Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

Locations: Bristol, Darlington, London, Manchester, Wolverhampton

Salary:  National £33,787, London £37,170

Number of positions available: 6

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.  Candidates will also need to hold the right to work in the UK and meet Civil Service Nationality Rules.

About the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 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 200 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.

Economic roles

The precise nature of the role for an Assistant Economist 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.  Some examples of the work economists in MHCLG have been involved in which the successful candidate(s) may be involved in include: 

• Economic analysis and appraisal with respect to the Levelling Up agenda and local economic growth
• Economic advice on the housing market, planning policy and key policies such as Right to Buy.
• Economic analysis and appraisal with respect to building safety interventions and departmental climate change policies.
• Economic analysis on local public service reform, local government funding and sustainability and public sector efficiency; and
• Economic analysis on homelessness and the high-profile Troubled Families programme.

 MHCLG Economist Community

There is a large and vibrant economist community in MHCLG.  There are opportunities for economists and all analysts to attend seminars with a range of different external speakers and attend various social events.  Mainstream economists can gather experience of MHCLG’s various policy areas thorough our annual internal rotation scheme.

Learning and development opportunities

Our roles will give you the opportunity to apply and further develop your economic skills.  There is also a range of learning and development opportunities in MHCLG, both with respect to technical, economics-focussed learning as well as support for wider development.  Mainstream economists 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. 

For further information on working as an economist in MHCLG, please contact Analytical.Recruitment@communities.gov.uk

“If you are keen to apply your economic 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 of Analysis at MHCLG