privacy and Disclaimer Statement can be accessed on the website at https://www.dudley.gov.uk/privacy-disclaimer-statement/


N.B. We reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the advertised date should we receive a large number of applications

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