We're recruiting an experienced and committed Homelessness Prevention Officer to join a busy Housing Advice & Homelessness service within a local authority. This is an excellent opportunity for a housing professional with strong frontline experience to make a real impact by preventing homelessness and supporting customers to secure and sustain suitable accommodation.

You'll provide high-quality housing advice, carry out homelessness investigations, and take proactive steps to prevent homelessness wherever possible. The role involves managing a varied caseload, making informed legal decisions, and working closely with partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes for households in housing need.

The Role
·Provide frontline housing advice and assistance to customers, responding to general service requests in a timely and professional manner.
·Assess customers' housing needs through office-based, telephone and home visits.
·Deliver early, proactive homelessness prevention through comprehensive housing and welfare advice.
·Investigate homelessness applications and make decisions in line with legislation, codes of guidance and council policy.
·Take action to prevent homelessness, including negotiation, mediation and the use of financial assistance where appropriate.
·Liaise with private landlords, letting agents, mortgage lenders and debt advisers to support sustainable housing solutions.
·Work closely with internal teams and external agencies to ensure a coordinated, multi-agency approach.
·Provide advice to third parties acting on behalf of customers.
·Support customers through court proceedings where required.
·Liaise with Temporary Accommodation teams regarding placements where prevention is not possible.
·Carry out the council's statutory duties to households threatened with or experiencing homelessness.
·Promote the service through initiatives, projects and partnership working.
·Support staff development through peer reviews, mentoring and training activity.
·Represent the service on project groups, specialist panels and multi-agency task teams.
·Supervise contractors engaged by the service when required.
·Participate in emergency and out-of-hours on-call arrangements as necessary.

Key Requirements
·Proven experience working within Housing Advice, Homelessness Prevention or Housing Options services.
·Strong working knowledge of homelessness legislation and guidance.
·Experience completing homelessness assessments and making statutory decisions.
·Ability to manage a complex caseload and work autonomously.
·Experience negotiating with landlords, agents and partner organisations to prevent homelessness.
·Understanding of welfare benefits, housing law and related support services.
·Awareness of issues including domestic abuse, mental health, substance misuse and safeguarding.
·Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage sensitively with customers in difficult circumstances.
·Strong written skills, including preparing professional correspondence and decision letters.
·Ability to exercise sound professional judgement in line with policy and legislation.
·Educated to HND / degree level in housing or equivalent experience.
·Membership of the Chartered Institute of Housing (or working towards) is desirable.
·Ability to travel locally for home visits and partnership meetings.

What You Need to Do Now
If you are interested in this role and meet the criteria above, please click APPLY NOW and send us your application today.

If you do not hear from us within 48 hours of applying, your application has been unsuccessful.

Footnote
If you feel that this job matches your skills but not the rate, location or seniority, please feel free to send us your CV anyway. We constantly recruit for similar roles across all levels, UK-wide, and would be pleased to speak with you confidentially about your employment status.
Even if you're currently satisfied in your role, we welcome calls from homelessness prevention and housing advice professionals looking to make future connections. Our specialist team at Carrington West has over 100 years of combined experience in this market.
For more information, call Zubair at Carrington West on 02393 876065.
By applying for this position, you agree for Carrington West to hold and process your personal data in accordance with our Data Protection Policy. Your data will only be shared with third-party clients for roles relevant to your application. You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting us.