Homelessness Prevention and Relief Officer

We're looking for passionate, resilient individuals to join our specialist service, helping families and pregnant people facing homelessness.

In this fast-paced and dynamic role, you will assess the circumstances and needs of households facing homelessness, identify practical and sustainable housing solutions, and work collaboratively with partners to prevent and relieve homelessness.

About the role

We’re looking for passionate, resilient individuals to join our specialist team, helping families and pregnant people facing homelessness.

In this fast-paced and dynamic front-line role, you will sit at the very heart of Brent Council’s transformed Housing Needs Service. You will step in at critical moments to provide rapid, compassionate, and life-changing support, acting as a crucial line of defense to keep local families safe and securely housed.

Responsibilities

• Be the first point of contact for families and pregnant individuals facing homelessness, assessing their circumstances and immediate needs under relevant housing legislation.
• Provide practical advice and identify sustainable housing solutions that prevent the trauma of displacement or the reliance on emergency temporary accommodation.
• Work collaboratively with internal teams, landlords, social services, and external partners to proactively prevent and relieve family homelessness across the borough.
• Manage a caseload of families and pregnant individuals at risk of homelessness, driving early intervention in tenancy breakdowns and providing practical support and advice to both tenants and landlords.
• Deliver early interventions by actively identifying risk factors for family homelessness and proactively managing a caseload to sustain tenancies and prevent evictions.
• Facilitate mediation and negotiation between tenants, landlords, and family networks to resolve complex tenancy breakdowns and domestic housing disputes.
• Provide expert advice and tools to empower families, including guidance on welfare benefits, income maximisation, and accessing alternative private rented sector pathways.
• Conduct statutory housing assessments under relevant legislation, implementing Personalised Housing Plans (PHPs) to secure stable, long-term housing solutions.

Requirements

• Experience in Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended by the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017).
• Proven track record of investigating applications, determining statutory duties, and writing legally robust decision letters.
• Customer-focused mindset with exceptional communication skills.
• Strong proactive problem-solving abilities and emotional resilience.
• Proven negotiation, advocacy, or mediation skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively as an effective team player.
• Accurate casework records and strong administrative capability.
• Extensive experience working directly with vulnerable households in a front-line housing needs or local authority environment.
• Comprehensive understanding of inner-London housing market challenges.