What we do
The National Homelessness Advice Service (NHAS) offers advice agencies in England the specialist support and professional resources necessary to enable them to give the most appropriate, accurate and timely housing advice to people.
Our expertise is second to none, drawn from the housing and advice specialisms of partner organisations Shelter and Citizens Advice.
We’re a well-established service with an impressive track record of providing expert consultancy, flexibly tailored training, and up-to-date information to England’s network of Citizens Advice Bureaux and other voluntary advice agencies nationally. We are also a catalyst for change, encouraging local authorities and front-line advice agencies to work effectively together in partnership.
Consultancy
The NHAS has a team of experienced housing specialists on a dedicated consultancy line, Monday - Friday, able to provide you with the technical housing knowledge and support you need to help your client. We’ll support you to deal with housing enquiries, whatever the problem and however simple or complicated the case.
Training
Our national training programme offers you a structured approach to learning, developing advisers from trainee to generalist and caseworker level. We’ve a team of dedicated trainers delivering our training courses across the country.
The programme of courses include Housing & relationship breakdown, Domestic violence and housing, Homelessness and persons from abroad, Advising on possession proceedings. The courses blend both legal knowledge and practical skills that will ensure you are able to provide good-quality housing and homelessness advice and advocacy. They also provide the chance to network with other providers of housing advice, and the opportunity to learn of current best-practice initiatives and keep abreast of changes in legislation.
Working with local authorities
With the best solutions for tackling people’s housing problems in mind, part of our remit is to encourage productive liaison between advice agencies and local housing providers. The NHAS seeks to develop and promote good practice, based on a joint commitment from front-line independent advice agencies and local housing authorities to work together to prevent homelessness.
A copy of the Joint Working Agreement and associated documents can be viewed here:
- NHAS joint working. Agreement (
110kb)
Information resources
Up-to-date knowledge of housing and homelessness law and policy, together with information on current or forthcoming initiatives and their local connection are essential in advising a client about their housing situation. Through the NHAS, there’s a raft of regular information resources at your disposal.
If you would like to find out more about Becoming a member of NHAS
