What's involved with this role: Job Title: Housing Options Caseworker Ref: Exeter 5271664 Pay rate: £17.29 per hour PAYE Remote working is on offer but ideally the candidate will be prepared to spend some time at the office at the start of the placement to familiarise themselves with the team and processes. The role: We are looking for a dedicated housing professional to focus on supporting individuals at risk of homelessness. The role involves providing high-quality advocacy, advice, and activities to help clients overcome housing difficulties and, where safe, to remain in their current homes. The ultimate goal is to prevent and relieve homelessness where possible. Key responsibilities: To effectively assess and fulfil the council’s responsibilities toward individuals experiencing homelessness To actively support the delivery of the council’s strategic objectives and government targets, while contributing to the implementation of the council’s Homelessness Strategy Provide proactive, person-centred advice and advocacy to current and potential customers on housing rights, finances, support services, and refer or signpost to specialist agencies, with follow-up on outcomes Provide quality housing advice to prevent homelessness and help customers sustainably resolve housing issues through a jointly agreed, regularly reviewed plan To proactively prevent accommodation loss through all available means, including immediate actions to avoid crisis homelessness and help customers keep or regain housing without statutory homelessness referral To regularly liaise with the customer and other agencies in order to prevent homelessness To liaise with private and social landlords in order to maximise homelessness preventions by both mediating and negotiating on behalf of customers in receipt of a notice to quit To proactively intervene with customers to verify their situation, prevent loss of accommodation, assess intervention needs, and recommend actions To offer thorough advice on housing options in both private rented and social housing sectors, covering affordability, available support, and the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords—including landlord and tenant law, harassment, eviction processes, repair rights, security measures, and discretionary financial assistance What the client is looking for: Qualified to at least HNC level or possess substantial, proven relevant experience Expert working knowledge of key homeless legislation, including the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, Localism Act 2011, and Housing Act 1996 part VII Up-to-date with current welfare benefits systems and policies Deep understanding of homelessness support needs and the vital role of multi-agency care and support networks Strong grasp of safeguarding protocols, plus equality and diversity principles essential in public service delivery Minimum one year’s frontline experience supporting homeless or vulnerable clients in challenging environments Skilled at collaborating with statutory bodies and voluntary organisations Outstanding written, verbal, and negotiation skills Sharp analytical ability to interpret complex information and legislation Decisive and confident making sound decisions under pressure Proven ability to manage and de-escalate challenging client behaviour effectively and positively How to Apply Quote the Job Title and Reference Number in your application. Submit your CV in Word format. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis—early submission is recommended. We will also add your details to our mail out lists. Please note you may receive details of roles outside of your immediate vicinity, as many candidates are able to relocate temporarily for work. Please disregard any such emails that are not of interest and let us know if you would rather not receive such mailouts and/or if you wish us to delete your details and prefer to apply direct to our advertised roles. If you do not hear from us within three working days, unfortunately your application has not been shortlisted on this occasion. Thank you for your interest in working with us. Please quote the Job Title & Vacancy Reference No. in your application, or we will be unable to match your CV to the role being applied for. "XI JE Please note that clients invariably ask us to strip out contact details from CVs before we submit them for consideration. This is always quicker and easier to do if you send your CV to us in Word format, rather than as a PDF please.