Revenues and benefits teams collect council tax and business rates and assess housing benefit and council tax support. It is one of the biggest areas of council finance and a common way into a finance career.
The roles
- Revenues officers. Billing, discounts and exemptions, and recovering unpaid council tax and business rates.
- Benefits assessors. Working out entitlement to housing benefit and council tax support.
- Business rates specialists. Reliefs, valuations and income forecasting.
- Team leaders and managers. Running collection, assessment or the service as a whole.
What employers look for
Accuracy, good judgement and the ability to explain decisions clearly to residents and businesses. Knowledge of the legislation and of the main systems helps. The Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation (IRRV) offers qualifications for this area.
Where it leads
Experienced staff move into management, into business rates and income roles, or across into wider council finance. Some councils share revenues and benefits services, which creates larger teams and more senior posts. See the salary guide for typical pay.