Location
25 Bournemouth Road, Peckham, London, SE15 4UJ

Hours
36 hours per week

Salary
£53,319 per annum

About the Role
Does the idea of preventing someone from losing their home tomorrow appeal to you? Are you passionate about making a meaningful difference, supporting residents through challenging times and finding solutions that create lasting change? If yes, we have an exciting opportunity for you! Join Southwark Council as a Prevention and Relief Officer and play a key role in helping residents overcome housing challenges, prevent homelessness and build more secure futures.

We are looking for passionate and committed housing professionals who want to make a positive difference. This is an opportunity to use your skills, knowledge and professional judgement to support residents at some of the most challenging moments in their lives - helping them understand their options, access their rights and find practical, sustainable solutions.

Southwark is a diverse and ambitious borough, committed to putting residents and communities at the heart of everything we do. Through our Fairer Futures ambition, we are working to tackle inequality, challenge discrimination and ensure every resident has the opportunity to thrive.

As part of our Housing Needs and Support service, you will join a dedicated team focused on early intervention, homelessness prevention and delivering high-quality services that achieve positive outcomes for residents.

As a Prevention and Relief Officer, you will manage a varied and complex caseload of residents who are at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness. Taking a proactive and person-centred approach, you will work with residents to understand their circumstances, identify solutions and support them towards sustainable housing outcomes.

You will:
- Carry out statutory homelessness assessments and make clear, fair and legally robust decisions in line with the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.
- Develop, implement and review Personalised Housing Plans, agreeing realistic actions that support residents to achieve positive outcomes.
- Provide high-quality advice and guidance, helping residents understand their rights, responsibilities and available housing options.
- Work creatively with residents, landlords, internal services and external partners to prevent homelessness, sustain tenancies and secure suitable accommodation.
- Support residents experiencing complex challenges, including financial hardship, health needs, safeguarding concerns, domestic abuse, mental health issues and other vulnerabilities.
- Connect residents with wider support services, including employment, income, health and wellbeing support, recognising that stable housing is fundamental to improving lives.
- Maintain accurate case records, produce high-quality documentation and contribute to a service committed to accountability, learning and continuous improvement.

This role requires more than knowledge of legislation - it requires empathy, resilience, problem-solving and the ability to see the person behind the case. You will help residents navigate difficult circumstances while ensuring decisions are fair, lawful and focused on achieving the best possible outcomes.

Experience
Strong knowledge of homelessness legislation and the ability to apply it confidently and effectively.
Experience managing complex housing casework and making sound professional decisions.
A prevention-focused approach, with the ability to identify risks early and take meaningful action.

About you
Confident, compassionate and solution-focused housing professional committed to preventing homelessness and improving residents’ experiences.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex information clearly and supportively.
Confidence to manage challenging conversations while treating residents with dignity, respect and understanding.
Strong partnership-working skills and the ability to build effective relationships with residents, colleagues, landlords and external agencies.
Ability to manage competing priorities, maintain accurate records and deliver high-quality work in a busy frontline environment.
Understanding that homelessness is rarely caused by housing issues alone, considering wider circumstances affecting residents’ lives and using this understanding to develop practical and sustainable solutions.

Qualifications
For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification provided by the employer.