Benefits Overpayment Officer

Kirklees Metropolitan Council; Harrogate; Hybride; GBP 30 000 - 33 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Hybrid working

Learning and development

Generous annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme

Résumé du poste

North Yorkshire Council is seeking a Benefit Overpayment Officer to join the Benefits Compliance Team in a hybrid role based in Harrogate and surrounding offices. You will manage overpayments, provide high-quality customer support, and collaborate with partner services to guide residents toward financial assistance.

Ideal candidates will have Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction experience, debt recovery skills, and strong IT and communication abilities.

Qualifications

• Experience in assessing Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims.
• Experience in debt recovery and various collection methods.
• Background in customer support with one-to-one client interaction.
• Proficient IT skills including databases, internet apps and Microsoft Office.
• Excellent communication and conflict-resolution abilities.
• Confident and decisive decision-maker.
• GCSEs in English and Maths.

Responsabilités

• Administer and monitor overpayments, handling recovery from invoicing to repayment.
• Investigate and address daily customer inquiries via phone, in person, and written communication.
• Collaborate with services and professional bodies to aid recovery and advise customers.
• Support customers in financial hardship while maintaining a recovery focus.

Connaissances

Housing Benefit experience

Council Tax Reduction experience

Debt recovery experience

Customer support experience

IT literacy (databases/Office)

Excellent communication

Decisive decision-making

Formation

GCSE English & Maths

Outils

MS Office

Customer databases

Internet applications

Description du poste

About Our Service

The Welfare and Benefits Service plays a vital role in supporting residents across North Yorkshire by managing applications for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Housing Payments, and Exceptional Hardship Awards. Our dedicated team assesses claims and provides expert advice to both our customers and our colleagues across various council services.

The role offers hybrid workingwith expectations to work a least 2 days per week from one of our office bases in Harrogate, Selby, Richmond, Scarborough, Northallerton or Skipton- please indicate in your application which location would be most convenient for you.

Join Our Team!

We have exciting opportunities for Benefit Overpayment Officers to join our friendly, supportive, and highly customer-focused Benefits Compliance Team. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact, we’d love to meet you!

Your Role

As a Benefit Overpayment Officer, you will:

• Administer and Monitor Overpayments: Handle the entire recovery process for Housing Benefit overpayments, from invoicing to repayment, utilising a range of recovery measures.
• Deliver Excellent Customer Service: Investigate and address daily customer inquiries via phone, in-person, and written communication, ensuring a high standard of support.
• Collaborate Across Services: Work in partnership with various services and professional bodies to aid recovery efforts and guide customers toward financial support and advice.
• Support Customers in Financial Hardship: While the role is recovery-focused, you will also be committed to assisting customers facing financial difficulties.

About You

We are looking for individuals with a strong customer-centric approach, ready to respond positively and empathetically to resolve issues. Ideally, you will:

• Have recent experience in assessing Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims, with a practical understanding of relevant regulations and legislation.
• Possess experience in debt recovery and various collection methods.
• Have a background in customer support, engaging with clients on a one-to-one basis.
• Be proficient in IT, including customer databases, internet applications, and Microsoft Office.
• Exhibit excellent communication skills, capable of explaining complex issues and handling conflicts effectively.
• Be a confident and decisive decision-maker.
• Hold a GCSE or equivalent in English and Maths.

In return, we offer

• A strong focus on learning and development with ongoing training

• Hybrid working and a positive work/life balance
• A supportive team environment
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme

• A range of employee benefits and discounts

Additional Information

You may need to travel to other offices in North Yorkshire for training and team meetings. This role involves handling highly sensitive information, so a basic disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service will be required.

Contact and apply

Ready to take the next step? For additional information about this opportunity, please contact Nicky [e-mail] and Jenny Thwaites at [e-mail]

We look forward to hearing from you!

Key Dates:

Closing Date:25th October 2026

Shortlisting: 27th October 2026

Interviews: 9th and 10th November 2026 at Civic Centre, St Lukes Avenue, Harrogate HG1 2AE

Company: North Yorkshire Council

Salary: £30,023 – £32,578 per annum

Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire

Sector: Corporate Services

Sector: Finance

Sector: Regeneration and Local Economies

Job Role: Officer