Revenues and Welfare Benefits Practitioner
Occupation Overview
Performing various roles in local authorities such as benefit assessment, revenues calculation or customer service
Occupation
Revenues and Welfare Benefits Practitioner
Occupational Profile
Revenues and Welfare Benefits Practitioners perform various roles in local authorities or their contractors, software companies that provide processing services to authorities (such as benefit assessment, revenues calculation or customer service), housing associations or organisations supporting people in their dealings with local authorities. These organisations can range in size and employ from 10 to over 1,000 staff. They deal with many aspects of Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing Benefit, Local Council Tax Support and related matters. Organisations have different structures, with some officers only dealing with one of these aspects and others dealing with multiple aspects. Consequently, the exact responsibilities of the role will vary depending on the employer and exact role in which the individual is employed.
All roles will include:
- Dealing with customers appropriately to gather information and provide explanations of often complex matters
- Maintaining records in accord with legal requirements
- Advising customers to maximise their income and ensure they are receiving all help to which they are entitled
- Understanding the issues customers face and the potential solutions to those issues
A role focused on the Revenues aspects typically includes:
- Establishing liability for Council Tax and/or Business Rates
- Setting up and updating accounts
- Calculating the tax due, including eligibility for discounts, exemptions or other reliefs
- Arranging for customers to pay the local tax
- Taking recovery action as required and appropriate, from issuing a reminder through to submitting a case to court for committal
A role focused on the Welfare aspects typically includes:
- Assessing eligibility for Housing Benefit and/or Local Council Tax Support
- Calculating benefit entitlement in line with current legislation
- Arranging payments of benefits to customers
- Re-calculate benefits following changes in circumstances
- Taking action to recover overpaid amounts
- Finding and reporting suspected fraud
Individuals appointed in a main role in Revenues will also need a practical and technical knowledge of Welfare Benefits and those appointed in a main role in Welfare Benefits will need a practical and technical knowledge of Revenues.
Whether acting on behalf of the local authority or supporting customers in their dealings with the local authority, Revenues and Welfare Officers provide essential support to local residents in dealing with complex matters which affect their daily life.
Potential roles
Council Tax Officer, Business Rates Officer, Benefits Officer, Benefits Assessor, Welfare Officer, Revenues and Benefits Officer, Benefit Advisor, Welfare Support Worker/Advisors.
Requirements; Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours
Knowledge
Legislation, policies and procedures
What is required
Practical and technical knowledge of the relevant legislation to ensure accuracy and legality of actions taken, including:
- Local Government Finance Act 1988, Local Government Finance Act 1992, Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, Welfare Reform Act 2012 and other relevant acts
- Current regulations that provide details of how the role must be performed
- Other relevant legislation, such as Data Protection and Freedom of Information
Understanding of organisational policies and procedures that must be followed in the role, including:
- Policies that affect how tasks are undertaken, such as Codes of Conduct, anti-fraud strategy or customer service standards
- Procedures that affect how specific tasks must be undertaken and the reasons these are essential
Systems and processes
What is required
Understanding of the way tasks are completed, including gathering required information, setting up records following initial contact with customers, updating records following changes in circumstances, calculating amounts due, arranging payments, explaining the reasons for actions taken to customers, follow up actions to recover amounts due, court proceedings
Understanding of the systems used to complete tasks
Understanding of the interactivity with other parts of the organisation, such as between revenues and benefits
Dispute and appeal process
What is required
Understanding of the relevant appeal process, including timescales for each stage of the process
Understanding of the way dispute and appeal tasks are completed
Detailed knowledge of the relevant legislation that determines how disputes and appeals must be dealt with
Customers
What is required
Understanding of who your customers are, their circumstances and why they need the support of your department
Financial support available
What is required
Knowledge of how to help and support customers to deal with their financial circumstances. Assist with personal budgeting, providing guidance to the customer to be able to manage this themselves.
Knowledge of the wider welfare benefit system, including:
- What benefits / credits are available and who is eligible for them
- The relationship between benefits / credits (e.g. if one affects calculation of another)
Skills
Quality service delivery
What is required
Consistently deal with customers politely and considerately, adapting your approach to meet customer and employer needs
Achieve outcomes that the customer wants where possible. Where this is not possible, explain the reasons why. Evaluate and recommend alternative options.
Gather and analyse information
What is required
Obtain all required information in the most effective way to allow tasks to be completed, considering each customer’s individual circumstances
Interpret and evaluate all information to determine the relevant details for the required task
Interpret and evaluate information to judge whether there is potential fraud indicated. Refer to the appropriate department where required.
Determine whether a dispute should lead to a change of decision and explain the reasons, using appropriate legislation
Handle sensitive information securely and in line with current legislative requirements
Apply knowledge to achieve outcomes
What is required
Analyse and use information and legislation to calculate amounts due when a customer first contacts your department (e.g. new claims or new accounts)
Analyse and use information and legislation to correctly deal with changes in customers’ circumstances, recalculating amounts due where required
Provide justification for any inferences drawn from available information
Decide on the best method of recovery by evaluating the customer’s circumstances. Act on this judgment to start recovery of amounts due.
Use judgement to deal correctly with non-routine situations that arise
Communication
What is required
Adapt your communication style and method to meet the individual’s needs
Communicate confidently by being personable, asking insightful questions and being able to negotiate effectively and respectfully
Personal development
What is required
Undertake activities to ensure knowledge stays current
Problem solving and decision making
Take appropriate action within the limits of your authority to solve problems or make relevant colleagues aware of them
Make accurate decisions based on the information available
Team working and collaboration
What is required
Support team members to achieve the best outcome for the team
Request assistance or authorisation when required
Communicate with other departments to achieve required outcomes
Using systems and procedures
What is required
Proficiently use the systems available to achieve tasks
Refer to processes to determine the action to be taken
Financial Support
What is required
Evaluate the customers financial position, assisting with personal budgeting where appropriate, or directing the customer to appropriate support
Behaviours
Accountability
What is required
Take responsibility for your actions, including admitting mistakes
Take appropriate action to correct any mistakes made
Change and improvement
What is required
Be open to change. Amend your working practices in response to changes in processes with a positive attitude.
Collaborating and partnering
What is required
Work with colleagues, other departments or other organisations to achieve outcomes for your customers and organisation
Delivering at pace
What is required
Complete your tasks at a pace that ensures that you maintain accuracy, meet expectations and play your part in your team’s performance
Dependability
What is required
Meet personal commitments, including attendance, punctuality and completing tasks assigned to you
Honesty and integrity
What is required
Be truthful and sincere in your speech and actions
Do the right thing even when this may seem difficult
Professional scepticism
What is required
Understand that there are people who try to abuse the system
Be cautious about information received where needed and check its accuracy where possible
Qualification
Apprentices without level 2 English and Maths (or equivalent) will need to achieve this prior to the end point assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement the apprenticeships English and Maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3 and British Sign Language qualification are an alternative to English qualifications for whom this is their primary language.
Level
Level 4
Duration
This apprenticeship will typically take 12 -18 months
Review Date
This should take place 3 years after approval
Originally published on Gov.uk, this information has been re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence.
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