2026 RO Grad Scheme JD MHCLG

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

Number of positions available: 3 

Locations: Bristol, Darlington, London, Manchester, Wolverhampton

Office attendance expectations: 60% office attendance and 40% working from home.

Salary:  National £34,801, London £38,286

About the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is central to the mission-driven government, from fixing the foundations of an affordable home to handing power back to communities and rebuilding local governments. Our priorities are:

• Delivering more, better quality, more affordable, safer, and greener homes
• Ending rough sleeping and reducing homelessness
• Creating more opportunities, better jobs and boosting living standards for communities
• Introducing the biggest changes in building safety for a generation
• Supporting the sustainability of the local government sector that delivers priority services and empowers communities.
• Maintaining the Union, and ensure that its strength and benefits are clear, visible, and recognised by all citizens.

MHCLG has a thriving analytical community headed up by Stephen Aldridge our Chief Analyst and Chief Economist. The Department is home to over 300 analysts and support staff providing high quality analytical advice to Ministers, the Executive Team and policy and corporate colleagues across all aspects of the Department’s business, including levelling up, housing and planning, building safety and climate change, and homelessness and vulnerable groups. Our analysts are responsible for economic advice, modelling and analysis, statistical analysis, data collection, data analysis and science, research, evaluation and thought leadership across all MHCLG policy areas.

Social Research roles:

The precise nature of the role for a mainstream social researcher will be agreed when we have been allocated a successful candidate. We will take into account priorities at that time and the skills and preferences of the candidate.

Our Social Researchers are involved at all stages of the policy making process, from contributing evidence to inform policy design, to formative action research to understand how changes are being implemented and ultimately evaluating the impact of our interventions to understand what difference they make and how we can improve.

Our roles give you the opportunity to use and further develop both qualitative and quantitative research skills, carry out in-house research and be involved in the design, analysis, external commissioning, and management of major social research projects, including evaluations. You will also have the opportunity of engaging with academic experts, other government departments and external stakeholders, and working collaboratively across teams within MHCLG to deliver analytical projects. Some examples of key social research projects include:

• Delivery and analysis of the flagship English Housing Survey (EHS).
• Research and evaluation to support the delivery of a wide range of housing ang planning interventions.
• Synthesis work, research, and evaluation work on initiatives to help vulnerable groups, including rough sleeping, and other homelessness and prevention initiatives and the award-winning Troubled Families evaluation.
• Synthesis work, data collection, and evaluation activity to support more integrated and cohesive communities.
• Evidence gathering and evaluation work on key priorities including levelling up.

MHCLG social research community 

MHCLG’s friendly and vibrant social research community comprises around 80 researchers, working in multidisciplinary teams and working on a range of different and innovative research projects. There are opportunities for social researchers and all analysts to attend seminars with a range of different external speakers and attend various social events.

Learning and development opportunities:  

Our roles will give you the opportunity to apply and further develop your social research skills in a supportive environment. There is also a range of learning and development opportunities in MHCLG, both with respect to technical, social research focused learning as well as support for wider development. Our social researchers are also eligible to apply for the Department’s analytical bursary scheme which supports our analysts wishing to undertake a Masters course to further their education.

Security Clearance 

For London-based roles Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) is required – you must have been living in the United Kingdom continuously for the last three years to obtain CTC clearance. All candidates will also need to hold the right to work in the UK and meet Civil Service Nationality Rules.

For further information please contact Analytical.Recruitment@communities.gov.uk

“If you are keen to apply your social research skills to a range of exciting and challenging policy issues, are interested in taking an evidenced-based approach to help influence policy design and enjoy working as part of a team then we would be delighted to receive an application from you.”

Stephen Aldridge, Director for Analysis and Data at MHCLG