Crisis & Benefits Support Officer

EMAP Publishing Limited; Dorchester; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Dorset Council in Dorchester, UK, is recruiting a Benefits Officer for the Crisis and Resilience Fund. This fixed-term, 18-month role supports residents in hardship, processing Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support applications while ensuring fair and accurate handling.

You will work within the Benefits Team to signpost services, promote benefit take-up, and deliver compassionate customer service across multiple channels.

Qualifications

• Experience in a customer-focused environment.
• Clear communication in plain English.
• Strong organisational skills with workload management.
• Ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• Calm, professional approach under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Provide crisis support to residents experiencing financial hardship.
• Promote welfare benefit take-up and identify opportunities for additional support.
• Signpost and refer residents to internal and external services.
• Assess and process applications in line with legislation, policy and guidance.
• Respond to customer enquiries by telephone, correspondence and face-to-face contact.
• Work with colleagues and partners to achieve positive outcomes for residents.
• Handle highly sensitive personal information with professionalism and discretion.
• Contribute to ongoing development of the Crisis and Resilience Fund service.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Organisation

Confidential information handling

Empathy

Adaptability

Job description

Dorset Council in Dorchester, UK, is recruiting a Benefits Officer for the Crisis and Resilience Fund. This fixed-term, 18-month role supports residents in hardship, processing Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support applications while ensuring fair and accurate handling.

You will work within the Benefits Team to signpost services, promote benefit take-up, and deliver compassionate customer service across multiple channels.