Housing Options Officer
Starting salary £34,431 pa with progression to £41,254 pa through annual increments subject to satisfactory service (inclusive of outer allowance)
37 hours per week (hybrid working)
Permanent contract
Do you want to make a real difference to people facing homelessness?
We are looking for proactive and compassionate Housing Options Officers to join our Housing Options Team and help prevent and relieve homelessness across the borough.
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has invested in our Homelessness Service and is looking for enthusiastic, passionate people to join the expanded team. There are vacancies for various areas, single homeless people, and focusing on families and vulnerable individuals. Applicants are encouraged to advise in their application whether they prefer either post.
As a Housing Options Officer, you will act as the case worker for households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. You will provide high‑quality advice, assess applications in line with homelessness legislation, and work creatively with customers and partners to identify solutions that help people secure and sustain accommodation. This is a challenging but rewarding role where no two days are the same, and where your work will have a direct impact on people’s lives.
Key responsibilities:
- Managing a caseload of homelessness and housing options cases from initial approach through to decision and outcome
- Interviewing applicants in person, by telephone and remotely, making appropriate enquiries and completing assessments
- Preventing and relieving homelessness through negotiation, advice, and creative housing solutions
- Making legally sound homelessness decisions in accordance with the Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
- Carrying out home visits to verify living arrangements and gather information
- Working closely with internal teams, partner agencies and landlords to secure suitable accommodation options
- Identifying and referring safeguarding concerns in line with council procedures
- Contributing to the council’s out‑of‑hours homelessness service and supporting a positive team environment
- Delivering an excellent, sensitive and fair customer service to all applicants
It is essential that the postholder has a good general standard of education, including Maths and English. You will have excellent written and verbal communication skills, along with strong IT skills with confidence using Microsoft Office and the ability to learn new systems. You will have experience of providing high‑quality customer service with the ability to manage a busy caseload, prioritise work and meet deadlines. You will have the ability to deal calmly with challenging or distressed members of the public. You will have a clear understanding of equality, diversity and data protection principles.
It would be an advantage if you have knowledge of homelessness legislation, including the Housing Act 1996 (Part VII) and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. Experience of interviewing members of the public and resolving complex situations. To have an interest in learning about homelessness and developing or increasing their understanding of homelessness legislation and case law.
Experience of working in a housing options or homelessness service would be an advantage to an application, and applicants with such experience are encouraged to apply.
The role is hybrid with the expectation of attending the office at least twice a week, service needs dependent.
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential in this post.
If you are passionate about helping people and assisting those in housing need, thrive under pressure and enjoy team working – we want to hear from you.
We offer the Local Government Pension Scheme, which is a defined benefits scheme, an attractive working environment in the heart of Welwyn Garden City, flexible working, free parking, access to electric pool cars, and a minimum of 25 days annual leave each year. You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here My Rewards – Careers
We offer the Local Government Pension Scheme, which is a defined benefits scheme. Curious about how much a pension with Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council could be worth? Take a look at this public sector pension calculator to find out.
Our CORE values — Collaborative, Open, Responsible, Excellent — underpin how we work and what we stand for.
We are changing:
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (WHBC) is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by WHBC on 1 April 2028, it is expected that the majority of roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.
LGR is one of the biggest changes in local government we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better.
To find out more, visit Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation – Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council
Please note we do not provide sponsorship for employment in the UK.
We recommend downloading the role profile as this will be unavailable online once the vacancy closes.
Closing date for applications is 31 August 2026
Remote assessments will be held on 9 September 2026
Face to face interviews will take place on 17 September 2026