Revenue Assistant
Salary
Annual
Revenue Assistant Location: Civic Centre, ST4 1RN Start Date: ASAP Contract Duration: 5+ Months Working Hours: Mon Fri, 09 00, 37 Hours per week Pay Rate: £ 21.99 per hour Job Ref: (phone number removed) Responsibilities
- Facilitate and administer the billing process for Council Tax, Sundry Debts, and Business Rates.
- Support the collection of Council Tax, Sundry Debt, and Business Rates.
- Assist in maintaining Council Tax, Sundry Debt, and Business Rates accounts, considering liability, exemptions, reliefs, discounts, payment methods, and valuations.
- Apply changes to Council Tax and Business Rates accounts and authorize invoices raised by internal departments.
- Take card payments using industry-standard software and understand payment card industry standards.
- Investigate unallocated payments in bank suspense and identify payments to be allocated to accounts.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of Council Tax, Business Rates, and Sundry Debt legislation and internal procedures.
- Contribute to the prevention and detection of fraud and refer potentially fraudulent accounts to the fraud department.
- Set up direct debits and handle sensitive financial information confidentially and securely.
- Reconcile banking reports and contact customers when a payment is recalled.
- Check and send the swipe card report to an external provider.
- Handle billing exception reports and rebill accounts as necessary.
- Update accounts based on notifications of deaths through Tell us Once or the Death List.
- Trace debtors who have absconded using internal and external systems.
- Identify debts for write-off and use correct write-off codes on systems.
- Assess and raise refunds.
- Deal with queries from the public, internal, and external organizations promptly and effectively.
- Correctly allocate cash and rectify misallocations.
- Identify incorrect debt summaries and refer to Revenue Officers for account cleansing.
- Handle telephone calls related to Council Tax, Business Rates, and Sundry Debt, providing advice and support.
- Set up payment arrangements and special payment arrangements according to internal processes.
- Manage breathing space notifications and update accounts accordingly.
- Direct customers to appropriate services, including debt advice, and identify eligibility for Council Tax support or hardship.
- Promote online services to residents and assist in creating and linking accounts to Council Tax or Business Rates accounts.
- Collaborate with team members to achieve excellent performance in line with legislation and corporate objectives.
- Advise other town council employees on Council Tax, Business Rates, and Sundry Debt regulations and procedures.
- Ensure all duties comply with legislation, codes of practice, and Council policies and procedures.
- Take responsibility for personal development and implementation of a personal development plan relevant to the role.
- Provide cover for Revenues Development Assistants as required.
- Perform any other duties commensurate with the grading of the post.
- Knowledge of Local Authority billing, recovery, and invoicing systems and procedures.
- Awareness of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support procedures and legislation, including the Welfare Reform Act 2012.
- Knowledge of Revenues billing and recovery statutory legislation.
- Understanding of the Data Protection Act 2018, specifically around GDPR and its impact on the Revenues Service.
- Experience operating billing, recovery, and invoicing systems.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to articulate complex issues in a customer-friendly manner.
- Proficient IT skills, including use of Word, Excel, and department software systems.
- Ability to work both as part of a team and independently.
- Quick and accurate data entry skills across various IT systems.
- Problem-solving skills using individual expertise.
- Strong interpersonal skills for building effective relationships with staff and external companies.
- Ability to work well under pressure and maintain a flexible approach to work.
- Persuasive and negotiation skills with an empathetic approach.
- Ability to interact positively and sympathetically with a diverse community.
- Commitment to providing high-quality customer service.
- Confidence in fulfilling all spoken aspects of the role through English.