Benefits Officer (Civica OpenRevenues) in Basildon

The purpose of this interim post is to assess the 2026 Housing Benefit Award Accuracy (HBAA) Reviews.

The Revenues and Benefits Service administers the billing and collection of Council Tax, Business Rates liabilities and corporate debt, the assessment of Housing Benefit and the Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) scheme. The Service is responsible for ensuring that benefits are paid timely and accurately and that the tax base is protected.

The post holder will ensure that decisions on Housing Benefit entitlement are made in accordance with law and policy guidelines. All staff must be mindful of potential fraud and that suspected irregularities are referred for investigation in all cases. A common factor in Revenues and Benefits services is that any member of staff may be called upon to act as a witness in proceedings in courts or tribunals to give factual evidence.

Accountabilities

• Day-to-day administration benefits processes, whilst seeking to promote efficiency and continuous improvement.
• Interpretation of Council Tax and Benefits legislation, ensuring that processes and decisions apply in accordance with law and policy guidelines.
• Understand the impact that all assessments, accuracy and overpayments have on subsidy.
• Administer the Local Council Tax Support Scheme in accordance with local policy and guidelines.
• Make decisions in respect of Council Tax liability, exemptions, discounts, reliefs and Housing Benefit entitlement and that notices are issued in a timely manner, referring any matters of doubt to a Senior Billing and Benefits officer.
• Ensure the accuracy of the property and taxpayer database, including Housing Benefits and LCTS data, by updating the IT systems and agreeing totals to Valuation Office Agency where appropriate.
• To maintain an awareness of current legislation, policy and guidance relating to Council Tax, Housing Benefits and Local Council Tax Support.
• Respond to requests from customers for clarification of decisions, providing statements of reasons, correcting any errors discovered and reconsidering any decisions where appropriate.

A few things to note

• The rate for this role is £25.00 per hour (umbrella).
• The term for this role is 3 months initially.

Requirements

What we're looking for

• At least 3 years experience working as a Benefits Officer.
• A good working knowledge of HB/CTR law and procedures.
• A skilled Civica OpenRevenues user.
• Professionally qualified to IRRV level.

Equal Opportunities

Business Smart Solutions are a Recruitment Agency - We hire talented and passionate people from a variety of backgrounds because we want our global worker base to represent the wide diversity of our clients. If you’re excited about a role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every bullet point listed in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. If you're passionate about working for a role in local government and share our company values, we encourage you to apply.

BSS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. BSS considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable UK law. If you need assistance or an accommodation made due to a disability, please let your recruiter know.

Benefits

What we offer

We believe employee benefits should go beyond just a free drink or fruit bowl. What’s more, we believe you should get to choose perks that suit your lifestyle. That’s why we’ve partnered up with the global benefits and rewards provider Perkbox, to offer something for all of our people.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

Perks Hub

• Hundreds of global and local perks, available online 24/7.
• Free monthly lifestyle perks; such as free coffees, breakfasts, cinema tickets, etc.
• Shopping discounts from the biggest brands, all year round.
• Save money on everything from the supermarket shop to summer holidays.

Wellness Hub

• Easy to follow videos for everything from yoga exercises, to strength training and HIIT workouts.
• Mindfulness, meditation and sleep resources, available on all your devices.
• Guides to help with everything from anxiety to stopping smoking.
• Confidential mental health helpline, 24/7 access to a qualified counsellor.

Celebration hub

• Working with us means you're always part of Team BSS - celebrate and recognise fellow contractors, whether they're across the desk or across the world.
• Company polls where everybody can vote for the winners.

Culture Hub

• A single place to find company updates, photos, benefits information and lots more!
• Stay in the loop with what’s happening by accessing Culture hub anywhere, at any time.