Times are hard for many families, which is why more and more people cannot cover the costs of their basic expenses or even pay rent.

This is the situation a young family found itself in after they lacked the means to pay their rent. Due to their problem, they got a seven days court order to leave their home, and it seemed like they were about to be thrown into the streets.

The young couple, Amy Winter, 26, and Joshua Thain, 27, have three little kids, Skye, Daisy-Mae, and Lexi. Amy is also pregnant with their fourth child. Unfortunately, since the two live on benefits, they have been unable to pay rent for several months.

In the end, they were asked to leave their home. With nowhere to go, the young family was waiting for them to break down the door and throw them into the streets.

Due to fears that they would get kicked out at any time, they stopped going out. Amy also asked her family for help, but none of them were in a position to help since they live in one and two-bedroom houses.

Only Thain's uncle, who was living in Somerset, was trying to help out.

Nobody Was Keen To Help The Young Family

Reportedly, no one was willing to help out the young family. The housing association had allegedly said they were going to "put them on the streets."

Barnsley Council apparently offered the family options, but they turned them all down since the choices involved the family having to split up.

Amy made it clear why the offer to split up the family was not very welcome:

"I ain't separating my family up after everything that's gone on with Josh losing his mum, I said 'I ain't separating my family just because you want me to."

Amy said she thought Barnsley Council needed to "get off their backside" and come up with a solution instead of saying one thing and then another.

The home is owned by Sanctuary Housing. What makes their situation even worse is that neither of their names is on the tenancy agreement.

The family says it was staying with Thain's mother, Victoria Robertshaw. Unfortunately, she died after getting COVID in August 2021 when she was 45.

The Council Claims To Have Tried Their Best To Help The Family

A spokesperson for Sanctuary Housing explained that they were not in a hurry or going to make any sudden decision. For many months, the couple had lived there without paying any rent.

A judge granted an Outright Possession Order for the property on January 31, 2022. The order asked the family to leave within 7 days.

The case was in relation to substantial rent arrears that had accumulated due to months of unpaid rent. The amount had piled up despite attempts to address the issue before it was taken to court.

Barnsley Councillor Jenny Platts noted that they had been liaising with Barnsley Council to ensure the family could get alternative accommodation as soon as possible.

The intention was to give the home to a family on a waiting list. Platts said their housing team was still working with the couple and giving them advice about their housing options.

The team was also helping the family look at alternative accommodation.