Housing support worker
NacroThe Breakroom Take
- Paid breaks
- Proper breaks
About Nacro
Nacro is a social justice charity. They provide housing, education, support and advice for disadvantaged young people and adults.
Job description from Nacro
Housing Support Worker
Job Type: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: £24,962 Per Annum (Base salary £23,962 + £1,000 Unsociable Hours )
Full Time: Working hours are 8 hours per day, shift patterns and flexibility will be discussed during the interview. (The provision of the contract is between 08:00 and 22:00
Location: Birmingham
Candidates are required to have a full driving licence and access to a vehicle for the purposes of undertaking the requirements of this role.
Making a difference
The Community Accommodation with Support, tier 2 (CAS-2) contract is a high-profile commission direct from the Ministry of Justice. Operating in every region across England and Wales. CAS-2 provide accommodation, support to low and medium risk offenders that are eligible for a home detention curfew or bail that would otherwise be held in prison because they do not have accommodation in the community. It is currently Nacro’s largest single contract and is set to grow by 60% over the next 18 months!
What will you be doing:
In this role no two days are ever the same and you will have the opportunity to make an impact and a difference for our service users and wider communities. Managing your diary to meet the requirements of the role, you’ll meet with service users, discuss support needs and how we can help them to meet their objectives; complete Support and Safety Plans, work with Community Probation Practitioners and court staff to best support our service users. You’ll also need to be able to help our service users with applying for Housing Benefit and paying rent etc. All of our properties require to meet the ‘Decent Homes Standard’ and to do that you’ll need great attention to detail to ensure that our homes are clean, tidy and all repairs are reported and actioned, so they are readily available for our service user to move into.
People who love this role are: · Resilient – doesn’t take the events of the day home with them, undertakes activity to care for own wellbeing
Curious – will ask questions to understand before finding solutions or signposting.
Emotionally intelligent - Perceptive to human behaviour, instinctively knows when something isn’t right.
Has a level of self-confidence and knows own limitations. Positive outlook – enthusiastic and willing to learning.
Warm personality, smiles and gives appropriate eye contact, demonstrates.
Demonstrates team working and supports peers. Combines efforts with others.
Personal values match those of Nacro.
What are we looking for:
Genuine interest in people – wants to interact with people through different methods (phone, email, face to face) and can change their own communication style to meet the needs of the audience and situation. Listening, asking questions to confirm understanding, clear and concise, doesn’t always accept the status quo. Uses common sense to help make decisions.
Acts with integrity and within professional boundaries in the service users' best interests and Nacro. Knows when to escalate issues or concerns, and to ask for help.
Able to manage competing priorities – manages self, is organised to deliver, updates systems and reports in a timely manner, sets reminders and follows up to ensure outcomes happen. Pays attention to the detail.
ICT literate – training will be given for our systems, need to be able to use outlook, word and excel at a basic level. ·
Non-Negotiables - Without these things you would find it very challenging to complete the job role.
Full clean UK Driving licence.
Access to vehicle - you will be reimbursed for your mileage at 45p per mile.
Willing to undertake extensive travel for business. ·
Business car insurance will be required if appointed for the post.
An enhanced DBS check will be required for this role. as well as registration on the DBS Update Service. These will be completed as part of the Pre-Employment Screening process. This role also requires a Prison Clearance.
We welcome applications from individuals with lived experience of the criminal justice system, and having a criminal record will not necessarily preclude you from being successful in your application.
Rewards and Benefits-
25 days holiday + bank holidays
Free eye test and £50 contribution towards glasses
Employee assistance programme
Excellent benefits including a great annual leave entitlement, additional special leave, an occupational sick pay scheme which exceeds statutory requirements.
The opportunity to work flexibly within the community as this role allows you to work from home in between property visits.
If you have any questions or would like to have an informal chat regarding the role, please email (url removed)
This role provides an excellent springboard into other criminal justice professions including experience of working with a range of criminal justice agencies. In addition, you will gain experience in liaising local authority Housing Benefit departments and the DWP to resolve financial issues.
Request for Visa Sponsorship – NOT AVAILABLE FOR THIS VACANCY
Nacro is a visa sponsorship licence holder. There is strict criteria for visa sponsorship set by the British Government. This vacancy does not meet the eligibility criteria for sponsorship, however depending on your personal circumstances there maybe a different route for you to be able to legally work with us.
For further information please go to

Job insights from Breakroom
Support workers
Support workers help vulnerable people to live independently
What you’ll do as a support worker:
- Check the needs and progress of the individuals you are supporting
- Help with daily tasks like budgeting, shopping and claiming benefits
- Provide physical care and support including, bathing, dressing, cooking and feeding
- Check and monitor health and help with medication
Is it right for you?
This job may involve:
- Standing
- Heavy lifting
- Helping with personal care
- Physical activity
- Emotionally demanding duties
- Wearing a uniform
- Night work
- Long hours
- Anti-social hours
- Cleaning
- Working alone
What employees say
Pay
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Good
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Most people are paid a living wage
Do Nacro pay a living wage?
Most people are paid a living wage.
How we know this
67% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are £12.60 per hour, and £13.85 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Good
-
Most people are paid market rates
Do Nacro pay market rates?
Most people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
70% of people are paid above average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Good
-
Most people get paid breaks
Do workers at Nacro get paid breaks?
Yes. Most people get paid breaks.
How we know this
75% of people say they get paid breaks.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Good
-
Most people get sick pay
Do Nacro pay sick pay?
Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
85% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Hours and flexibility
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Good
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Easy to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Nacro?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
92% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Good
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Most people find it easy to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Nacro?
Most people find it easy to take sick leave.
How we know this
67% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Workplace
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Okay
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Only some people feel treated with respect
Do people at Nacro feel treated with respect by their managers?
Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
38% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Good
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Most people get proper breaks
Do people at Nacro get proper breaks?
Most people get proper breaks.
How we know this
69% of people report that they get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Needs improving
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Most people are stressed
Is it stressful to work at Nacro?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
69% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t recommend their team
Do people at Nacro recommend working with their team?
Not many people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
69% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get enough training
Do people get enough training when they start at Nacro?
Most people didn’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
69% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Nacro?
Most people aren’t given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 77% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Needs improving
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do people think Nacro head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
92% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Okay
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Only some people feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how Nacro is doing?
Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
50% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
What Nacro employees say about their job
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Best thing
The people you meet
Worst thing
Stress, paperwork overload, lack of resources and support, incorrect focus on tick boxes and info gathering.
Support worker at Nacro, January 2025
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Best thing
Helping vulnerable adults
Worst thing
Working with sex offenders
Support worker at Nacro, August 2023
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