Norwich houses increasingly occupied by person living alone

As many as 38.9pc of people in the city are living on their own according to the 2021 UK Census, with experts worried they will face "horrific" challenges during the cost of living crisis.

The census found 25,098 city homes had just one person living in them.

Only central London, Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster have a higher number.

The Fine City reached the top spot outside of the capital having had the 15th-highest amount of people living alone in 2001.

This rose to the eighth-highest in 2011.

The increase was called a "real worry" by financial expert Martyn James, who said those living alone will face additional challenges as they have less support to fall back on.

He said: "This is a major concern. I live alone and I've realised how tough it is.

"I speak to people across the country and everyone is saying it's a real concern.

"I've heard of people on their own not putting heating or the cooker on.

"We often hear about elderly people but it's really difficult for young people on their own, they struggle the most as they have no safety net.

"A lot of them don't have a home to go to or a helpful relative they can fall back on."

Mr James said he was "running out of tips" for those who were struggling.

He added: "It's been a depressing year, it's been horrific.

"I'd rather people got rid of subscriptions than not put the heating on but it's getting to a point where the tricks no longer work."

Estate agents say the increasing number of single-occupancy homes is due to the city's population getting younger.

Mason Burrell of Brown and Co Residential in Norwich, said: “Norwich is a city which attracts young people to study and many go on to stay, choosing to work in the city and rent or buy a house.

“Norwich is well suited in that it has a large number of terraced houses, starter homes and one-bedroom apartments."

What can those living alone do to stay afloat?

While Mr James said the crisis was getting to a point where tips and tricks no longer work, he said there were still some things people can do.

His starting point is to remind people to look at their direct debits and get rid of the things they no longer need like dating apps and magazines. 

He also said people may not realise they are in financial difficulties and need to be aware of that.

Mr James said: "A lot of things can still be done to help, there are many free organisations which are great and utilities companies are obliged to come up with a plan if you are struggling to pay.

"You don't have to be totally in the red. If you got an unexpected £200 bill and you couldn't afford to pay it, you are in financial difficulty."

He recommends people in trouble put together a brief overview of their finances and situation before phoning their supplier and presenting that to them.