Salary range: £34,998 - £39,276 p.a. incl. London weighting (plus fantastic benefits)
Contract: Permanent
Hours of work: 36 hours per week
Location: Civic Centre and other locations from time to time

Brent is one of the most diverse boroughs in the country, with communities, ideas and experiences from across the world helping to shape who we are. Working here means joining a council that is focused on fairness, open to new thinking and committed to improving life for local people.

Our values shape how we work and what people can expect from us. We collaborate proactively, lead inclusively, embrace change, are bold and curious, and celebrate and share our success For people who care about public service and want their work to matter, Brent offers the chance to make a meaningful difference.

Brent is one of the most diverse boroughs in the country, with communities, ideas and experiences from across the world helping to shape who we are. Working here means joining a council that is focused on fairness, open to new thinking and committed to improving life for local people.

We’re looking for Benefits Assessments Officers to join our Housing Benefit & Council Tax Support Teams, playing a key role in providing a high-quality service to its residents, who need financial assistance with their rental liability and Council Tax.

In this role, you’ll be responsible for accurately assessing Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support, in accordance with timely and compliant decision-making. You will manage a varied caseload, applying knowledge of Housing Benefit legislation – including other Welfare Benefits – to deliver high-quality assessments. Attention to detail, strong numeracy skills and the ability to interpret complex information are essential, alongside a commitment to delivering a responsive and customer-focused service.

• Experience and knowledge in Housing Benefits and Council Tax Reduction assessments, however this is not essential.

• You are confident with handling complex and sensitive situations, bringing a customer-focused approach and a commitment to delivering accurate, high-quality outcomes.

• Highly organised and adaptable, you thrive in a fast-paced environment and are motivated by making a tangible difference to residents’ lives.

• Excellent communications skills, both written and verbal and be able to manage your own workload.

• Ability to work accurately and to tight deadlines and able to work on your own and as part of a team.

• Ability to keep up to date with changes to policies and regulations

• Conscientious attitude and attention to detail.

• Ability to remain calm and focused under pressure.

• Enthusiastic about doing an excellent job and delivering results.

• Flexible approach to work to accommodate changing priorities.

• Ability to deliver to agreed deadlines and manage conflicting priorities.

• Ability to solve problems and make decisions.

• Strong numeracy skills with excellent attention to detail and accuracy

• Experience using IT systems/ software’s (Microsoft packages)

• The ability to manage and prioritise a busy and varied caseload effectively

• A strong customer focus, with experience of supporting vulnerable residents

Why join us?

We know people do their best work when they feel valued, supported and able to grow. At Brent, you will benefit from:

• 27 days’ annual leave, rising with length of service, plus bank holidays
• Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions
• hybrid and flexible working options for most roles
• supportive family-friendly policies
• health and wellbeing support, including eye test support and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• financial wellbeing support, including education sessions, childcare deposit loans, and season ticket loans
• travel support, including affordable parking nearby, a Cycle to Work scheme, and onsite facilities
• learning and development opportunities to support your career
• access to My Brent Rewards with exclusive discounts on shopping, travel, leisure and entertainment

To learn more about our benefits, visit Our offer to you

Applications from candidates who have applied for this role in the last 6 months will not be considered.

Brent Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects the people we serve. We welcome all applications from all sections of the community and encourage applicants to complete the diversity survey section of the application.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone is treated with dignity, respect and fairness. We expect all employees to demonstrate a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and to promote inclusive, non-discriminatory practices in their work. This commitment forms part of our recruitment process, and candidates may be assessed on their understanding of and ability to contribute to an inclusive working environment.

The information we collect from you will be shared with Cifas, who will use it to help prevent fraud and other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. Further details on how your information will be used by Brent and Cifas, and your data protection rights can be found here

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. This includes people with hidden disabilities, long term health conditions, diagnosis, and mental health conditions. We also guarantee an interview to care-experienced applicants who meet the essential criteria. Information shared for this purpose will be treated fairly and used only to confirm eligibility under these schemes.

If you need reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact recruitment@brent.gov.uk

Brent has a positive approach to flexible working.

View the Job Description here