About Us | Freebridge Community Housing | Freebridge Community Housing

About Freebridge

Creating homes, communities, and local spaces to be proud of

Freebridge Community Housing is one of the largest providers of housing in Norfolk with homes across west and north Norfolk, making a difference for our customers and our communities.

Our goal is to provide quality homes and excellent services for current and future generations so that the people and communities of west and north Norfolk can thrive. And we are achieving this in a number of ways.

Including by providing homes to meet local needs. Today we have around 7,500 homes in our ownership and we are developing more affordable properties. We’re also improving our existing homes - we want to create homes, communities, and local spaces of which we can all be proud.

For information on Our Leadership Team and Heads of Service, please head here.

Freebridge in numbers

2006 – the year that Freebridge was set up to receive the stock transfer of homes from the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk after tenants voted significantly in favour.

7,500 – we own and manage around this number of homes.

934 – the square miles distance of the area we cover.

220 – how many people we are proud to call our colleagues.

£30M – our annual turnover.

Our customers are at the heart of everything we do and we are committed to providing an excellent service and offering additional support as needed. We’re focused on meeting the needs of our customers, listening to them, and shaping services to reflect what people want.

We also strive to make an impact by spending time getting out into our communities and lending a hand, where we can. We work closely with our partners, looking for ways to deliver services, support, and facilities that our communities need.

Freebridge's Five
Year Strategy

Freebridge has ambitious plans for the future. As west Norfolk’s largest housing provider, we have already taken great strides in improving local homes and communities, but now we are ready to take this even further. We want to drive our business forward to become a leader in our field, an excellent landlord and an exemplary employer.

This last year has proven how much homes matter and how where you live can determine your health, aspirations and wellbeing. We want to increase social mobility through better housing choices and standards, more balanced communities with a mix of tenure, greater educational opportunities and regenerated local spaces. Crucially, we want to empower our residents and work with them more closely to ensure we understand their ideals, align our ambitions to theirs, and in doing so create an inclusive culture from the Board, to our colleagues and to our customers.

We are a values-led organisation with strong integrity, enthusiasm and a keen customer emphasis. We have learnt we need to be flexible. We need to be progressive. We need to be even more customer-focused.

Over the last 15 years, we have achieved many things. We have kept our promises to our tenants and brought their homes up to the Decent Homes Standard and transformed much of a tired 1960s estate in King’s Lynn into a vibrant community which has won numerous national awards for regeneration. We have provided vital facilities for local communities to help improve residents’ quality of life and we have injected thousands of pounds into local projects and good causes through our Freebridge Community Fund.

We are proud of what we have achieved so far, and in maintaining the highest ratings possible from the Regulator of Social Housing, but now we are ready to hone our business strategies, improve the way we work, and increase our efficiency and accountability to become a top performer in our field. Our residents and our employees will always be at the heart of what we do but over the next five years we want to take our services to the next level.

This five-year strategy will drive us towards our long-term ambitions for the next 10-20 years and these first five years will be critical in laying the groundwork, investing in properties and people, hitting new targets and really making a difference.

We will work together with our partners to tackle stigma, deprivation, low aspiration and poor health outputs and help west Norfolk residents access the quality homes and opportunities they deserve.

More Information

Freebridge's 5 Year Strategy: Building Better Futures 2021/2026

View Document

Our values

At Freebridge, our values guide everything we do. They help us make the right decisions, treat people fairly, and provide services we can all be proud of.

They are not just words. They shape how we work with customers, how we improve our homes and services, and how we support our communities.

Think Customer

Customers are at the heart of what we do.
We listen carefully, aim to get things right first time, and always look for ways to improve your experience. We want you to feel respected, involved, and confident that we will do what we say we will do.

Own It

We take responsibility for our actions.
When something goes well, we take pride in it. When things go wrong, we learn and put them right. Being open and accountable helps build trust and keeps our standards high.

One Team, One Purpose

We work better together.
By supporting each other and working closely with customers and partners, we can achieve more. Teamwork helps us provide consistent services and find solutions that really work.

Belong

Everyone matters at Freebridge.
We value difference, encourage involvement, and want people to feel welcome, included, and heard. Creating a sense of belonging helps build stronger communities and better relationships.

Be the Change

We are always looking forward.
We encourage new ideas, positive challenge, and continuous improvement. By being open to change, we can respond to customers’ needs and build better services for the future.

Why our values matter

Our values help us stay focused on what matters most: providing safe, affordable homes and supporting strong, thriving communities. They guide our everyday behaviour and help us work openly

our values presented as playing cards, fanned out

OUR
EMPLOYEES
ARE OUR
BIGGEST
ASSET

But of course, we couldn’t do any of this without our dedicated team of colleagues who every day work to make a difference for our customers and our communities.

What are social homes and why do they matter?

Social homes are designed to be more affordable than private rentals. Managed by not-for-profit housing associations and local councils, they provide vital security and stability for individuals and families.

Social housing is more than just a roof over someone’s head - it’s a foundation for a safer, healthier life.

Social homes and our health and wellbeing

When people have a secure place to live, they can truly thrive. Social homes offer more stable tenancies than private rentals, giving families the chance to settle, build community connections, and plan for the future without fear of sudden rent hikes or eviction.

How do social homes work?

In West & North Norfolk, people can apply for a social home through the Home Choice system - learn more on our Find a Home page.

Social housing is the only type of housing linked to local incomes, helping to keep rents affordable and stopping financial pressures from becoming unmanageable. It plays a key role in reducing poverty and preventing homelessness.

To truly meet the need, we believe more social homes must be built. Expanding access to affordable housing is vital for our communities.

Our costs per unit

Our cost per units - £22.37 per unit = the remuneration payable to the highest paid Director, relative to the size of the landlord. £109.67 per unit = the aggragte amount of remuneration paid to Directors, relative to the size of the landlord. £1,847.56 per unit = Management costs relative to the size of the landlord