Housing Solutions Officer

Job Introduction

Salary: £37.563 - £40,044 a year
Hours: 37 hours a week
Contract type: Permanent 

Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.

What You’ll be doing 

As a Housing Solutions Officer, you will provide a proactive, customer-focused service to households who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. You will assess housing needs and eligibility in line with the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and other relevant legislation, manage a caseload, and make timely, legally sound decisions.

You will work closely with customers to identify the causes of their housing situation, complete affordability assessments, develop personalised housing plans and identify suitable housing and support options. Where required, you will arrange emergency or temporary accommodation and coordinate referrals to appropriate support services.

The role involves working collaboratively with internal Council teams and external partners, including landlords, support agencies, health professionals and other statutory services, to prevent homelessness and achieve sustainable outcomes. You will also provide advice, advocacy and mediation where appropriate, including supporting customers experiencing eviction or other housing-related issues.

You will maintain accurate case records, prepare decision letters and reports, respond to reviews, complaints and professional enquiries, and ensure all statutory duties are discharged correctly and within required timescales. You will also contribute to service improvement, partnership working, training and community awareness, while maintaining up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation, guidance and case law.

This is a busy, target-driven frontline role requiring a compassionate, solution-focused approach and a strong commitment to achieving positive outcomes for customers. The post also includes participation in the Council’s statutory out-of-hours service on a rota basis.

What we’re looking for

You will have demonstrable experience managing complex housing or homelessness casework within a busy, pressurised environment, with a strong working knowledge of homelessness legislation, including the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, Housing Act 1996 and related legislation, guidance and case law.

You will be confident making sound, timely decisions, interpreting and applying legislation and Council policies, and managing a varied caseload with minimal supervision. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential, including the ability to interview customers effectively, produce accurate correspondence, decision letters, case notes and reports, and communicate sensitively with people who may have complex needs or challenging behaviour.

You will have experience working with vulnerable households and identifying support needs, as well as building effective relationships with internal teams, landlords, statutory services and external partner agencies. You will be able to negotiate, advocate and work collaboratively to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes.

You will be organised, adaptable and able to prioritise competing demands while maintaining accurate case records, financial information and performance data. You will also have good IT skills, including the ability to use Excel and relevant case management systems.

A relevant housing qualification, such as an Institute of Housing or NVQ qualification, or equivalent knowledge and experience, would be desirable. You will demonstrate a commitment to equality and inclusive service delivery, be willing to maintain your professional knowledge and development, and be able to travel as required and participate in the Council’s emergency out-of-hours homelessness service.

Above all, you will be proactive, resilient and customer-focused, with the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

Application Process
Because of the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare all unspent cautions and convictions; and also any adult cautions (simple or conditional), and spent convictions that are not protected as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020). A person’s criminal record will not in itself prevent a person from being appointed to this post. Applicants will not be refused posts because of offences which are not relevant to, and do not place them at or make them a risk in, the role for which they are applying. However in the event of the employment being taken up, any failure to disclose such offence, as detailed above, will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority.

Applicants for this public-facing post will need to demonstrate the ability to converse, and provide effective help or advice, fluently in spoken English

On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.

 Benefits

Please click here to learn about Luton Council Employee Benefits. 

How to apply

We understand that job applications take time and effort, but a high-quality application shows that you are professional with a good attention to detail. The recruiting manager may receive a number of applications for each job advertised so you want yours to stand out!
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