At a Glance
- Tasks: Support residents with Council Tax and Benefits, ensuring accurate processing and customer service.
- Company: Join Folkestone & Hythe District Council, a supportive and inclusive workplace.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, health initiatives, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Hybrid role with excellent career growth and a focus on teamwork.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in your community while developing valuable skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in customer service or benefits roles; strong communication and organisational skills.
The predicted salary is between 24000 - 27000 £ per year.
£26,844 - £32,747 (Grade C/D) depending on skills and experience
Location: Folkestone / Hybrid
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full Time
Hours: 37 hours.
DBS Check: Yes
Closing Date: 10/07/2026 at 17:00
Reference: GF01/26/340707
We are looking for 3 motivated and customer focused individuals to join our Council Tax, Benefits & Welfare team as a Council Tax & Benefits Officer. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with experience in revenues, benefits, or a similar environment, or for someone with strong transferable skills who is looking to develop their career in a varied and rewarding role. This is a hybrid role, which requires a minimum office presence of one day per week in our Civic Centre offices in Folkestone. The successful applicant will be provided with full training, which will require an increased office presence in the training period.
This role will include short term project work in collaboration with the Business Rates, Debt and Transactional Services team to primarily focus on proactively contacting taxpayers to collect payments. Subsequently, there is also an opportunity to apply to join the Business Rates, Debt and Transactional Services Team through their vacancy on our website.
About the role
You'll play a key part in delivering an efficient and supportive service to our residents; helping to ensure accurate processing, collection and recovery of Council Tax, and ensuring prompt and accurate processing of Housing Benefit and Council Tax reduction applications. A significant part of this role involves acting as a first point of contact for customers, including handling telephone enquiries as part of a team rota. You'll be confident managing calls, resolving queries, collecting payments and providing clear, empathetic advice on often sensitive matters.
Qualifications & Skills
- Experience in Council Tax, Benefits, welfare support or a similar customer facing role
- Confident handling busy telephone workloads and delivering excellent service over the phone
- Can communicate clearly and professionally across multiple channels (phone, email, online and face to face)
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
- Comfortable working with legislation, guidance and complex information (training will be provided)
- Enjoy working as part of a team and supporting colleagues through shared responsibilities such as phone cover
Why Join Folkestone & Hythe District Council
- We offer a comprehensive, people focused rewards package designed to support your wellbeing, development and work life balance.
- Flexible, agile and hybrid working arrangements.
- Generous annual leave: up to 31 days + bank holidays, plus birthday leave and Christmas office closure.
- Flexi time scheme.
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Health & wellbeing initiatives, including an Employee Assistance Programme.
- Reimbursement of professional membership subscriptions.
- Salary sacrifice schemes: cycle to work and lease car options.
- Corporate discount schemes for shopping, entertainment, gym memberships, days out and more.
- Great location: centrally based, close to transport links and free office parking.
Our Values Customer First, One Team, Thinking Ahead and Performance Counts. We're committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from all backgrounds, including disabled applicants and the Armed Forces community.
For an informal discussion about the role please contact Andrew Hatcher, Council Tax, Benefits & Welfare Manager:
How to apply
Please apply online via the link provided below. Please note that we do not accept CVs without a fully completed application form.
