A family in Rotherham is on the verge of homelessness after being told they must leave their home due to unpaid rent. Amy Winter and Joshua Thain, along with their three young children, have been ordered to vacate their property on Brunswick Street in Thurnscoe after falling behind on rent payments. The situation has stirred significant concern, as the couple now faces an uncertain future with nowhere to go. The eviction notice follows a court ruling issued on January 31, which gave the family a deadline to leave the premises. Despite this, Amy, 26, and Joshua, 27, say they informed Barnsley Council about their situation months ago, but claim they received no meaningful support. The couple currently lives with their children Sky, 5, Daisy-Mae, 4, and Lexi, who is just 18 months old. Amy is also five months pregnant with their fifth child. Their oldest child, Macauli, age 9, lives with Amy’s mother due to the family’s limited space and increasing financial struggles.

Both Amy and Joshua are on Universal Credit and say they’ve done everything in their power to prevent this crisis. Amy shared her distress in an interview with the Huddersfield Examiner, saying, “We’re so worried that we don’t go out or do anything at all.” The ongoing fear and anxiety have left the family paralyzed as they await an outcome that could drastically alter their lives. She added that while they’ve reached out to family members for help, most of their relatives live in homes too small to accommodate the entire family. “My family has been asked if they can help, but they only have one or two-bedroom places,” she explained. “My partner’s uncle is the only one making an effort to assist us, but he lives all the way in Somerset, which isn’t a viable option for us right now.”

Amy and Joshua say they feel completely abandoned by the system. “It seems like Barnsley Council needs to get off their ass and decide what they’re going to do,” Amy said, visibly frustrated. “They just keep telling us one thing and then something else. We’re getting nowhere.” Adding to the complexity of the situation is the fact that the rental agreement is under the name of Joshua’s late mother, Victoria Robertshaw, who passed away in August after testing positive for COVID-19. She was only 45 years old. The property is owned by Sanctuary Housing, a large housing association that manages homes throughout the UK. Following Victoria’s death, the tenancy was never officially transferred to Joshua or Amy, which now puts them in a precarious legal position.

Despite the eviction notice, the family has tried to remain hopeful and proactive. They’ve reached out to local housing services, applied for emergency accommodations, and have made numerous calls to seek support. However, they say the help they’ve received so far has been inconsistent at best. Their experience sheds light on a broader issue affecting many families across the UK—how sudden life changes, such as illness or job loss, can leave people vulnerable to housing insecurity, even when benefits like Universal Credit are in place. For Amy and Joshua, the stress has been compounded by their growing family and the uncertainty of what comes next. “We just want somewhere safe and stable for our kids,” Amy said. “We’re not asking for a mansion. Just somewhere we can call home.”

The public reaction to the family’s plight has been mixed. Some readers have expressed sympathy for their situation, while others believe that rent must be paid regardless of the circumstances. However, many agree that the council’s response has been lacking in urgency and clarity. With eviction now imminent, the family’s only hope is that Barnsley Council will step in with concrete solutions before it’s too late. Whether that means providing emergency housing, negotiating with the housing association, or offering some form of transitional support, immediate action is needed. In times of crisis, it’s essential that safety nets work the way they’re intended—to protect families from falling through the cracks. For now, Amy, Joshua, and their children remain in limbo, clinging to the hope that someone, somewhere, will step forward to help them find shelter and security before they’re forced onto the streets.