Housing Officer

As a Housing Officer, you will help people find, keep and maintain safe places to live.

You’ll work with tenants, communities and partner organisations to support wellbeing, solve housing issues and help people live healthy, independent lives

Housing Officer is also known as Housing Practitioner, Housing Support Worker.

Role Characteristics

Support tenants with housing-related issues
Help people access housing and community services
Work with different organisations to support wellbeing
Manage housing agreements and tenancy matters
Resolve problems and provide advice and guidance
Help create safe and thriving communities

Skills

Active listening
Advice giving
Empathy
Taking initiative
Team work
Communication

Day in the life

Watch this video to learn from Kris about the work of a Housing Officer.

Routes into this role

Here are some example routes that can lead into this role.

Apply directly

GCSEs

BTEC, T-Level or A-Levels

An apprenticeship

Undergraduate degree

How to become

To become a Housing Officer, you will usually complete a qualification in housing, public services, business, health and social care, or a related subject, or gain experience through employment or an apprenticeship.

Study a course or qualification – useful qualifications include GCSEs in English and Maths, alongside subjects such as Health and Social Care, Business, Public Services, Sociology or Psychology, as well as relevant T Levels and BTECs.
Gain experience working with people – volunteering, customer service, community projects, youth work and support roles can all help build relevant skills.
Explore apprenticeships – housing, business administration and public service apprenticeships can provide valuable workplace experience.

You can then continue developing your knowledge through workplace learning, professional qualifications or higher education.

Alongside education, you may also want to build some relevant work or voluntary experience in customer service, community projects, administration, housing, health and social care or public services, and think about developing your communication, problem-solving, organisation, teamwork, empathy and relationship-building skills.

Where can this role lead

From your role as a Housing Officer, you could specialise in helping specific groups of people by becoming a Debt Advisor, Refugees and Asylum Seekers Support Worker, Employment Advisor or Social Prescriber. You could also move sideways into roles such as Advocacy Worker, Community Development Support Worker, Community Champion or Volunteer Coordinator, where you would continue supporting people and communities. With experience, you could progress into Service Manager, Project Manager, Registered Manager or Primary Care Commissioning Officer roles. If you would like to work more directly with people on a day-to-day basis, you could pursue opportunities as a Support Worker, Home Care Worker, Peer Support Worker or Activities Worker.