Benefits Overpayment Officer

Salary: £30,023 - £32,578 per annum

Grade: G

Contract: Permanent

Working hours: Full time, 37 hours per week

Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire- Hybrid working from one of our NYC offices

About Our Service

The Welfare and Benefits Service plays a vital role in supporting residents across North Yorkshire by managing applications for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Housing Payments, and Exceptional Hardship Awards. Our dedicated team assesses claims and provides expert advice to both our customers and our colleagues across various council services.

The role offers hybrid working with expectations to work a least 2 days per week from one of our office bases in Harrogate, Selby, Richmond, Scarborough, Northallerton or Skipton- please indicate in your application which location would be most convenient for you.

Join Our Team!

We have exciting opportunities for Benefit Overpayment Officers to join our friendly, supportive, and highly customer-focused Benefits Compliance Team. If you're passionate about making a positive impact, we’d love to meet you!

Your Role

As a Benefit Overpayment Officer, you will:

• Administer and Monitor Overpayments: Handle the entire recovery process for Housing Benefit overpayments, from invoicing to repayment, utilising a range of recovery measures.
• Deliver Excellent Customer Service: Investigate and address daily customer inquiries via phone, in-person, and written communication, ensuring a high standard of support.
• Collaborate Across Services: Work in partnership with various services and professional bodies to aid recovery efforts and guide customers toward financial support and advice.
• Support Customers in Financial Hardship: While the role is recovery-focused, you will also be committed to assisting customers facing financial difficulties.

About You

We are looking for individuals with a strong customer-centric approach, ready to respond positively and empathetically to resolve issues. Ideally, you will:

• Have recent experience in assessing Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims, with a practical understanding of relevant regulations and legislation.
• Possess experience in debt recovery and various collection methods.
• Have a background in customer support, engaging with clients on a one-to-one basis.
• Be proficient in IT, including customer databases, internet applications, and Microsoft Office.
• Exhibit excellent communication skills, capable of explaining complex issues and handling conflicts effectively.
• Be a confident and decisive decision-maker.
• Hold a GCSE or equivalent in English and Maths.

In return, we offer

• A strong focus on learning and development with ongoing training

• Hybrid working and a positive work/life balance
• A supportive team environment
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme

• A range of employee benefits and discounts

Additional Information

You may need to travel to other offices in North Yorkshire for training and team meetings. This role involves handling highly sensitive information, so a basic disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service will be required.

Contact and apply

Ready to take the next step? For additional information about this opportunity, please contact Nicky Gray at Nicky.Gray@northyorks.gov.uk and Jenny Thwaites at Jenny.Thwaites@northyorks.gov.uk

Applying is easy, simply click the '' button below, remove your person details from your CV and upload.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Key Dates:

Closing Date: 25th October 2026

Shortlisting: 27th October 2026

Interviews: 9th and 10th November 2026 at Civic Centre, St Lukes Avenue, Harrogate HG1 2AE

Key Documents:

Job Description

Total Rewards Brochure

NYC are committed to directly recruiting staff and will not accept applications nor services from agency suppliers in respect of our vacancies.

We are committed to meeting the needs of our diverse community and aim to have a workforce reflecting this diversity. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to this commitment.

North Yorkshire Councils’ purpose is to deliver services and facilities to the diverse residents and visitors of North Yorkshire. To ensure we deliver inclusive services we strive to have a diverse workforce where everybody can be themselves by respecting differences and embedding equality of opportunity. We celebrate diversity and recognise each other’s contributions; we therefore welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds

Using AI? Please follow our guidance to ensure your application reflects your own knowledge and experience:www.northyorks.gov.uk/advice-your-job-application