Housing crisis in Norfolk forces people to move to Suffolk
A rising number of people in Norfolk are being forced to move to neighbouring county Suffolk
Alarming figures on the number of people waiting for a home in Norfolk have been released, showing more than 11,800 on housing waiting lists at the end of November.
Hundreds of people in need of emergency accommodation in Norfolk have been moved outside the district they live in, with some being moved as far away as Ipswich.
For many, it is impacting their work and personal life by increasing travel time and forcing them to live away from their families.
The long waits are believed by experts to be caused by a complex mix of factors, including skyrocketing rents, immigration, the rising cost of living, and an acute shortage of both social and private housing.
The direct consequences of the crisis are weighing on local authorities, which have had no choice but to put people up in hotels and other temporary accommodation, costing councils hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Organisations fear the problem may get even worse if serious and quick action is not taken by local authorities.
Daniel Childerhouse, CEO of Future Projects, a charity which offers support for housing and homelessness, said: “It is deeply concerning."
“The cost of living crisis is leading to a growing number of relationship breakdowns, increasingly problematic debt, and widespread mental health issues – all of which are placing additional pressure on an already overwhelmed social housing system."
“We are also seeing more people needing support with housing who would ordinarily have scraped by; people with mortgage commitments and so on who, due to rising interest rates, can no long make do and are at risk of default.”
The FOI further showed people are sometimes waiting up to four years for a home, depending on the property type needed.