Housing Adviser

Job pack

Thank you for your interest in working within the Citizens Advice service. This job pack should give you everything you need to know to apply for this role and what it means to work within the Citizens Advice service.

In this pack you’ll find:

Our values

3 things you should know about us

Overview of the Citizens Advice service

Overview of the Role

Role Profile and Person Specification

Our approach to Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)

Further information and how to apply

Our values

Values to help us achieve our cultural ambition: an inclusive, purpose driven workplace that listens, works together, is open and honest, accessible and helps everyone be the best they can be.

Purpose driven we always focus on the people who need our help.

People focused we recognise, value and reward contributions and talents in an open, fair, and meaningful way.

Collaborative we build relationships across teams and locations to foster innovation and inclusive ways of working.

Transparent we are open and honest, sharing information early and often whenever we can.

3 things you should know about us

We’re local and we’re national. Citizens Advice have 4 national offices and offer direct support to people across England, Wales and the Channel Islands in 236 independent local Citizens Advice services, including within the New Forest.
We’re here for everyone. Our advice helps people solve problems and our advocacy helps fix problems in society. Whatever the problem, we won’t turn people away.
We’re listened to - and we make a difference. Our trusted brand and the quality of our research mean we make a real impact on behalf of the people who rely on us.

Overview of the Citizens Advice service

The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of 236 independent local Citizens Advice charities across England, Wales and the Channel Islands, and the national charity. The role of the national charity is to enable local Citizens Advice to deliver their services and jointly deliver other services at a national level, including the website.

Citizens Advice provide support from:

● 511 local Citizens Advice offices in communities across England and Wales

● over 1,166 outreaches in local communities, such as GPs’ surgeries, hospitals, libraries, prisons and community centres

● the Witness Service, available in 234 criminal courts across England and Wales

Across the whole of Citizens Advice, the service is delivered by around:

● 10,000 local staff

● 19,500 volunteers

We help millions of people every year with free, independent and expert advice across the broadest range of areas – from money and debt to benefits, housing, energy, work and so much more.

Overview of the Housing Adviser role

As the Housing Adviser, you will oversee the delivery of our housing advice service across the New Forest, especially with those that are under threat of homelessness. You will ensure that our service is accessible, high-quality and meets the needs of the local community. This support will be through a mix of face to face, telephone and online client appointments.

This role would suit a trained debt or benefits adviser, however, we would also be keen to hear from candidates who have transferable skills and are willing to undergo training in housing advice – full training will be available for the right candidate.

Role Profile

Job Title	Housing Adviser
Reporting to	Advice Operations Manager
Annual Salary£26,300 - £28,000	We welcome applications from experienced advisers, aswell as those looking to trainTrainee Adviser £26,300 (FTE) with a salary review onsuccessful completion of probationSalary will be reflective of experience
Hours of work	Part-time 30 hours per week, job share considered
Location	Flexible to suit applicant, with some travel across the NewForest area
Holiday	25 days per annum (pro rata) plus Bank Holidays
Key Responsibilities:Housing Options● Take referrals from clients that approach Citizens Advice under threat ofhomelessness, as well as from New Forest District Council (NFDC) andthird parties● Give proactive, timely housing options advice to those that may be atrisk, with a view to avoiding future homelessnessProvide support to clients with challenges to housing bandingsNegotiate with landlords and other housing stakeholders to resolvehousing disputes and prevent loss of accommodation● Ensure clients are promptly signposted to other specialist advisers(within Citizens Advice and third parties) to deal with any issues thatmay increase their threat of homelessness

Record and report on session delivery and outcomes for individual clients in line with the project outcomes and Citizens Advice quality and other standards

Individual Financial Capability

Support clients to maximise their income to ensure they are in best position to avoid homelessness

Undertake budgeting work with clients to ensure that future housing options are affordable and sustainable

In all other aspects, deliver basic financial education to help individuals make better budgeting, borrowing, saving and banking decisions, encouraging them to manage their finances more effectively and take control before they reach crisis point

Ensure all client data is handled securely and in line with data protection requirements

Liaison with New Forest District Council (NFDC)

Build and sustain strong relationships with key contacts within the NFDC housing team

Be the primary contact for all NFDC enquiries regarding clients at risk of homelessness

Provide feedback to NFDC on project progress and options for service design improvements, as required

Ensure all client data is handled securely and in line with data sharing agreements

Use of Systems & Technology

Use laptop, photocopier, phone systems, scanner, and other office equipment as appropriate

Use various software applications as necessary for the work involved, e.g. MS 365, including Word, PowerPoint & Excel

Project Administration

Undertake all relevant administrative and support duties required to ensure the smooth running of the project

Record, update and maintain information on a case management system for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation

Professional Development

Keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to housing and financial capability advice and undertake appropriate training

Read relevant publications

Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with the line manager

Prepare for and attend project related meetings, as appropriate

Maintain necessary records of professional learning and development achieved within the role

Other

Complete induction and mandatory training relevant to your role

Work within our organisational key principles, policies & procedures

Embed Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in day-to-day work

Undertake any other duties as might be reasonably required within the scope of this role

In accordance with Citizens Advice national policy, depending on the role, the successful candidate may be screened by the DBS. However, a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to your being able to take up the job

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Experience of providing one-on-one support to people, demonstrating empathy, understanding and a non-judgemental approach when responding to a range of needs and circumstances

Strong communication and listening skills, with the ability to build trust and explain information clearly to a range of clients

Able to work as part of a team and build relationships both internally and with external partners & organisations

Good understanding of financial information e.g interpreting information, carrying out calculations and budgeting

Good written skills, including the ability to produce accurate, clear and timely case notes and records

Competent IT skills, with experience of using case management systems, databases or other in-house systems to record and manage client information

Desirable Criteria

Knowledge of the Citizens Advice network and its advice frameworks

Knowledge of the issues faced by people due to the cost-of-living crisis

Experience of managing change and driving service improvements

Knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures

Additional Requirements

The role requires travel within the New Forest, hence a reliable means of transport is essential. Candidates who can drive and own a vehicle insured for business purposes will be well-suited for this position.

Our approach to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

EDI is of strategic importance within Citizens Advice New Forest (CANF) and recognised as integral to all we do as a service.

Central to pursuing our EDI mission is building diverse and inclusive teams in which everyone has a sense of belonging. We particularly welcome applications from people we would like to see better represented in our organisation and sector - people of colour, LGBTQ+ people and disabled people.

We are also a flexible employer, so our roles may suit anyone who’d prefer a flexible arrangement to help their work/life balance.

Further information & how to apply

If you would like to discuss this role further, please email jobs@canf.uk

To apply for this role, please send a CV and cover letter (no more 500 words) to jobs@canf.uk to explain how your skills and experience fit with the requirements of this role. Applications will only be accepted on receipt of a CV and cover letter to this email address.

Closing date for this role is Friday 21st August 2026, applicants will be considered on a rolling basis

CITIZENS ADVICE NEW FOREST

1 role available