Buckingham Futures

Buckingham Futures is currently recruiting for a Housing Options Officer to join a local authority in Essex on a full-time, 3-month temporary contract. This is a hybrid role, requiring attendance in the office three days per week.

Rate: £30.00 per hour (umbrella)
Location: Essex
Contract: Temporary (initially 3 months), Full-time

The Role
As a Housing Options Officer, you will be on the front line supporting individuals and families at risk of homelessness. You will play a key role in preventing homelessness, assessing statutory duties, and helping clients secure sustainable housing solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

Provide housing advice and fulfil statutory duties under housing legislation
Manage a personal caseload through prevention, relief, and main duty stages
Develop and monitor Personal Housing Plans
Liaise and negotiate with landlords, families, and external agencies to resolve housing issues
Conduct formal investigations under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended)
Draft and issue Section 184 decision letters in line with statutory timeframes
Identify and escalate safeguarding concerns where appropriate
Attend multi-agency meetings to represent the service
Coordinate with colleagues to secure and manage temporary accommodation placements
Complete risk assessments for all temporary accommodation placements

Requirements:

Strong knowledge of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and relevant housing legislation
Excellent communication, negotiation, and letter-writing skills
Experience working in a front-line housing or homelessness service
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and housing case management systems
Ability to work in partnership with a range of stakeholders and external organisations

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Kapil at kapil@buckinghamfutures.com or call 020 8125 4321.