Customer Services Officer - Assessment
Wigan Council
- Expired
Wigan Permanent £29,540-£ 32,597 Full Time
Priority Candidates will be considered in the first instance Wigan Life Centre North The Wiend Wigan WN1 1NH Salary: Grade 6, £29,540 - £ 32,597 per annum. 37 hours per week Permanent We're on a journey to build a workforce reflective of our Borough. We are committed to fostering diverse teams where everybody can bring their authentic selves to work and feel that they belong. If you want to work for a Council where everybody is encouraged to meet their full potential and make a difference in our neighbourhoods, we would love to hear from you! Your role: Your role is to assess, calculate, decide and award claims for Housing Benefit and associated processes including, but not exclusively, Council Tax Reduction and Free School Meals using information from a variety of sources. You will assess, calculate and complete Financial Assessments for residential care, non-residential and customers in the community in accordance with legislation and guidance to ensure speed and accuracy of assessments, to deliver right first-time processing to improve customer satisfaction and experience. You’ll support the facilitation of income maximisation activities for customers including, but not exclusively, Financial Assessment, Discount and Exemptions, Council Tax Reductions, Discretionary Housing Payment in accordance with local policies and practice. About you: You will be highly motivated and enthusiastic with experience of working in a fast-paced environment, meeting a variety of demands whilst maintaining quality and accuracy. You will be customer focused and intensely keen to make a positive difference to the team. You will be a great communicator who is used to dealing with a range of people at all levels both internally and externally. You will have excellent I.T. skills, with experience of inputting and extracting data from systems and an ability to utilise functionality to enhance the customer experience. You will have an understanding of Financial Assessments and associated legislation, policies and procedures. About us: Wigan Council has been voted ‘Overall Council of the Year’ at the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Awards. We are signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment ensuring that your service will be continuous or 'unbroken' between the supporting organisations. The Progress with Unity plan is a place movement for change for the next decade, bringing a new era for Wigan Borough. It draws on the strengths of our individual organisations, recognising that together we can achieve much more for our communities by delivering on our 2 place missions; create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses and make our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them. In Resident Services- Customer we focus on our customers and understand their needs. We make change happen through innovative thinking, redesigning services and recognising areas for improvement. As the first point of contact we are the ‘face’ of the council and pride ourselves on a right first-time approach for our customers. We will provide you with the support you need to do your job and you’ll be given every opportunity to learn and develop further within the organisation. Here at Wigan, we are proud to support flexible working patterns, when the service can accommodate this. We also take a blended approach to where we work, depending on the work we do. This may include working from home, the office, or the community. We like to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits click here to find out more about working for #TeamWigan. To be appointed to this role you must be able to prove your right to work in the UK. Please visit the link below to check you qualify to apply. Please note, at present we are not a licenced sponsor. Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Prove your right to work to an employer For an informal discussion please contact Lisa Eastham by emailing Lisa.Eastham@wigan.gov.uk or calling 01942 489965. Interview dates: Priority Candidates 23rd November 2025 Other Candidates 27th November 2025 This role is subject to a Basic DBS. The employer is committed to safeguarding To view the details relating to this position, please click the links below: Calculate your take home pay. Use this service to estimate how much Income Tax and National Insurance you should pay for the current tax year. Employment could affect your benefits, find out more here. Turn2us Benefits Calculator.
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Location
The Wiend, , Wigan, WN1 1NH, United Kingdom
Job ID
2240
Supporting You Through Every Step of Your Journey
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This section brings together everything you need to succeed - from guidance on writing an authentic application to and understanding how to use AI responsibly.
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Greater Manchester People Inclusion Standards
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Applying Authentically With AI: Our Greater Manchester Approach
Across Greater Manchester’s local authorities, we want to hear your genuine experiences, skills and motivations, expressed in your own words.
To keep our recruitment process fair and inclusive, please complete your application personally and follow the instructions carefully. AI can be used to support you - for example, to help structure your answers or as a reasonable adjustment - but your application should still reflect your authentic voice. If you do use AI as a support tool, a brief explanation helps us ensure an equitable selection process.
Applications that depend too heavily on AI‑generated content may not progress to shortlisting.
This guidance outlines acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI, along with suggestions for using it in a way that supports you while keeping your application true to you.
What Is AI and How Do We Use It Across Greater Manchester?
AI refers to technology that can create or refine content, such as text, ideas, summaries, or planning. It can help improve productivity, problem-solving, and creativity.
We’re open to using innovative digital tools where they can help us work smarter and deliver better services for our residents. However, every use of AI is carefully considered to make sure it is ethical, responsible, and aligned with public-sector values.
When it comes to recruitment, we take a human-centred approach.
This means:
A trained hiring manager reads every application
Shortlisting is based on objective criteria required for the job
Interviews are conducted in person or via teams by the hiring manager for the role
All hiring decisions are made by hiring managers, not algorithms
AI does not make decisions in our recruitment process and our managers are being upskilled to spot AI in applications, particularly when this might have been used in a way that doesn’t feel genuine. If something in an application raises a question or concern, we will test this out with assessments or at the interview stage to confirm authenticity.
Our aim isn’t to catch anyone out but to make sure we’re getting to know the real you, giving every candidate a fair chance and finding the right person for the role.
Using AI in Your Application
When it comes to job applications, what matters most to us is you. We want to see your personality, your experience, and what excites you about joining our team.
We recognise that AI can be a helpful tool to support accessibility during the application process. If you choose to use AI for support, please read the instructions carefully and make sure your application is written in your own words, reflecting your genuine skills, knowledge, experience and enthusiasm.
We’re looking forward to hearing your story.
How to use AI Effectively and Responsibly
Your application is your chance to show us:
Who you are
What you can bring
The values you hold
Why you want to make a difference
AI can help you organise your thoughts or improve clarity but it cannot express your unique voice, experiences, or motivations.
AI is most helpful when used to:
Help you structure the information you are providing to evidence the criteria
Give examples of how to use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
Proof-read to highlight grammar or spelling errors
Provide inspiration if you're finding it difficult to find the right words to explain something
But remember: your honesty, lived experience, and motivations are irreplaceable.
Do’s and Don’ts for Using AI in the Recruitment Process
Do:
Use AI as a supportive tool, not a replacement
Ask AI to help tidy up your writing or clarify structure
Use it to brainstorm examples, then rewrite them in your own voice
Reflect on AI suggestions and adapt them to match your experience
Use AI to help with research, but express your understanding yourself
Don’t:
Copy and paste AI-generated content directly into your application
Let AI exaggerate or invent experience you do not have
Rely on generic statements that don’t reflect the specific role requirements
Remove your individuality, we want to hear your voice