Housing Options Officer

Contract Type: Temporary (3-month contract)

Location: Central London

Salary: £35.25 per hour (umbrella)

Job Type: Hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days from home)

We are currently seeking a Housing Options Officer on a temporary basis. This role is based within the Department of Community and Children’s Services - People’s Directorate and is crucial in providing a comprehensive advisory and assessment service for housing or homelessness assistance in Central London.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities:

• Provide a comprehensive housing advice service by maintaining an accurate database of information to effectively prevent homelessness.
• Assess and implement the City’s housing duty to all households presenting as homeless or threatened with homelessness.
• Ensure prevention and relief duties are undertaken in accordance with the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.
• Lead on and assist with the drafting and delivery of Personal Housing Plans.
• Conduct sensitive interviews to identify the most appropriate response to the housing needs of individual households.
• Make arrangements for homeless persons to be placed in temporary accommodation and ensure appropriate charging and payment mechanisms are operated.
• Visit applicants in temporary accommodation and liaise with accommodation managers to ensure standards are met.
• Provide information and liaise with internal and external agencies to assist with benefits and welfare services.
• Assess applicants' housing needs and respond to enquiries, ensuring comprehensive checks are made to prevent fraudulent applications.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Qualified to degree level or equivalent.
• Demonstrable experience and training relevant to the housing sector.
• Detailed technical knowledge of relevant Housing legislation, including Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.
• Experience in the Statutory Homelessness sector with a focus on reducing homelessness and rough sleeping.
• Proven communication skills, capable of engaging with a variety of stakeholders.
• Analytical skills with the ability to monitor data-collection methods to support and measure initiatives.
• Experience of case managing homelessness applications on dedicated software systems.

To apply for this Housing Options Officer position, please submit your CV detailing your relevant experience.