We are pleased to report a reduction in the number of people sleeping rough in the city, at a time when national figures show an increase across the country.
The latest local snapshot count recorded nine people (2025) sleeping rough in Norwich – which is a reduction from twelve in the previous snapshot (2024). While this reduction is welcome, there is still much to achieve and where rough sleeping does occur, it should be rare, brief and non-recurring. There is also still work to be done in addressing the need of the ‘hidden homeless’ – these are people who have no permanent dwelling as such and stay with friends, live in cars, or use temporary shelters.
This reduction is largely the result of strong collaboration between local organisations such as Pathways. This is a partnership of seven organisations: Shelter, St Martins, Future Projects, The Salvation Army, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, The Magdalene Group, and YMCA.
We have been working together since 2018, and this collaboration brings together a broad range of expertise and specialist support. The combined strengths of these organisations have played a significant role in helping people move away from the streets and into safer, more stable accommodation.
Dr Jan Sheldon, Chief Executive of St Martins said,
"The November 2025 Street Count confirmed that the number of people sleeping rough on our streets decreased slightly. I believe this is mainly due to the work we and our partners undertake across the city and our ability to think creatively about accommodation solutions. The number of people sleeping rough in Norwich is lower than cities of similar size, however there is no room for complacency and one person sleeping rough is one person too many."
Grace Richardson, Adult Services Manager, Future Projects said,
“Future Projects have been invoved with Pathways since its inception. We work to provide Tenancy Sustainment to ensure the participant has been given every opportunity to start their new tenancy on the right foot. Without this support, breaking the cycle of homelessness is impossible and the revolving door participants will be seen time and again. We are pleased to see the recent count has seen an improvement in the number of people sleeping rough in Norwich and re-affirms the vital work still needed to prevent homelessness across the city.”
To ensure we remain focused on the prevention and reduction of homelessness and rough sleeping in Norwich and to demonstrate our continued commitment to ending rough sleeping for good, we have adopted a new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2026–2031.
Cllr Jones, Cabinet Member for Housing said,
“We continue to face a range of national challenges in our efforts to prevent and relieve homelessness and rough sleeping. By working closely with our partners and the VSE networks, we can strengthen our collective impact across the city. However, the ongoing shortage of housing—particularly affordable and social homes—alongside the complex health, social care and wider support needs that often contribute to homelessness, remain significant pressures.
This strategy sets out a renewed approach to tackling homelessness and rough sleeping in Norwich, with an even stronger emphasis on prevention. A partnership approach is essential for delivering a more effective and sustainable outcome. This approach aligns with the Government’s ‘National Plan to End Homelessness’ published in December 2025.”
Key priorities in the new strategy
The strategy sets out four long‑term priorities:
- Work with partners to end rough sleeping – reducing numbers year‑on‑year with the aim of eventually ending rough sleeping in Norwich.
- Support access to suitable accommodation – ensuring residents can find housing that meets their needs.
- Prevent homelessness as early as possible – intervening early to stop people losing their homes.
- Build and maintain strong partnerships – strengthening joint working across local agencies and services.
A detailed Action Plan sits alongside the strategy and sets out the specific steps the council and partners will take over the next five years. It links actions to each of the four priorities and will be reviewed annually to track progress and remove barriers to delivery.
