West Northamptonshire -Housing Allocations Officer

West Northamptonshire -Housing Allocations Officer
Location - One Angel Square, Northampton
Hybrid role, with 3 days office based and expectation to work from various office locations-Northampton, Towcester & Daventry
On going contract
Working hours: Monday to Friday – 37 hours
£19.23ph
IR35 status: Inside IR35

• To process complex and detailed correspondence and telephone enquiries in relation to housing allocations applications, including who can join the Council’s Housing Register, the banding scheme and what priority a customer may be awarded under the scheme and the provision of realistic advice on the availability of social housing and a customer’s housing options.

• Comprehensively assess, investigate and determine housing applications to join the Council’s Housing Register in terms of eligibility and qualification for social housing and level of priority awarded to those applicants that can join the Council’s Housing register in accordance with the Council’s Housing Allocations Scheme and all relevant codes of guidance and legislation.

• Process applications where there is a medical need and assess the applicant’s basic medical condition in relation to their housing circumstances. Make decisions on the level of priority that should be awarded to the applicant and the type of property to best suit their needs. In particularly complex situations, make an appropriate referral to the Council’s specialist medical advisor for guidance and advice to inform decision-making.

• Ensure that investigations are robust and verification of all housing register applicants’ circumstances are completed in accordance with the agreed policy and procedures. This will require interviewing applicants both in their home and within locality hubs, such as council offices.

• Receive information about available properties from the Council’s ALMO and Registered Providers in the area and create adverts for regular choice-based lettings advertisement cycles (to make applicants on the Housing Register aware of the available properties that they can bid on).

• Responsible for allocation of properties through each choice-based letting cycle. Ensure that the shortlisting and nomination of applicants against properties is undertaken in an appropriate and timely way in accordance with the Council’s Housing Allocations Scheme and in relation to prescribed nomination agreements. Ensure that any risks are properly assessed and escalated, as appropriate, in accordance with MAPPA, MARAC and any relevant safeguarding and/or health and safety procedures.

• Ensure all administrative records are updated promptly in accordance with the approved policy and procedures including annual reviews of housing applications and changes of circumstances of applicants.

• Work with other Council departments and external voluntary and statutory bodies to identify housing need and ensure that the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy is applied correctly to meet need. Key stakeholders include Children’s Trust, Adult Social Care, Probation and Police.

• To maximise personal productivity, minimise duplication and errors; and manage our information efficiently and securely to reduce risk, though effective use of Office 365 and our internal IT systems and applications.

To find out more information please contact Deanna at   

Recruitment is done in line with safe recruitment practices. We are an equal opportunity