Common questions

Straight answers to the things people in Norwich ask most. Every answer was checked against the councils' and NHS's own pages on 11–12 June 2026 — where we couldn't verify a detail, we link you to the official page instead of guessing.

How do bin collections work, and which week am I in?+−

Your black bin (rubbish) and blue bin (recycling) are each collected every other week, on alternating weeks. Your food caddy is collected every week, and garden waste (if you subscribe) every other week. To find your exact day and week, use the city council's bin day checker — search 'check your bin day' on norwich.gov.uk or go to bnr-wrp.whitespacews.com and enter your address.

When do I have to put my bins out?+−

Put bins just outside your property boundary no earlier than 6pm the evening before collection day and no later than 6am on the day itself. Bring them back in by 9am the following morning. Lids must close — overflowing bins won't be collected.

My bin wasn't collected. What do I do?+−

Report it on the city council's website within 2 working days of your collection date — they can't accept reports after that. Note that food waste, textiles, electricals and batteries aren't eligible for missed-collection reports; just leave them out again the following week. Report at: norwich.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling/report-missed-bin-collection

Am I actually in Norwich City Council's area?+−

Quite possibly not — about a third of the urban area lies outside the city boundary. Sprowston, Hellesdon, Old Catton and Thorpe St Andrew are in Broadland; Costessey, Cringleford and most areas south-west of the city are in South Norfolk. Those councils run different bin schedules and rules. To check which council you're under, enter your postcode at gov.uk/find-local-council.

Which council handles what?+−

Norwich City Council (City Hall): bins and recycling, council housing, council tax billing, parks, planning, the market. Norfolk County Council (County Hall): roads and potholes, street lights, school admissions, libraries, adult and children's social care, Park & Ride. One calm heads-up: from April 2028 both are due to be replaced by a single Greater Norwich unitary council, with shadow elections in May 2027 — until then, the split above stands.

How do I find an NHS dentist?+−

Honestly: with great difficulty. For several years no practice in Norwich has been known to be accepting new adult NHS patients — a 2023 survey found the nearest practice accepting was 17 miles away — and the shortage across Norfolk is well documented. We won't pretend otherwise. What you can do: check nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist, where practices report their own acceptance status (it changes, so it's worth rechecking); and for urgent dental problems call NHS 111, which can book emergency dental slots. A new dental school at UEA took its first students in 2026, but that's a long-term fix, not a quick one.

When are the school admissions deadlines?+−

School admissions are run by Norfolk County Council (not the city council), through its online portal. The pattern is the same every year: apply for a secondary place by 31 October, and for a reception (primary) place by 15 January. Offer days are 1 March for secondary and 16 April for reception, or the next working day. Apply and check details at norfolk.gov.uk/admissions — missing the deadline seriously weakens your chance of a preferred school.

How does Park & Ride work?+−

Six sites ring the city; park free and pay on the bus. Day fares: £3 adult, £2 for ages 5–19 and concessions, £4 for two people, £5 for a group of up to five. The buses are run by two operators — First (Airport and Sprowston) and Simonds (Harford and Postwick) — so check travelnorfolk.co.uk/park-and-ride for your site's times.

When is Norwich Market open?+−

Monday to Saturday, 8:30am to 5:30pm, on Gentleman's Walk in the city centre — over 190 stalls. The council consulted on a major revamp over winter 2025–26 (the consultation closed 4 January 2026), and its decision on the design is expected in June 2026 — so the layout may change over the next few years.

Is there a hosepipe ban?+−

Restrictions are set by Anglian Water and can change at short notice, so check anglianwater.co.uk for the current position before relying on this page. For background: East Anglia is the driest region in the UK, and the Environment Agency rated this region's summer 2026 drought risk as high.

How does garden waste collection work?+−

It's a paid subscription with the city council: a brown bin collected every other week. At our last check it cost £65 a year for the standard 240-litre bin (£49 for the smaller size), and the subscription auto-renews unless you cancel at least six weeks before renewal. Details and sign-up at norwich.gov.uk under bins and recycling.

Who do I tell about a pothole or a broken street light?+−

Norfolk County Council, not the city council — roads, pavements and street lighting are county services. Report at norfolk.gov.uk. (Anything bin- or park-related goes to the city council instead.)

Why does my bus timetable keep changing?+−

First Bus has reshuffled Norwich services several times in the last year (August 2025, January 2026 and April 2026), so a printed timetable goes stale quickly. Check firstbus.co.uk/norfolk-suffolk for planned changes and travelnorfolk.co.uk for disruptions across all operators. The Anglia Square demolition closed nearby roads and bus stops from February 2026; Magdalen Street reopened on 9 March 2026, but works continue around the site, so check current diversions before relying on an old route.

Who do I pay council tax to?+−

Norwich City Council bills and collects council tax for city addresses — it then passes shares on to the county council and police, so you only ever deal with one bill. Manage it at norwich.gov.uk or call 0344 980 3333. If you're outside the city boundary, your bill comes from Broadland or South Norfolk instead.