Housing Advisor

Leeds City Council; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and annual leave

West Yorkshire Pension Fund

Flexible and hybrid working

Career development opportunities

Staff benefits

Job summary

Leeds City Council is seeking a Housing Adviser to support its statutory homelessness service from Merrion House in Leeds. You will manage a caseload, deliver housing options advice, assess needs and secure temporary and longer-term housing options for applicants.

You will work with partners across the public, private and third sectors, handling homelessness applications and referrals, with induction training provided and opportunities for career development within a busy council service.

Qualifications

• Flexible and adaptable to change across locations.
• Evidence of problem solving, analytical and social skills for housing options service.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proficiency with ICT including Word and email; able to produce reports.
• Ability to extract and analyse information from ICT systems.
• Ability to work in a team.
• Ability to work in partnership with public, private and third-sector organisations.
• Ability to identify support needs.
• Ability to identify safeguarding concerns and elevate them appropriately.
• Ability to handle challenging behaviour.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a face-to-face housing options service to homeless or at-risk clients at multiple locations.
• Provide telephone/email-based housing options assistance.
• Manage a caseload of homeless and housing need cases.
• Carry out assessments under relevant Housing Acts.
• Draft homeless decision letters in line with legal requirements.
• Coordinate with supported housing providers to secure temporary accommodation.
• Assist applicants in accessing private rented housing options.
• Prepare Homeless Prevention Fund applications as required.
• Support managers with data and quality assurance activities.
• Develop partnerships with external organisations to improve service delivery.
• Attend meetings and contribute to service improvement.

Skills

Flexible working

Problem solving

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

ICT applications

Word processing

Teamwork

Partnership working

Safeguarding

Dealing with challenging behaviour

Job description

Job title: Housing Adviser

Salary: C1 £29,542 - £32,046

Hours: 37 per week

Contract: Permanent

Location: Merrion House

As a Housing Adviser you will become part of the Council’s statutory homeless service who are responsible for preventing and relieving homelessness to ensure that an applicant has suitable accommodation available to them. You will contribute to delivering a housing options service framed around the three core service functions of housing advice provision, assessment of housing need and duty and securing suitable temporary and longer-term housing options. Carry out homeless and other additional need assessments in accordance with Part VI and Part VII of the 1996 Housing Act (as amended)

You will be part of a fast-paced environment and strive to communicate effectively with customers and partners in a range of settings in person, over the telephone, via email or at external locations. You will be responsible for engaging with the applicant to complete a homeless application and identify the households support needs and providing a personalised housing plan.

Within this role you will have the opportunity to build and develop excellent partnership skills by working with a range of 3rd sector organisations and building connections with the home office accommodation provider to secure suitable accommodation.

You will be responsible for your own caseload and complete homeless applications, referrals for support and accommodation - training will be provided through an induction period.

About You

• An excellent standard of customer service and ability to engage and adapt to vulnerable applicants who approach our service.
• An interest in homelessness and
• The ability and passion to work in conjunction with a range of professionals and partnerships.
• High motivation to work in a busy environment as part of a team.
• Ability to manage your own time efficiently and be responsible for managing your own case load.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions .

What We Offer You

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

The post holder will contribute to delivering a housing options service framed around the three core service functions of housing advice provision, assessment of housing need and duty and securing suitable temporary and longer term housing options. The post holder will also contribute to delivering key homeless preventions initiatives such as mortgage and tenancy advice, helping people secure private rented housing options and making referrals to initiatives such as Sanctuary and youth mediation.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a face to face housing options service, in accordance with Part VII of the 1996 Housing Act (as amended) to people who are homeless, threatened with homelessness or in some of housing need, at a variety of locations including the Leeds Housing Options Service at Merrion House.
• Deliver a telephone based, or using other mediums such as email, housing options service.
• Take responsibility for caseload of homeless and housing need cases.
• Carry out homeless and other additional need assessments in accordance with Part VI and Part VII of the 1996 Housing Act (as amended)
• Write homeless decision letters in accordance with the legal framework.
• Liaise with supported housing and other temporary accommodation providers to secure suitable temporary accommodation for people owed such a housing duty.
• Help people to secure private rented options through the Private Sector Lettings scheme and through other routes such as requesting a Homeless Prevention Fund payment .
• Prepare Homeless Prevention Fund applications as required.
• Assist service managers in the quality assurance of service delivery by providing case work information held in case files or IT systems, decision letters and financial payments.
• Help develop partnering arrangements between the Leeds Housing Options Service and other public, private and third sector organisations.
• Work flexibly to help deliver an effective Housing Options Service.
• Attend meetings and forums as required relating to the delivery of the Housing Options Service.
• Undertake any other duties as required commensurate with the responsibilities and grade of the post.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
• Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and appropriate CPD programmes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
• Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the values, standards, and equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
• The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Qualifications

None required

Essential requirements

It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.

Skills Required

• Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.
• Demonstrate evidence of problem solving, analytical and social skills required to provide a housing options service to vulnerable people.
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to use a range of ICT applications including Word and email and to be able to word process reports.
• Ability to extract and analyse information sourced from different ICT systems.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to work in partnership with a range of public, private and third sector organisations.
• Ability to identify support needs.
• Ability to identify safeguarding concerns and elevate them appropriately.
• Ability to deal with people who are displaying challenging behaviour.

Knowledge Required

• Awareness of housing options law and policy.
• Awareness of the needs of homeless people and others in housing need.
• Awareness of services in Leeds for homeless people and others in housing need.
• Knowledge and understanding of Equal Opportunities law and policy.
• Awareness of safeguarding policy and practice.

Experience Required

• Experience of working with homeless and other people in housing need.
• Experience of working in a multi‑agency partnership environment.
• Experience of working in a busy team environment.

Behavioural And Other Characteristics Required

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.