Solo Housing & Babergh District Council / Mid Suffolk District Council: Partnering to Support Customers with Higher Needs

In Suffolk, tackling homelessness requires creativity, collaboration and compassion. Solo Housing (East Anglia) has been supporting single people facing homelessness since 1985, providing person-centred housing solutions across the region. Meanwhile, Babergh & Mid Suffolk District Council manages housing as a local authority landlord but has been exploring new ways to support customers with more complex needs.

Together, we’re showing how partnership working can bridge the gap between housing and support.

(Charlotte’s name has been changed to protect her privacy. Instead of using her photo, we’ve chosen a unicorn image — something she loves — to represent her story.)

Working Together to Make a Difference

Traditionally, Babergh & Mid Suffolk District Council provided housing and commissioned limited tenancy support for customers, primarily focusing on rent, benefits and tenancy sustainment. However, when county-level funding for housing-related support reduced last year, the council faced an important challenge: how to help customers with higher support needs maintain their homes.

This is where Solo Housing’s experience in supported accommodation became invaluable.

Working together, Babergh & Mid Suffolk DC provides the housing while Solo Housing delivers low to medium-level housing-related support, helping customers who might otherwise struggle to maintain a tenancy.

One example of this partnership in action is Eric Jones House, a small supported scheme designed to help people move away from homelessness and towards stability.

The building has just five rooms, offering temporary accommodation for around 18 months to two years. During that time, customers receive practical and emotional support to help them build the confidence and skills needed for independent living.

Each customer receives around 5 hours of support per week, delivered here by Solo Housing colleagues Charmaine and Sam.

Charlotte: From Setbacks to Progress

Charlotte’s journey shows just how important this partnership can be.

After a difficult period that included time in prison and the loss of her previous home, Charlotte needed somewhere safe to rebuild her life. Court restrictions meant she couldn’t return to her former property, and she made a homelessness application through the council.

Fortunately, a room became available at Eric Jones House, and since August 2025 Charlotte has been living there. This is her first experience of Solo Housing, and the structured support available at the scheme has played a key role in helping her begin to move forward.

Charlotte receives regular support from Charmaine and Sam, who together provide weekly support to each customer in the scheme. Their work can cover almost anything needed to help someone regain stability — from explaining household bills and managing money, to helping customers access food parcels, speak with the Jobcentre, and stay on top of rent payments.

Charlotte says she really values the support they provide and the consistency they bring.

“They help with everything,” she explains. “Bills, letters, sorting things out — things that can feel overwhelming on your own.”

Charlotte pays £60 per week in rent, but she has chosen to pay £70, contributing a little extra each week to clear some small arrears she had built up.

With support from partners, including a council tax arrears grant from Anglia Care Trust, Charlotte has also been able to tackle some of the financial pressures that were weighing on her.

Rebuilding Health and Confidence

Charlotte’s journey has involved more than just housing challenges.

Following a past car accident, she underwent two hip replacement operations in 2025, one in January and another later in the year. Recovery has taken time, but she is now doing well and gradually rebuilding her independence.

She has also faced struggles with substance use in the past. Today, Charlotte no longer uses drugs and is supported through a prescribed treatment programme, helping her maintain stability and focus on her future.

Like many people rebuilding their lives, Charlotte has experienced difficult periods, including a history of self-harm. But with the right support around her, she is finding new ways to move forward.

And there are plenty of positive signs.

Charlotte is currently attending a computer skills course, where she’s learning how to use computers, write a CV and practise mock interviews — all steps towards finding employment.
She regularly visits the Jobcentre and is actively looking for work.

Outside of courses and appointments, Charlotte makes an effort to stay connected to the local community. She enjoys getting out locally and has even found time to play darts, something she really enjoys.

Small steps perhaps — but important ones.

A Trial in Innovation

For Babergh & Mid Suffolk, working with Solo Housing represents an important step in developing new approaches to supporting customers with low to medium-level needs.

Traditionally, temporary accommodation schemes have provided low-level tenancy support, focusing mainly on benefits and rent. Eric Jones House is different. Here, customers often need more structured support, but may not meet the threshold for formal social care services.

Claire Bray, Tenancy Sustainment and Domestic Abuse Team Manager at Babergh & Mid Suffolk District Council, explains:

“This partnership with Solo allows us to provide a level of support we’ve never offered directly before. It’s a chance to test new approaches and ensure customers with higher needs can sustain their accommodation. Charmaine and Sam have been fantastic in supporting customers like Charlotte.”

Projects like Eric Jones House demonstrate that local partnerships can close important gaps in support provision.

Why This Partnership Matters

For customers:
They receive tailored support that addresses housing stability, financial management and wellbeing.

For the council:
It offers a flexible way to support customers with higher needs while maintaining housing provision.

For Solo Housing:
It allows us to deliver person-centred support that helps people rebuild stability and independence.
Charlotte’s story shows what can happen when the right housing opportunity meets the right support.

Looking Forward
Solo Housing and Babergh & Mid Suffolk Distict Council remain committed to strengthening this partnership.

Eric Jones House may be small — but its impact is significant. By combining stable accommodation with structured support, it offers customers the space and time they need to rebuild their lives.

Charlotte is still on her journey, with around 18 months to two years expected at the scheme, but the foundations for the future are being built.

And sometimes, that future begins with something small.

A safe room.
A bit of support.
A computer course.
A game of darts.
And maybe even a unicorn picture on the wall.

Together, we’re not just providing housing — we’re helping people move forward.