Their joint strategy outlines a comprehensive plan to tackle the escalating challenges of homelessness and rough sleeping across both districts, despite recent, significant successes in supporting vulnerable individuals and families.

Both Councils have a strong track record of tackling homelessness through person-centred service provision, innovative partnerships, and solutions. Key achievements highlighted in a recent strategy review include:

• Increased Support: Growing the in-house rough sleeper team and introducing greater housing support for care leavers.
• Dedicated Accommodation: Increasing temporary accommodation specifically for victim-survivors of domestic abuse.
• Affordable Housing Delivery: Between 2020 and 2025, Registered Provider partners delivered 679 new social housing homes in Broadland and 935 homes in South Norfolk. However, rising housing costs and wider socio-economic factors have placed immense pressure on local services. A specialist data forecast in 2024 indicated that without further action, the need for Temporary Accommodation (TA) could increase by over 300% by 2029, leading to a sharp rise in costs for both Councils.

South Norfolk Councillor, Graham Minshull said:

The reality of the housing crisis means we must adapt and escalate our efforts. Our new strategy acknowledges that no single action will solve this issue, but a collective, collaborative response, involving our customers and partner organisations can make a definitive change."

The new strategy is structured around four key priority areas:

• Prevention: Proactively intervening to stop people from losing their homes.
• Accommodation: Ensuring people can access safe, stable, and high-quality temporary and supported accommodation.
• Housing Solutions: Developing varied and accessible long-term pathways out of homelessness.
• Systems and Collaboration: Enhancing services and strengthening partnerships.

A cornerstone of the new plan is a trailblazing programme to purchase Council-owned Temporary Accommodation units. This will provide good quality, secure housing for households in need and significantly reduce the reliance on expensive, nightly-paid Bed & Breakfast accommodation.

The programme is set to deliver an additional 70 units in Broadland and 81 units in South Norfolk by the end of March 2026.

The desired outcome is clear. To collectively stop homelessness and work towards a future where everyone has a safe and stable place to call home.