Housing Solutions Initial Assessment Team Assistant

We’re recruiting a Housing Solutions Initial Assessment Team Assistant to join our busy Housing Solutions Team at Milton Keynes City Council. This is a rewarding role where you’ll be the first point of contact for people who are threatened with homelessness or already homeless, giving practical advice, gathering key information and helping people access the right support as early as possible. You’ll play an important part in a service that helps residents find or sustain accommodation, while supporting our wider aim to make Milton Keynes a better place to live and helping us deliver decent, affordable homes.

This role would suit someone with experience in housing or a similar customer-focused service who can communicate clearly, work with care and treat people with empathy and respect.

Site-Based role

• Be part of a busy Housing Solutions Team, providing a proactive triage service and giving advice and assistance to people who are threatened with homelessness or already homeless.
• Act as the first point of contact for new enquiries, gathering information and identifying risk before arranging appointments for assessment.
• Provide clear verbal and written advice on housing options and available support, including signposting to council services and external partner agencies.
• Help residents access services that support them to find or keep accommodation, including arranging homelessness assessment appointments and providing a meet and greet service.
• Gather documents from customers and make sure information is stored accurately and shared with the right colleagues.
• Respond to homelessness enquiries, emails, phone calls and Duty to Refer notifications, and support meetings and events when needed.

Ideal Candidate

• Experience of working in a housing service or a similar area of work.
• A good understanding of current homelessness legislation, housing solutions and when to signpost to other services and partners.
• Ability to complete forms accurately, handle personal information with care and maintain confidentiality.
• Confident communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to adapt approach to different audiences and situations.
• Strong customer service skills, with the ability to work collaboratively and influence, persuade and negotiate to achieve positive outcomes.
• A non-judgemental approach with genuine empathy for people facing stressful housing situations, working in line with our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

As part of the pre-employment checks, should you be offered the role, we’ll carry out a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences. Milton Keynes City Council is committed to building an inclusive workforce that reflects the diversity of our community. We actively encourage applications from candidates who bring a range of perspectives, particularly those from underrepresented groups. We are proud to have signed up to the Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard (SC-WRES), a continuous improvement programme designed to help social care organisations achieve anti-racist workplaces. Our commitment means we are actively working to identify and address inequalities, improve representation in leadership, and ensure fair treatment and opportunity for all colleagues in Adult Services.