3 months contract with local authority
The role involves delivering comprehensive housing options advice to individuals, focusing on security of tenure, low-cost home ownership, and homelessness prevention. The position requires managing a caseload across housing options, move-on, and homeless prevention, supporting clients in accessing various housing solutions, and making referrals to other services when necessary. The post-holder must ensure compliance with statutory requirements and contribute to achieving local team targets through effective case management.
Responsibilities
* Provide proactive housing options advice, including security of tenure and low-cost home ownership.
* Prevent homelessness by investigating household circumstances and conducting statutory assessments.
* Manage a caseload across housing options, move-on, and homeless prevention.
* Support and guide clients to access a broad range of housing options and make relevant referrals.
* Ensure statutory requirements are met and local team targets are achieved.
* Deliver professional, responsive, and individualized service to residents requiring housing advice.
* Provide holistic, informed, and accurate housing advice to all service approaches.
* Empower residents to independently manage their housing situations and make informed choices.
* Advise potentially homeless clients on available benefits and assistance.
* Assess and determine applications from homeless households under the Housing Act 1996.
* Maintain high standards of record-keeping and adhere to agreed procedures.
* Stay informed about housing legislation, policies, and case law.
* Communicate effectively with staff, customers, and stakeholders to manage expectations.
* Represent the service at meetings and contribute to strategy and policy development.
* Detect and prevent fraudulent housing applications and refer cases to the Counter Fraud Team.
* Investigate complaints and ensure corporate standards are met.
Requirements
Requirements:
* Expertise in housing options, including low-cost home ownership and homelessness prevention.
* Ability to manage casework using knowledge of legislation and established networks.
* Experience in developing relationships with private sector landlords and agents.
* Ability to engage with various teams and services to deliver a seamless service.
* Skills in identifying and managing safeguarding concerns and risks.
* Experience in providing expert advice on security of tenure and managing complex cases.
* Ability to build effective working relationships with social care and external partners.
* Understanding of social care legislative requirements as they affect housing.
* Capability to investigate and discharge the Council’s homeless duty appropriately.