Norwich homelessness charity marks five years with warning: 'The job isn't even close to done'

Lucy Parish, director of operations at Hopestead

Thousands of people have been supported by a homelessness charity, which has its fifth anniversary today (10 October).

But while Norwich-based Hopestead marks the milestone – which coincides with World Homeless Day - its message is stark: The homelessness crisis is only getting worse.

Lucy Parish, Hopestead’s director of operations, said: “At Hopestead, we believe everyone deserves a place to call home, and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved over the past five years.

“But the homelessness crisis isn’t easing up, it’s getting worse. Rough sleeping is just a small part of it. Right now there are over 130,000 households – including 169,000 children – living in temporary accommodation in England.

"We're talking about families in B&Bs with no cooking facilities, sharing bathrooms with strangers. Children doing homework on beds because there's no desk, no space, sometimes not even a bed of their own.

"This isn't housing, it's crisis management. And it's costing councils a fortune whilst failing the people who need help most.”

Ms Parish called on the government to urgently introduce minimum standards for temporary accommodation. 
She said: “Places that should've been a stopgap for a few weeks have stretched into months, years even, and they're often not fit for purpose. We need minimum standards to ensure there is a bed for every family member, safe spaces for children to play and study, and an end to placing families in mixed B&Bs and hotels.” 

Hopestead's Hope at Home programme supports people who are moving into a new home after homlessness.

Hopestead’s Hope at Home programme has given families moving out of homelessness the essentials to make a house feel like home – items like beds, cookers and flooring. Last year alone, the programme supported 670 people, including 262 children, with 97% maintaining their tenancies long-term.

Hopestead was launched by housing provider Flagship - now part of Bromford Flagship - in 2020. Since then it has supported over 38,000 people by furnishing empty homes, providing grants to partners and building accommodation for people transitioning out of homelessness.

Through its Hope Funds programme, Hopestead has distributed £587,473 to partner organisations tackling homelessness in different ways – from debt advice to emergency shelter. In the most recent funding round, those partners reached 15,369 people, 60% more than projected.

Building Hope creates new accommodation for people moving out of homelessness – like Hopestead Place in Ipswich, modular homes that give people a stable base while they transition to independence.

Voice of Hope is Hopestead’s campaigning arm that challenges how people see homelessness through storytelling and bold campaigns, whilst pushing for system change around affordable housing and better support.

Homelessness in your area

East of England
During 2023-24, more than 20,000 people experienced homelessness across the East of England, with over 18,000 living in temporary accommodation. The region has seen significant rent increases contributing to the crisis, with many Local Housing Allowance claimants moving from London into East of England authorities.
Source: Hopestead impact report 2023-24; National Audit Office homelessness data

Norfolk
In late 2024, around 391 children were estimated to be homeless across Norfolk. Great Yarmouth has the highest rate in the county at one in 542 people experiencing homelessness. Breckland has 83 children homeless, whilst Norwich has 9 children homeless out of 86 people in total.
Source: Shelter data

Suffolk (including Ipswich)
Ipswich Borough Council's spending on temporary homeless accommodation jumped 22% in 2024-25 to approximately £2.1 million. The council cited outdated funding formulas for the rise as demand continues to increase.
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government figures

England overall
As of 31 March 2025, 131,140 households were living in temporary accommodation – a record high and an 11.8% increase from the previous year. This includes 169,050 children. Nearly 3,870 households with children are in B&Bs, with 2,300 there beyond the legal six-week limit.
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Statutory homelessness in England: January to March 2025