Housing Options Officer

East Cambridgeshire District Council; Ely; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Training and development

Occupational health programme

LGPS membership

Job summary

East Cambridgeshire District Council is recruiting a Housing Options Officer to prevent homelessness and provide housing advice. You will manage a caseload, assess complex circumstances and liaise with agencies to secure suitable accommodation.

The role requires experience in housing options, knowledge of relevant legislation, and the ability to work with clients with complex needs. The team supports flexible working and professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Previous Housing Options casework experience essential.
• Knowledge of Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and willingness to learn council IT systems.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of housing advice cases to prevent homelessness.
• Assess and investigate homeless applications under relevant legislation.
• Conduct advice interviews at drop-ins, appointments and by phone.
• Liaise with social care, probation and police to develop holistic solutions.
• Assist families in accessing suitable properties via Choice Based Lettings.
• Collect data and maintain standards within housing advice service.

Skills

Casework experience

Verbal communication

Written communication

Microsoft Office

Education

GCSEs including English & Maths

CIH Level 4 qualification desirable

Job description

Are you ready to make a real difference in people's lives? East Cambridgeshire District Council has an exciting Housing Options Officer opportunity!

Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 4EE

Salary: £38,510 to £44,253 per annum

Job Type: Full time, permanent

Closing Date: Thursday 15 October 2026

About Us:

East Cambridgeshire District Council is committed to preventing homelessness and supporting those who are homeless or at risk of losing their home. We serve the East Cambridgeshire district and have recently achieved silver accreditation under the Investors in the Environment scheme, ranking 43rd out of 164 councils on the national climate scorecard. Our Housing Advice team continues to grow as we expand our support services.

Housing Options Officer - The Role:

In this rewarding role, you will work closely with statutory and voluntary agencies to provide high-quality homelessness prevention services and housing advice. You will manage a caseload of housing cases, assess and investigate complex circumstances, and help people access and maintain suitable, sustainable housing. Your day-to-day work will involve conducting advice interviews, mediating with landlords and families, liaising with private and public sector organisations, and ensuring customers understand all available housing options. You will also investigate homelessness applications to ensure the council meets its legal responsibilities, working independently on complex cases that require knowledge of housing and homelessness legislation.

Housing Options Officer - Key Responsibilities:

• Manage a caseload of housing advice cases with the aim of preventing homelessness and securing alternative options
• Assess and investigate homeless applications in accordance with the Housing Act 1996 and the Homeless Reduction Act 2017
• Conduct detailed advice and assistance interviews with homeless applicants at drop-in sessions, booked appointments and by telephone
• Liaise with other statutory and voluntary agencies including social care, probation and police to develop holistic solutions
• Work with families in housing need to help them access suitable properties through the Choice Based Lettings scheme
• Assist in the provision of emergency advice outside office hours and arrange temporary accommodation as needed
• Collect statistical data, undertake research tasks and maintain good practice standards across the housing advice service

Housing Options Officer - You:

• Previous Housing Options casework experience essential
• Knowledge and understanding of the Housing and Homeless Reduction Act legislation
• Experience working with people with complex needs including mental health, substance abuse and offending behaviour
• Clear and concise verbal and written communication skills to interact with clients, managers and external parties
• Excellent organisational skills with high attention to detail and ability to work under pressure
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and willingness to be trained on council IT systems
• Positive, supportive and empathetic approach with strong team working skills
• CIH Level 4 qualification desirable, or willingness to work towards this qualification with council funding
• Four GCSEs (grade C or above) or equivalent, including English and Maths

Benefits:

• Flexible working
• Childcare scheme (in approved cases)
• Training and development
• Occupational health programme
• Holiday and sickness scheme entitlements
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme

Closing Date: Thursday 15 October 2026

The selection process will be held on: Tuesday 27 October 2026