This Family of Five Faces Eviction After Not Paying Rent for Months

Images Credits: Huddersfield Examiner

Throughout the world, many people have still been struggling to get back on their feet after the economic onslaught brought about by the pandemic. Nowadays, the world is slowly starting to return to normal. But there are still many individuals and families deep in the hole and are desperately trying to get out.

That’s the case for Amy Winter, 26, and Joshua Thain, 27, and their three young children. The couple is currently being told to vacate their home because they haven’t paid rent for months. And to make matters worse, Amy is pregnant with their fourth child.

Living Off Benefits

Both Joshua and Amy live on Universal Credit and are heavily reliant on benefits to survive. This Rotherham-based family has been ordered to vacate their homes by January 31st, 2022, after failing to pay their rent for several months. Amy and Joshua have sought the help of the Barnsley Council but have not received any assistance.

In an interview with Huddersfield Examiner, Amy said:

“It’s that bad we don’t go out or anything because we’re worried. I’ve asked my family if they can help, they can’t help with accommodation because they’re only living in one bed and two bedroom houses.”

She also appealed to Barnsley Council to assist the family in this dire time of need.

“I think Barnsley Council need to get off their backside and figure out what they’re going to do, instead of just telling us one thing and next thing a different thing.”

A Possible Split?

One of the options initially presented to the couple was possibly splitting the family up into more modest housing accommodations. However, Amy wasn’t too fond of the idea of her family being broken up into separate groups.

“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’.”

Sanctuary Housing owns the property that the couple is being forced to vacate under the name of Joshua’s late mother, Victoria Robertshaw. Unfortunately, Robertshaw passed away in August 2021 after testing positive for COVID-19. Since then, the family has struggled to stay afloat despite their rocky financial circumstances.

No Help Provided

Amy has expressed her frustrations about no one wanting to help them in an interview with The Sun. Unfortunately, the couple is currently at the mercy of the housing association. Amy said:

“We’re just waiting for them to break down the door now,”

On the part of the Barnsley Council, a spokesperson has come out to say that they are doing all that they can to help the family. The Barnsley Council spokesperson said:

“We have been liaising with Barnsley Council to ensure the occupants can access alternative accommodation as soon as possible,”

These are unfortunate developments, but it seems like the Council’s hands are tied with the matter.

Share Your Thoughts

What do you think about this? Do you think that they deserve to be evicted or should society show more compassion to the family? Comment your thoughts down below.

Sources:

The Sun

ExaminerLive

66 comments
  1. Why don’t either of them work to pay off the rent arrears and get off benefits to be useful to society, having 4 kids before 30 and not having the means to look after them, this is the constant problem with people believing there initialed to “free” accommodation and then not paying the small bills there left with. They should be thrown out if they can’t pay, if you have a mortgage and you don’t pay the bank takes the house, if you don’t make the payments on your car, the finance company takes the car. This should be no different

    1. I agree with you, however the correct spelling when saying “believing there” is actually their. The correct spelling is also not initialed it is actually entitled. Thankyou

      1. Actually the correct spelling is they’re, thier. Thier means belongs to them, they’re means they are which is correct. Believing they are entitled. A bit embarrassing to go calling someone out on the incorrect use of a word and then get it wrong yourself. Maybe next time keep your thoughts to yourself.

        1. They’re =they are

          Their = possessive. Example: The pencil is theirs.

          There= direction. Example: Go over there.

    2. It’s doesn’t say if they have contributed towards any of the rent, universal credit pays towards rent …and the council can’t home bad tenants which includes people who don’t pay rent as well as anti social behaviour….not sure what they expect from the council…they are already is social housing so if they can’t afford that then what are they asking for ? A house with no rent to pay? We are all struggling, I’m a single parent wirh 2 kids, I work full time get some universal credit to help out and have never missed my rent or my bills and still manage to feed my kids.

    3. absolutely 1000% agree. WHY should society float you when ypu do NOTHING to help yourselves. NOBODY owes you anything.

    4. I was a single parent who raised my child, but myself, through for years of college, and got my college degree as well when she was 15. I always worked (sometimes three contract editing jobs at home) and I never took a single hand out. I don’t know this family’s full situation, but I think they could use some counseling to help them get motivated to work and to learn how. Use federal, state, and community resources instead of what appears to be whining online.

    5. You are absolutely correct I won 110% agree with you. I love how they said why doesn’t the Council get off their butts. Why don’t they get off their butts and go work.

    6. You don’t get a council house for free. You still pay rent.. everyone should be entitled to social houseing regardless of income not just the poorest in society

    1. My sentiments exactly… Stop having babies and, at least one of you, try to get a job and help yourselves… The world does not owe you anything. God help those poor children if that’s the type of parents they have… sitting flat on their asses just waiting for other people to take care of them.

  2. looks like this family are only looking for handouts and not WORK!!! Its time you BOTH GREW UP and find jobs TO SUPPORT YOURSELVES! its not up to others to pay your bills for you. If you cannot afford a place to live you need to STOP having kids. and concentrate on the family you now have. STOP taking people forgranted we have our own problems!

    1. 1—well lets see if both had jobs now all their money is going for day care expenses which defeats the purpose of food on table
      2—- if one worked then their food stamps , Medicaid and Medicare would be cut in half, again defeat
      3– which i hate to say it is they are white and discriminated on getting medicaid food stamps and such

      1. They should have had jobs and a home they’re working to pay bills In way prior to daycare being an issue, especially for four kids and the lazy parents are both under 30! They’ve got motivation for sex. They shouldn’t be getting all those benefits for working to create an issue. Have kids, support them yourself!

      2. 3 is bullshit… there are more white people on welfare than any other race, They are lazy and were probably living off his mom. She died and no one paid shit.

      3. Wrong. Reading goes a long way
        They live in England. No Medicaid
        They can work different shifts. Many couples do this (we did).
        Stop having kids you can’t afford.

  3. First I would want to know why Joshua at least is not working. I can understand, unless you have family that can watch the kids why the mother does not work, it would cost way too much for daycare. But Joshua should at least be working and trying to pay bills unless he is disabled. And if he is disabled they should not keep having children if they do not have money to pay bills. People should not have to live on assistance with a growing family. There are a lot of issues I am sure we do not know about in this case, I would not want to judge them without knowing all the circumstances.

  4. I’m a single mom who was out of work for months as well. But I still paid my bills, I started working as soon as possible. I don’t receive any child support or government assistance either. Why don’t talk have jobs? There are too many places hiring and even offering sign on bonuses. I don’t feel sorry for them! And why are they bringing another child into this world if they can’t even afford the 3 they have now? This is just people being lazy. Stop looking for a hand out and get off your lazy butts to work to provide for your children. This is sick to me. Too many people would just rather sit at home, live off of other people’s tax money instead of taking responsibility! Be an adult and get a job! No excuse!

  5. with 3 kids you get over 3000.00 on baby bonus why cant you pay rent .and one of you can get a job like the rest of us .

    1. 3000 baby bonus? Income tax? That only pays you if you have a job. Covid stimulus checks as far as I know are gone but I could be wrong.

  6. There’s this thing called BIRTH CONTROL and it can be found easily. I feel like this specific family are just wanting to live off of the “system” and not put forth any effort to help themselves. One of the parents needs to work, even if it’s two jobs. They need to get off their lazy butts and stop sucking off the people that do work hard and pay taxes, etc. The world doesn’t owe them squat!

  7. Why haven’t they paid rent ??? UC pay it directly to them then it’s the tenants responsibility to pay .

  8. I bought a house that had tenants, at first the tenants expressed they would move but didn’t. So as a working Federal Agent and National Guardsmen with 2 kids (one attending UC Berkeley) we were left homeless. Because these unemployed meth-heads refused to move out or even pay rent even while receiving benefits from the tit of Aunt Sam. Even with all that, the eviction process took 6 months because the system allows the worst of society to take advantage of people. I have ZERO sympathy for them.

  9. Again another young “family” demanding free help. They are on UC so why not carry on paying the rent. I get so annoyed by all these “entilted” “snowflakes” Get off your arse, find a job and pay your way and stop having kids. The majority of us work for what we have so why should we have to pay for you too…… 🤔

  10. WHY ARE PEOPLE JUST POPPING OUT KIDE LEFT RIGHT AND CENTRE?????????? Sheeeesh, not being able to look after them? Its uncool man…. use protection! Stop using children as pawns – the poor souls now has to suffer like you guys do? Get off yuour a**, go waiter, clean houses… what do you expect, a Go-fund page?

  11. Why are they whining and crying to all these “sources”? Go get a job! If you are receiving assistance of any kind it should have been put toward rent. Don’t pay your power? It gets shut off!
    If you are so niave to how the world works maybe you should stop having children you can’t take care of.
    Why should anyone feel sorry for you? You are doing nothing for your situation except complaining and looking for a handout? Maybe if you tried to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING, maybe someone would be apt to help with a hand up.
    YOU have to make the difference in your own life.

  12. The father needs to get a job to support his family. The mother can take care of kids. I raised my kids by myself with no child support from their dead beat dad. I never fell behind on my rent or could not afford to pay it. Someone needs.tonget their priorities straight!!

    1. That is great for you really. Might I ask how was your mental health during that time period? Did you have a collage education? Minimum wage? How are your kids, any medical/mental health problems. Have you stopped to think that not everyone is given the same background and education as you?

      1. I admire how you’re on all these posts heckling people for sharing their opinion. Perhaps you could help them out financially, or allow them to live in your home rent free. 🤔

  13. It’s been over 2 years since the pandemic. People have been getting stimulus checks and renters were given permission not to have to pay rent during the pandemic. These kinds of handouts and rent forgiveness cannot and should not go on indefinitely. People knew this from the beginning. If this family is so downtrodden, WHY are they having yet another child when they can’t take care of the ones they have? Talk about irresponsible! Why haven’t they looked for jobs and gone to work? Every business is experiencing a lack of staff and are hiring. It’s time to get up and go back to work people and stop expecting the government to continue the handouts. Taking care of yourselves and your family is no one’s responsibility but yours!

  14. I work 2 jobs to make ends meet. Nothing in life is free and literally everyone is hiring. So sad for the children

  15. stop having babies that will obviously be raised by welfare and the state and get jobs. You both chose to have that many kids, you should have figured out the financial part of things. Stop bleeding the services dry and do your part. This is ridiculous.

  16. If they’re on benefits, how have they accumulated rent arrears, they’ll be getting housing allowance/benefit which should and can be paid direct to the housing association.

  17. This is ridiculous! Put your pride aside go get jobs at least one of you, and the other stays home or tent or family members house until you get all caught up. Quit asking for free and if it is your paying with your time. There are programs to help you get foods like food banks, but you gotta stand in line go get assistance, you gotta wait in line. You have No excuses and looks like you guys have Nothing but Time on your hands. And quit putting ur kids out there! And please stop feeling sorry for yourselves. Get ur S***t together and take these kids to Disneyland!

  18. Grow the hell up!!! Stop having children if you can’t afford to take care of them. Why do you think everyone ELSE is responsible for YOUR lives?? Everyone in this country is struggling and most people are working two or three dobs to make ends meet. Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be working either to provide for your children you have already. Your husband looks healthy & fit….fit enough to make more babies, is he working? Stop expecting everyone else to provide for you. I feel so bad for your kids and I’m sure lots of people have helped you out because of your children, because they definitely deserve better . People are compassionate but if you aren’t willing to help yourselves by being more responsible, like not getting pregnant while your not able to pay rent or provide for the children you already have, then you just look like you only want handouts. This makes all the Americans who pay for food stamps and Medicaid with their taxes angry because while we all want to help out those who really need our help, you have to show that your working just like the rest of us are while we all wait to start our own families until we can afford to do so. Also….Biden went out of his way to help families like yours this past winter by giving parents $ 300.00 per month PER CHILD all winter, the Republicans voted it out this spring. That would have been quite a bit of money EACH MONTH what did you do with that….you didn’t pay rent at all? That was what the money was for….the government already helped you….time to get a job and stop begging for handouts!

  19. I think that they should be evicted. They have not paid their rent in months. Why should they get special treatment or help ? What makes them or their situation so special that they feel like they deserve another hand out? They need to get a job just like everyone else and pay their bills just like everyone else. I have no sympathy for them. I do however feel for the kids who are put into this situation by their parents.

  20. Why are they expecting the government or another related program to take care of them? If you are going to have kids or get married, be prepared to take care of yourself. It’s much easier and cheaper to live as a single person. My tax dollars are needed to keep my family afloat, not theirs. Note from a single mom doing it all alone.

  21. If they receive benefits, why havent they paid any rent? That us no way to get any help if they cant be relied upon to do that

  22. There are lots of jobs available so no reason to be unemployed. If they are receiving assistance they should have used that to pay rent. They do deserve to be evicted. The property owner is in the business of charity. They need to pay their bills too.

  23. Mom stays home with the kids and Dad gets two jobs. Sounds like he’s had a rest for awhile. Time to work to get out of this hole. People do it all the time.

  24. Kick them the hell out ! Life is not a free ride we all have to pay our own way . They are getting enough free money that the land lord should have been the first one paid . You can ride the Covid wave for ever . It’s over get at job .

  25. This family first off doesn’t seem to be a married couple. Names are different and article states that “both” are receiving aide. Secondly, the apartment they are squatting on was rented out in his mother’s name who happened to die last August of ‘21. This tells me they were taking advantage of dear old mum paying the rent while they produced children they couldn’t and can’t provide for.
    Looks like neither of them can pick up trash or even take down a Christmas tree. They are living in clutter and possibly filth. They aren’t trying. This is the problem with so much aide, food, etc. People grow up with it generation after generation and don’t know any other way.

  26. They sound like entitled squatters that could be working to earn monies, but are clearly working on populating the earth expecting everyone to pay for their lazy A$$ES. Those children deserve better so they deserve to be talented away and cared for. The parents both deserve to be sterilized. Nothing is free and handouts only go so far. No one owes them anything except for finding a home for those kids. They make me sick!!!🤬

  27. No rent = no house this isn’t rocket science its a fact all over the world.its sad,and awful but it changes nothing. And personally..the last thing I would be trying to do is continuing to bring more children into the scenario,my God wrap it up already.

  28. No more sympathy here. It’s been a year now and he looks healthy enough to work and so does she. At least one of them should be working. It is not everyone elses job to keep you up.

  29. I was in the same spot, my husband was killed by the cops and 4 days later we got evicted from our house we were renting and the sheriff’s dept didn’t two rats butts, plus to boot my son was still on the ventilator with blood clots in both lungs fighting for his life, I needed to stay home to care for him barely feeling good from COVID myself, went to court and the judge didn’t give not one or two poops they told us be out or we will be there to boot you out. And guess who won, obviously not me…. And the emergency rental assistance didn’t come through fast enough. What I’m learning is 80% of people don’t care, their just there to be nosey and run their flap, and the other 20% do care but where are they??? It’s such a shame how the systemhumanitiy all fell apart once this horrible pandemic hit, in the bible it states all will turn against one another family against family, people against people, but this is exactly what the gov wanted antisocialisim, social distancing, etc …, Wear masks to show no emotions to be emotionalist, it’s all about population control, and then release a cure, how is it that the gov released this horrendous life taking disease killing innocent children adults no discrimination and yet then come out with a cure saying that it will prevent covid from striking talking about how safe people’s lives but only in reality population control is real people just need to wake the hell up and see the government for what it is and no why would I trust the government when they release the disease to trust them to take the antidote I don’t think so that’s like handing a murderer a gun and expecting them to not shoot but yet they’re standing behind the trigger I don’t think so I’ll pass thank you. But just an FYI I’m still here I’m still standing I’m still alive don’t let nothing break you not even or what’s the highest source of humanity ever the government don’t be fooled by the government don’t be fooled by nobody you know your body you know what your body is capable of fighting off you know what what people are capable of doing stay faithful to God and keep faith the humanity will pull through this!

  30. Yes. They lived in his mothers home no doubt she was paying the bills and rent. She passed away and they just never paid anything. Why is he not working. Just pathetic to see people that feel they are entitled. You had your children, now find a way to look after them or loose them to child services.

  31. I don’t feel sympathy for them. They’re both adult and need to get off their asses and work like everyone else does to support their families. I only feel sorry for the babies. I think the government should take them and put them in foster home until the parents become functional adults and responsible so they can get their kids back.

  32. I understand times are hard. They still are for A LOT of people. And I’m not trying to sound rude when I say this, but there are plenty of jobs out there. They both can get a job. And if day care is a problem then they work opposite of each other. It’s what me and my husband and again so many other couples have to do. And as far and getting assistance that great it’s what it’s there for. But you can’t depend on it or live off of it. It’s time to grow up and move on and get the jobs and be responsible adults just like the other half of country. I do wish the best for them. Those kids don’t deserve this and if they get evicted only more bad will happen. But it may be what they need to open their eyes and wake up but you can’t live off hand outs.

  33. How about getting a job? Life isn’t free. Stop expecting someone to come save you. This is not a fairytale!

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