Housing Benefits Overpayment Officer

Hastings Borough Council is looking for a skilled and detail- oriented Housing Benefits Overpayment Officer to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for recovering overpaid hosing benefits, ensuring that repayments are managed fairly and in accordance with legislation. You will work closely with customers, colleague, and external agencies to ensure effective debt recovery while providing support and guidance to residents.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify, assess, and recover housing benefit overpayment in line with regulations.
• Liaise with claimants , landlords and external agencies to arrange repayments.
• Negotiate repayment plans, considering individual circumstances.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure compliance with data protection laws.
• Monitor outstanding debt and take appropriate enforcement action where necessary.
• Provide advice and support to customers regarding repayment options.
• Stay up to date with changes in benefits legislation and council policies.

About You

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience in housing benefits administration or debt recovery ( preferred but not essential)
• Strong numerical and analytical skills with attention to detail.
• The ability to manage a busy workload and meet deadlines.
• Knowledge of housing benefit regulations and debt recovery procedures
• Proficiency in NEC back-office IT systems for case management and data entry.