Financial Assessment and Benefits Officer - Client Finances Team

EMAP Publishing Limited; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement

Flexible working

Modern Civic Offices in Reading

Life Assurance

On-site day nursery

Season Ticket Loan

Lease car scheme

Job summary

Reading Borough Council is seeking a proactive Financial Assessment & Benefits Officer to join the Client Finances team in Reading. The role involves conducting financial assessments for adults receiving care services, offering welfare benefits advice, and guiding entitlement decisions to support residents with care costs.

The post supports hybrid working, with focus on delivering clear, customer-centred guidance and maintaining up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and policy changes.

Qualifications

• Experience in customer-focused financial assessment, welfare benefits or social care.
• Proven ability to gather financial information and explain policies clearly.
• Ability to manage varied workload and maintain accurate records.

Responsibilities

• Carry out financial assessments for adults receiving care services.
• Provide welfare benefits advice to residents and carers.
• Explain charging policies and help customers understand their contributions.
• Maintain accurate records and support benefit applications.
• Collaborate with partners to gather information and improve service.

Skills

Customer service

Welfare benefits

Financial assessment

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Microsoft Office

Case management systems

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Resident-focused care

Tools

Microsoft Office

Electronic case management

Job description

Financial Assessment and Benefits Officer - Client Finances Team

• Salary £29,071 to £40,444 Per year
• Contractual hours 37
• Basis Full time
• Region Permanent / Full-Time
• Job category/type Adult Services, Finance, Social Services

Are you passionate about helping people, confident working with financial information, and looking for a role where you can make a genuine difference to vulnerable adults in your community?

We are seeking a proactive and customer-focused Financial Assessment & Benefits Officer to join our Client Finances team. This is an exciting opportunity to support residents by providing financial assessments, welfare benefits advice, and guidance on adult social care charging, helping ensure people receive the support and entitlements they need.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

We support hybrid working, it's important to us that working arrangements are designed to enable our employees to excel and within this role you'll have the opportunity to work in a way that suits your lifestyle.

About The Role

As a Financial Assessment & Benefits Officer, you will manage a varied caseload, carrying out financial assessments for individuals receiving adult social care services, either over the phone or through face to face home visits. You will work directly with residents, families, carers, colleagues, and partner organisations to gather financial information, explain charging policies, identify benefit entitlements, and help customers navigate often complex financial situations.

The role combines customer service, financial assessment, problem-solving, and case management. You'll conduct assessments, provide welfare benefits advice, maintain accurate records, support benefit applications, and ensure customers receive clear and understandable guidance about their contributions towards care costs.

Working as part of a supportive and knowledgeable team, you'll also contribute to service improvements, maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation and policy changes, and help deliver high-quality outcomes for our residents.

About You

• Experience working in a customer-focused, financial assessment, welfare benefits, or social care environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain complex financial or legislative information clearly and sensitively.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a varied workload independently.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications and working with electronic case management systems.
• Good analytical skills and attention to detail when reviewing financial information and making decisions.
• A commitment to delivering excellent customer service and achieving positive outcomes for residents.

Experience within Adult Social Care, welfare benefits, financial assessments, or social care charging would be advantageous, but we welcome applications from candidates with transferable skills and a willingness to learn.

You'll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you'll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Benefits

• Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do
• Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential.
• Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance - striving to be even better - and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way.
• Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed.

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition are strongly encouraged, and you'll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A Competitive Salary Alongside a Range Of Benefits Including

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 30 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

Closing Date: Sunday 18

Reading Borough Council

Reading, UK

Permanent

Published on 10 Oct 2026