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Provide specialist advice to members of the public, with the primary aim of preventing homelessness. Investigate and make determinations on homelessness / threatened with homelessness cases, in accordance with the provisions of Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002), the Code of Guidance and Council policy and practice.

Key Duties

Homelessness

Carry out formal investigations under the Housing Act 1996, to ensure that the Council fulfils its statutory duties, to determine applications, to ensure that clients are kept informed at all stages, and to issue written notifications of all decisions made.

Prevention

Contribute to the future development of prevention, assessment and rehousing services to promote housing options available.

Provide an efficient and effective front line assessment and prevention service. Keeping the service safe by accurately assessing housing need and homelessness in line with the housing legislation within front line triage, duty assessments, telephone assessments, interviews, home visits and outreach surgeries, and at all times ensuring that the Local Authority complies with statutory duty.

Process

Contribute towards the delivery of the prevention agenda and Gold Standard programme, to ensure that the service contributes effectively to tackling social inclusion, worklessness, welfare reform, debt and overcrowding.

Provide a community focused service to ensure the service is accessible to all customers and partners. To include home visits to discuss housing needs and work directly with the customer to resolve the housing situation.

Provide specialised outreach housing advice surgeries within internal and external agencies, courts, schools, colleges and hostels within the Borough.

Seek to prevent homelessness by liaison with creditors, solicitors, Landlords, applicants, their families and the County Court etc. and by giving advice, assistance or direct action.

Private Rented Sector

In accordance with Localism Act 2011, establish good working relationships with private landlords, encouraging them to take homeless referrals, customers in housing need and tenants claiming housing benefit.

Connect2Halton is a trading style of Halton & Kent Commercial Services LLP- A joint venture between Halton Borough Council & Commercial Services Kent Ltd. Connect2Halton is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates