Housing Solutions Officer

Hoople; Hereford; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS

Hybrid working

31 days annual leave (pro rata)

CPD and progression

Job summary

Herefordshire Council is seeking a Housing Solutions Officer for a 37-hour hybrid role at Blueschool House. The post involves preventing homelessness, assessing applications, and delivering housing options advice to residents in Herefordshire.

Salary is £32,061–£36,363 with LGPS benefits, 31 days’ leave and flexible/ agile working. Closing date: 2 September 2026; interviews w/c 14 September 2026. A supportive team environment awaits in a transformational housing service.

Qualifications

• Experience in housing legislation, homelessness prevention, and tenancy sustainment.
• Ability to explain complex information clearly with empathy and resilience.
• Evidence-based decision making in homelessness procedures.

Responsibilities

• Prevent homelessness by delivering comprehensive housing advice and early intervention.
• Take and assess homelessness applications, conduct interviews, and make lawful decisions.
• Provide housing options advice and facilitate appropriate solutions.
• Collaborate with Home Point, providers and landlords to maximise housing stock.
• Prioritise safeguarding and support vulnerable individuals and families.

Skills

Compassionate

Strong communicator

Organised

Team player

Resilient

Customer-focused

Proactive

Housing legislation knowledge

Job description

Housing Solutions Officer

Contract: Fixed Term until March 28.

Location: Hybrid, Blueschool House, Home and the Community.

Hours: 37 hrs per week.

Salary: HC 07 £32,061 - £36,363.

Closing date: Wednesday 2nd September 2026.

Interviews: w/c 14th September 2026.

Introduction

The Housing Solutions Team is the Council’s front-line operational housing service, based at Blueschool House and forming a key part of the wider Housing Service. We work directly with households who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or experiencing acute housing need, providing practical support, advice, and meaningful solutions at some of the most challenging times in people’s lives.

The Role

Help make a real difference by preventing homelessness and supporting sustainable housing solutions across Herefordshire.

What will you be doing?

Key Responsibilities:

• Prevent Homelessness: Provide comprehensive housing advice and early intervention to help residents maintain tenancies and avoid homelessness wherever possible.
• Case Management: Take and assess homelessness applications, conduct interviews, and make decisions in line with Part VII of the Housing Act 1996, as amended by the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, the Code of Guidance, and relevant Council policies.
• Housing Options Advice: Deliver advice on all available housing options.
• Partnership Working: Collaborate with Home Point, Registered Providers, private landlords, and other partners to ensure fair allocation of accommodation and maximise the availability of housing stock across the county.
• Safeguarding: Always prioritise the wellbeing of vulnerable individuals and families when carrying out housing duties.

About You

The Person We Are Looking For:

• Compassionate and empathetic – able to understand and respond sensitively to households in crisis.
• Strong communicator – able to explain complex information clearly and provide practical advice. A skilled communicator with empathy, resilience, and a solutions-focused mindset. Able to work effectively under pressure, managing a diverse caseload, with a ‘can do’ attitude.
• Organised and detail-oriented – capable of managing multiple enquiries efficiently while maintaining accurate records.
• Team player – willing to support colleagues and contribute positively to a collaborative working environment.
• Resilient and adaptable – able to work in a fast-paced, high-demand environment and manage challenging situations calmly.
• Customer-focused – committed to delivering excellent service and achieving positive outcomes for households in housing need. Confident in making robust, evidence-based decisions in accordance with homelessness legislation, including where the decision may be unwelcome or challenging for the client.
• Proactive and solution-focused – able to identify issues early and help find the best possible housing solutions.
• Experienced or knowledgeable - in housing legislation, homelessness prevention, and tenancy sustainment.

We Offer

A competitive salary, holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:

• A supportive and collaborative team environment.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.

• The chance to make a tangible difference to the lives of residents across Herefordshire.
• Salary range of £32,061 - £36,363.
• Enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress.
• Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum during the request period.
• Flexible working: including the potential for job-sharing, part-time hours and agile working.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling.
• Payment of professional membership fees (based on role requirements).
• Pick your perks – our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.

Why Choose Us?

• Work within a supportive, multidisciplinary environment.
• Make a meaningful impact on people’s independence and wellbeing.
• Contribute to innovative, accessible housing solutions across Herefordshire.
• Enjoy hybrid working: community visits, home working, and office collaboration.
• Access ongoing CPD, supervision, and professional development opportunities.
• Be part of a service that embodies our THRIVE values: Trust, Honesty, Responsibility, Inclusivity, Value, and Empathy.

You will probably have heard a lot about how beautiful it is in terms of countryside and open spaces (and it is!) but there is so much more going on here, including world-class cultural assets like the Mappa Mundi, vibrant theatres and a thriving food and drink sector. One of Herefordshire’s biggest assets is the strong and diverse communities. Our Talk Community approach brings that together supporting people to help themselves, encouraging them to help their communities and identifying how communities can help individuals.

Our ambitious transformation programme aims to further build on this to offer an all-age approach. We’re excited about the potential of what we can achieve for the benefit of all residents of Herefordshire, stronger together and building brighter futures.

Don’t meet all parts of the job description?

Herefordshire Council is committed to strengthening a diverse and inclusive work environment which reflects the communities of Herefordshire. If you are looking at the next stage of your career and have a broad base of fieldwork experience, we can provide supportive and welcoming opportunities to help you develop your professional, management & supervisory skills.

Reasonable Adjustments

Our recruitment process runs in partnership with Hoople Resourcing. If you require any reasonable adjustments or alternative methods for the online application process, please contact the resourcing team.

Creating an inclusive workplace

We encourage our employees to feel empowered and to use their voices to help embrace diversity, promote inclusivity and shape our organisation. We have eight employee network groups, collectives of colleagues who often share identities, life experiences or cultures and offer support and community. They also play an important role in strengthening the voices of employees at Herefordshire Council. Embedded in the Council's values is a commitment to listen to people's views and needs.

For more information on our Employee Network Groups please view our dedicated recruitment website: www.spiritofherefordshire.com.

Commitments, Covenants and Statutory Obligations

The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post they are applying for:

• Those who indicate that they have a disability. This is part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care.

We take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.