Single Homelessness Prevention

**Job Purpose**:
To deliver intense specialised support to single individuals and couples without dependent children who are in housing need.

The posts’ primary function is to prevent homelessness by helping customers to retain their current accommodation and where this cannot be achieved, present a range of housing options to resolve their homelessness.

To work closely with supported accommodation providers, private sector landlords, Single Homelessness Prevention Service (SHPS), statutory and voluntary agencies.

To agree Personalised Housing Plans (PHPs) with people who are threatened with homelessness or homeless under the terms of the Homeless Reduction Act.

**Principal Accountabilities and Responsibilities**
- To interview all applicants that approach the Council for housing assistance, to determine what actions can be taken to resolve their housing need.
- To manage caseloads, carry out necessary investigation work, issue duty letters, Personal Housing Plans and formal decisions letters in compliance with current homelessness legislation.
- Understand complex or multiple needs as well as strengths of applicants and build a culture of trust and motivation to help clients progress through their Personal Housing Plans.
- To organise and manage a caseload identifying priorities and deadlines ensuring that systematic progress is made on each case in line with performance targets.
- To work creatively and use knowledge, skills and information to help prevent homelessness through negotiation, advice or assistance, either preventing the loss of accommodation or securing alternative accommodation suited to the needs of the applicant.
- To conduct home visits in and out of the borough if required.
- Maintain detailed working knowledge of homeless legislation, other relevant areas of law, Government guidance and keeping abreast of relevant case law.
- Maintain up to date knowledge of housing options available to applicants.Have a good understating of issues affecting affordability of housing including knowledge of welfare benefits.
- To conduct outreach work to promote the work carried out by the Single Homelessness Team as required.
- Liaise with colleagues, both internally and externally, and create, maintain and improve key partnership working in line with duties to prevent and relieve homelessness.
- To deal effectively with correspondence from customers and their advocates, MP’s, housing providers, statutory and voluntary agencies etc. This may involve preparing information to support court cases or panel hearings.
- Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and all employees are required to act in such a way that at all times safeguards the health and well-being of children and vulnerable adults.
- Carry out duties with due regard to the Council’s Customer Care, Equal Opportunities, Information Governance, Data Protection, Health and Safety and Emergency Planning & Awareness (including to provide assistance where available) policies and procedures.
- Employees should embed environmental sustainability into their work, actively contributing to Brent becoming a carbon-neutral borough in 2030.
- Undertake any other duties commensurate with the general level of responsibility of this post.

**Must have**:

- Degree qualified or equivalent experience.
- Education to a high standard of literacy and numeracy.

**Knowledge (please specify all essential criteria)**:

- Comprehensive knowledge of all core legislation such as the Housing Act 1996 as amended by Homelessness Act 2002, the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, housing needs issues, related legislation and case law.
- A good working knowledge of housing benefit rules and of the supply and demand issues related to public sector and private housing in an inner London council.
- Comprehensive knowledge of prevention tools and options

**Experience (please specify all essential criteria)**:

- Experience of giving advice and information to vulnerable customers and working in a busy front line customer focused environment.
- Strong and effective experience in provision of exceptional customer services.
- Worked with households experiencing a housing crisis and the provision of advice and assistance covering a range of aspects of that crisis.
- Application of the Suitability Assessment in recommending potential pathways for applicants
- Experience of negotiation/advocacy/mediation

**Skills and abilities (please specify all essential criteria)**:

- Ability to organise own workload and prioritise competing demands.
- IT literate, including use of word processing, spreadsheets, databases and e-communication.
- Ability to deal with difficult customers and maintain positive working relations and guide towards sustainable outcomes.
- Ability to achieve targets and methodically respond to changing demands and priorities.
- Commitment to motivating and empowering people to succeed and providing excellent customer service
- Ability to communicate well, in writin