Accommodation Support Officer - Homeless Team WMF2207e

Location Penrith

Contract: Permanent

We have an excellent opportunity for a motivated candidate to apply for the role of Accommodation Support Officer, within Thriving Communities. We are looking for someone with a flexible attitude to the work and be solution focused in their approach. Join us and you can help change lives. Our Homelessness Team are lucky to say we start each day knowing we can make a difference to local people.

The role will be varied and rewarding, our customers are always put at the heart of our service provision ensuring we deliver excellent advice and assistance. The role requires the successful applicant to work in the community visiting dispersed temporary accommodation, providing support to households throughout their journey from temporary accommodation into alternative permanent housing.

Our Accommodation and Support Officers also undertake practical tasks associated with managing temporary accommodation e.g. tracking rent payments, issuing requests for gas/electric checks, arranging repairs and refurbishment when necessary.

The successful candidate will be an enabler, with experience in providing housing related support. If you are super organised with excellent communication skills and can engage appropriately with vulnerable adults and families often with mental health, offending history, learning disabilities and substance misuse like a varied role, we’d love to hear from you.

The successful candidate must have experience of outreach/community-based working with homelessness & or other socially excluded people or be able to demonstrate equivalent skills and ability within their current role. Experience of working in partnership with statutory and non-statutory agencies in a customer-focused environment in the housing sector or related field would be advantageous.

You must have the ability to travel efficiently around the area to conduct visits and attend meetings. A full UK driving licence and access to a car would be advantageous.

Applicants are strongly advised to use the criteria in the post specification as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection criteria.

Working at Westmorland and Furness Council you will receive a variety of benefits, including a competitive pension scheme, enhanced annual leave allowance and other various perks and discounts schemes. For more information about life at Westmorland and Furness Council and what we can offer you, please visit our Careers site. Our benefits | Careers (westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk)

For further information about this role, such as responsibilities and essential criteria please view the below attachments:

If you have any queries about this role or would like an informal chat about this opportunity, then please contact Emma Harrison on 01768 212302 or Amanda Brierley on 01229 876332

Closing date: 25 August 2025

Interviews will be in person, if you have any concerns or adjustments are needed, we are happy to discuss this with you.

Westmorland and Furness Council are now able to offer sponsorship for Skilled Worker Visa applications for eligible roles. Please note, we cannot guarantee the eligibility of all of our roles, therefore, if you would like more information on roles that may be eligible please visit the government website - Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes - GOV.UK.

At Westmorland and Furness Council we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and we expect all workers, employees and volunteers to share our commitment.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and requires an enhanced DBS check with an Adults Barred List check.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Leader, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

We also offer guaranteed interviews to Armed Forces personnel and veterans and those in care or care experienced and under 24 years old (someone who has been looked after by a local authority at any point, for any length of time, e.g. foster care, residential care, or under the guardianship of a local authority) that meet the essential criteria for the role

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