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Training Course - Housing Benefit for Customer Contact Staff (for CIVICA users)

A two day course for staff who deal with Housing Benefit enquiries from the general public, either face to face or over the phone, using a CIVICA revenues and benefits system.

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All our training courses are delivered at the customer's premises or at a location of their choosing and at a date and time to suit the organisation's needs and priorities. For many customers this can mean a considerable saving on employee travel expenses and time away from work.

Course details

  • Course name: Housing Benefit for Customer Contact Staff (for CIVICA users)
  • Who should attend: All staff and managers who deal with Housing Benefit enquiries from the general public,  either face to face or over the phone, using a CIVICA revenues and benefits system.
  • Duration: 2 Days
  • Fees: £400 (No VAT) per day for up to 8 trainees
  • Venue:  By arrangement at the customer's premises or at a location of their choosing
  • Date/time: By arrangement to suit the customer's needs and priorities
  • Course Instructors: Alex Eady, see details below

Request a call back to arrange a booking

Course learning objectives

By the end of this course trainees will be able to...

  • Demonstrate an understanding of who is entitled to apply for Housing Benefit
  • Demonstrate how to use the 'means test' to calculate Housing Benefit entitlement
  • Demonstrate confidence in their knowledge of the various types of evidence which applicants must produce in order to prove their entitlement to Housing Benefit
  • Demonstrate how Housing Benefit overpayments are calculated and how they can be recovered
  • Make confident use of the CIVICA revenues and benefits system in order to deal with customer enquiries

Course content

  • What is the primary Law governing the award of Housing Benefit?
  • What does 'liability' mean?
  • What does 'occupation' mean?
  • How to apply for Housing Benefit using the Victoria Forms module within the CIVICA revenues and benefits system
  • What evidence is required to prove an applicant's entitlement to Housing Benefit?
  • What is the Maximum Rent?
  • How to calculate Housing Benefit
  • What is Local Council Tax Support?
  • When can you backdate a  Housing Benefit claim?
  • To whom are Housing Benefit payments made?
  • How a claim for extra assistance should be made
  • Housing Benefit overpayments
  • Using the CIVICA revenues and benefits system to deal with customer enquiries

Course instructors

Alex Eady - Senior Training Officer
Photo showing Alex Eady - Training Officer, Revenues and Benefits at Basildon Council

Alex joined Basildon Council in 2013. After a short spell in customer services he was recruited into the council's revenues and benefits section, since when he has gone on to become an expert in revenues and benefits law and the Civica Open Revenues system. Alex is known for the ever approachable and patient manner in which he delivers informative, interactive courses which include 'hand's on' experience using the CIVICA system.

Further information and enquiries

  • To arrange a course booking please submit an online call back form.
  • For further information and other training course enquiries please contact Dave Warrilow, our Senior Training Officer. See contact details below...