Benefits Assessor in York

City of York Council is looking for an experienced, highly motivated and well organised team player to join our Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support team. You will be providing efficient administration, determination and payment of claims for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support. You will also be processing claims to the York Financial Assistance Scheme.

You will be explaining decisions to customers and third parties both through email and telephone communication. You must have the ability to use a range of computer applications. You will be an excellent communicator and decision maker who is able to work as part of a team as well as independently. You will be dedicated, committed and will positively embrace change.

You will need to understand benefit legislation and the importance of working within the remit of local schemes. The ideal candidate must have Revenues and Benefit knowledge, supported by a good awareness of the underpinning legislation. An understanding of Local welfare provision would also be preferable but not essential.

It is also preferable to have recent experience with NEC, or similar processing systems as well as Document management systems. A good knowledge of data protection will also be required. You would also be required to demonstrate the ability to handle sensitive matters with confidentiality and discretion.

It is essential that you are able to work as part of a team with the ability to work with a high degree of accuracy and independence to achieve tight deadlines. The role would be hybrid based working, with homeworking plus office attendance required as and when necessary. A majority of the day to day work would however be home based. This role is suitable as a job share opportunity.

The postholder will have access to secure government sites or email. In order to use these systems, the Cabinet Office requires the HR Team to carry out Baseline Personnel Standard Security (BPSS) checks. As this role is public facing, applicants will need to demonstrate, at interview, their competency to converse and provide advice and guidance to members of the public, in spoken English to CEFR level C2: Can express themselves spontaneously at length with a natural conversational flow, avoiding or backtracking around any difficulty so smoothly that the person with whom they are conversing is hardly aware of it.

Hybrid working arrangements are available for this role. Each role at CYC is different and your working arrangements will be determined based on the requirements of the role and in collaboration with you and your needs as part of the recruitment process. Your contractual location will be the designated council office for your team.

The Council is committed to investing in the talent and wellbeing of our staff and can offer a generous annual leave allowance, access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, comprehensive Health & Wellbeing initiatives and a reward package which recognises your contribution. We can offer flexible working practices, community engagement and volunteer activities and, as part of our commitment to you, promote continuous Learning & Development. In addition we also offer a growing range of discounts, rewards and savings.

For further information or an informal discussion please contact Debbie Plummer (Benefit Manager) at Debbie.plummer@york.gov.uk or on 01904 552208.

Closing date: Sunday 14 December at 12 midnight. Interview date: Week commencing 12 January 2026.