Pregnant mother of two reveals she has been living in a TENT after struggling to keep up with the rent

A pregnant mother of two has revealed how she was left homeless and forced to live in a tent after falling behind on rent.

Sasha Osborn, 31, her partner and two children, aged seven and 10, became homeless for the first time in November and have been living in a tent for the past month.

The factory worker, from Lincolnshire, was unable to keep up with rent payments as her wages were only a quarter of her usual wages when she was ill with Covid.

“People with kids shouldn’t think about where their kids have to sleep overnight,” she said BBC Look North.

“Like people who are on drugs sit on their asses at home all day, have social workers who help them keep their children and help them with their housing,” she said with tears in her eyes.

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“And the Boston Borough City Council helps people who are addicted to drugs, they put them in all these homes.

“There are all those houses for singles or couples, but there is nothing for people with children.”

Sasha, who recently found out she was nine weeks pregnant, her partner and her children – one of whom has special educational needs – have been homeless since November, after being evicted from their home.

They were initially put up in a hotel in Skegness, which was 20 miles from where she worked.

The family of four was then moved to a multi-person hostel for half a year, but Sasha said this site was unsafe for her children.

However, Boston Borough Council said the family had become “deliberately homeless” and they “had the means to pay the rent and chose not to.”

A few days ago, they set up their tent in a family member’s backyard, where they had access to facilities, such as running water.

A change in circumstances forced Sasha and her family to leave and pitch the tent in a forest

But due to change in circumstances they had to leave and now live in a forest.

While in the family member’s garden, the family was visited by social services, and Sasha claimed the social worker said their setup was “beautiful.”

She was also told that their situation did not “meet the criteria” to get help.

Because she had access to running water and other amenities, her condition was described as “fine.”

Sasha said, “Routine has gone out the window, especially now. When it’s ten o’clock in the evening it’s still daylight outside, my kids don’t sleep until it’s pitch dark.

‘I think I have a hundred percent right to support and housing, my children have a right to that.’

The mother also claimed she was told her children “must stay with other relatives” but says there are “safety concerns that are being ignored.”

The children are now separated and sleeping in two different homes with other family members, and the reporter added that the couple were “confused” and “scared.”

The mother-of-two claims she was visited by a social worker who said putting up her tent was “beautiful.”

Sasha admits to making “wrong choices” in the past, saying, “There’s just no loophole for someone like me.”

Tara Jones, deputy director of child protection at Lincolnshire County Council said: ‘We want all local children to be safe, so even though we are not the housing authority, we are working hard to help the family through this difficult situation.

“This is a complex matter and we are exploring all options to help the family find a suitable home.”

A Boston Borough Council spokesperson said: “An investigation by the Boston Borough Council revealed that Miss Osborn had the means to pay rent and had made the decision not to.

“As a result, the council provided temporary shelter for Miss Osborn and her family until the end of May, which was deemed reasonable given her circumstances, to give her time to find a place to live.”

The spokesperson added: “More than 1,000 households contacted the council’s homelessness service directly or were referred to the council in 2022-2023 because they needed advice or assistance.

Where possible, the Council gives priority to preventing people from becoming homeless, such as reducing rent arrears, helping to obtain private rented accommodation or social housing, but if homelessness cannot be prevented, temporary housing will be provided if they are entitled to it. to have.’