Homelessness Prevention Officer

About the role

The Homelessness Prevention Officer will join the Housing Advice & Prevention team of a council in Aylesbury. The role delivers statutory homelessness and housing advice, helping vulnerable households avoid homelessness and supporting assessments under the Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

Key responsibilities

• Provide statutory homelessness and housing advice, including eligibility assessments and personalised Homelessness Prevention Plans.
• Plan and organise work to deliver specialised advice to internal and external stakeholders, prioritising vulnerable customers.
• Make detailed enquiries to relevant agencies, interpret information and make informed decisions.
• Utilise the Homeless Prevention Fund, Discretionary Housing Payments and private rented housing options to prevent or relieve homelessness.
• Support senior officers and managers, and contribute to team performance targets.
• Assist the council’s fraud team in detecting and preventing fraud related to housing services.

Required profile

• Experience in homelessness prevention, housing advice, or related social services.
• Good knowledge of the Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.
• Ability to assess eligibility and deliver high‑quality, customer‑focused advice.
• Strong analytical and decision‑making skills.

Required skills