Local government revenues officer
Revenues and benefits officers work for local councils and deal with housing benefits, rents, council tax and business rates.
Also known as: Council tax officer, business rates officer, income and recovery officer
- Starter salary£26,000 a year
- Experienced£41,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 40 a week
What you'll do
As a local government revenues officer, you could:
- calculate rents, council tax and business rates
- process discounts and exemptions
- respond to enquiries from other council departments, tenants and landlords
- identify fraudulent applications for financial help
- collect and process payments
- recover rent and council tax arrears, and overpayments
- arrange legal action against debtors
- keep up to date with local government financial regulations
Working environment
You could work in an office.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- administration skills
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to work on your own
- business management skills
- sensitivity and understanding
- excellent verbal communication skills
- customer service skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a local government revenues officer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- applying directly
University
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a subject like public administration or business administration, before applying for work.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
College
You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job.
Relevant courses include:
- business administration
- maths and English
- T Level in Management and Administration
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Apprenticeship
You may be able to apply for an apprenticeship with a local authority department, such as:
- Business Administrator Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
- Public Service Operational Delivery Officer Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
- Revenue and Welfare Benefits Practitioner Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
These take between 12 and 18 months to complete and combine workplace training and time spent with a learning provider.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Work
You could start as an administrative assistant and work your way up through training and promotion. For example, your employer may offer you training with the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation .
Direct application
You can apply directly for jobs. Employers will expect you to have:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English and maths
- experience in customer service, especially in accounts and finance, or in local government
Some employers may ask you to sit assessment tests before interview to check that you have the skills needed for the job.
Other routes
If you are a graduate, you can apply for a place on the Local Government Association's Local Goverment Graduate Programme .
Career path and progression
With experience and qualifications you could move into senior local authority roles, including fraud investigation, property valuation or property management.
Career tips
You'll need good IT skills to do this job, along with a non-judgemental approach.
Some knowledge of local government financial regulations, for instance, around council tax and housing benefits, could be helpful though your employer would put you through comprehensive training when you start.
Guides for this industry
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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0