Bracknell Forest Council
Housing Options Officer (12 months Fixed Term Contract) (pay award pending)
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Everyone deserves access to safe and suitable housing. As a Housing Options Officer, you will play a vital role in preventing homelessness by providing expert housing advice, carrying out statutory homelessness assessments and working with residents to identify realistic housing solutions.
This is a rewarding and varied role where your professional judgement, knowledge of housing legislation and ability to build positive relationships will have a direct impact on people's lives. You will work with individuals and families who are homeless or threatened with homelessness, assessing their circumstances, identifying the duties owed under homelessness legislation and developing practical, personalised plans to help them secure and sustain accommodation.
No two days are the same. You may be helping someone remain in their home, negotiating with landlords or partner agencies, assisting a family to access suitable accommodation or ensuring residents receive the right support at the right time. In return, we offer a supportive team environment, ongoing training and opportunities to develop your expertise in housing law, homelessness prevention and case management, enabling you to build a rewarding career in local government.
At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a variety of flexible working practices, including options for remote working and arrangements that allow you to work from home, dependent on the needs of the service.
The role offers flexible and agile working, with a combination of remote working and face-to-face appointments at Time Square. You will usually be expected to attend the office at least one day each week.
Any successful internal candidate will be offered the position as a secondment and, in line with Section 8.1 of the Secondment Policy, must consult with their manager before applying. Search ‘secondment policy’ on the intranet for more information.
Please note: Applicants who applied for this position during the previous recruitment campaign and were not shortlisted are asked not to reapply, as previous applications have already been fully considered.
About You…
You will have experience of working in housing options, homelessness prevention or a similar housing advice role with a sound working knowledge of the Housing Act 1996, the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and related legislation. You will be confident carrying out housing needs assessments, making legally robust decisions, issuing statutory notifications and developing Personal Housing Plans that enable residents to understand their housing options and take positive steps towards resolving their housing situation.
You will be empathetic, resilient and able to build rapport with people facing complex and often challenging circumstances. Strong communication, negotiation and organisational skills are essential, together with the ability to manage a varied caseload, prioritise competing demands and work collaboratively with colleagues and partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes.
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About The Team…
You will work as part of a friendly, supportive team that values collaboration, practical problem-solving and providing proactive advice and assistance to households experiencing housing difficulties or at risk of losing their home. You will also work closely with the Rough Sleeper and Single Homelessness Team, supporting our shared ambition to reduce and prevent rough sleeping in Bracknell Forest.
You will work closely with colleagues and partner agencies, including Children’s Services, Adult Social Care, Probation, hospitals and voluntary organisations, to prevent homelessness and support residents with wider needs.
Key responsibilities…
- Provide high-quality housing advice and support to households who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, helping them to sustain existing accommodation or secure suitable alternative housing.
- Assess homelessness applications in accordance with the Housing Act 1996 (Part VII), the Homelessness Act 2002 and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.
- Undertake comprehensive housing needs assessments and develop tailored Personal Housing Plans to support positive housing outcomes.
- Deliver a customer-focused service, ensuring all statutory duties, notifications and casework are completed accurately and within required timescales.
- Work proactively to prevent homelessness through early intervention, advice and practical solutions.
- Maintain accurate case records and ensure compliance with relevant legislation, policies and service standards.
Our benefits…
- 28 days annual leave increasing to 33 days after 3 years’ continuous service, with the opportunity to buy up to 10 and sell up to 5 days.
- Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.
- Paid employee volunteering scheme.
- Local government pension scheme, with life insurance cover.
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme (subject to eligibility).
- Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits. (Terms and Conditions apply)
- Career development through internal and external training opportunities.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing
- Inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks and a sports and social club.
Find out more about all our benefits or see the candidate pack.
Our Values
At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you.
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Reasonable adjustments
We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk. We will work with you to support you throughout the process. Find out more about reasonable adjustments.
Disability confident and inclusive recruitment
Bracknell Forest Council is proud to be an inclusive employer. This means that if you have made us aware on the application form that you have a disability, are an armed forces veteran or you are a care leaver, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.
Interview date
Interviews will be held the week commencing 24th August 2026.
Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.
We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.
Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.
Want to ask us a question?
For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:
Michele Keegel, Housing Options Team Leader, Phone Number: 01344 351355
Or
Emma Thomas, Housing Options Team Leader, Phone number: 01344 351352
Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment.
We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.
Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.
No agencies please.
Equal Opportunities
Bracknell Forest Council – Working for Equality. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Further information on this vacancy
- Candidate Pack
- Job Description and Person Specification
Apply Online
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