Benefits Assessment Officer

West Northamptonshire Council; Northampton; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local council in England is seeking an individual to assess and process Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims. The ideal candidate will provide customer-focused advice and ensure the correct handling of claims, especially in complex cases. Strong communication skills, attention to detail, and experience with legislation are essential for success in this role.

Benefits

Employee benefits

Qualifications

• Experience interpreting complex legislation and assessing Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction claims.
• Proven literacy and numeracy skills.
• Ability to manage a busy workload while maintaining accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Assess and process Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims.
• Provide customer-focused advice on benefits and welfare reform.
• Liaise with landlords and DWP to ensure client entitlements are correct.
• Identify overpayments and maintain accurate Council Tax records.

Skills

Clear communication

Attention to detail

Empathy

Sound judgment

Job description

Our benefits

You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council.

What will you be doing?

• Assess and process Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims, including complex cases.
• Provide clear, customer‑focused advice on benefits and welfare reform.
• Liaise with landlords, the DWP, and internal teams to ensure entitlements are correct and vulnerable clients are supported.
• Identify and manage overpayments, fraud referrals, and maintain accurate Council Tax records.
• Stay up to date with legislation and use IT systems effectively to deliver a high‑quality service.

About you

You're a clear and confident communicator who can support people with sensitivity, even in challenging situations. With strong attention to detail and the ability to manage a busy workload, you balance accuracy with empathy, ensuring vulnerable cases are handled with care. You bring sound judgment, initiative, and teamwork to everything you do, while also being comfortable working independently.

Ideally, you’ll have experience interpreting complex legislation and assessing Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction claims, backed by proven literacy and numeracy skills. Above all, you value fairness, respect, and professionalism in every interaction.

About us

West Northamptonshire Council is focused on our people. We empower you in your career and unite you with like‑minded colleagues. Our vision is ‘to make West Northamptonshire a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We uphold diverse, equitable, and inclusive values, and we are a disability‑confident employer and partner to the Armed Forces Covenant and the Care Leaver Covenant.

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions – watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email [e-mail] for support.