Earlier this year, Shelter got an urgent call from Lily – mum to Koby and Isiah. She’d become homeless when they were served a section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction, because their landlord wanted to sell up.
Extortionate rents meant Lily and her boys had no choice but to live in temporary accommodation. They spent weeks living in noisy hotels, with nowhere to cook or wash clothes.
Koby would often have nightmares that he and his mum were sleeping on the street. He became very worried and frightened.
Alongside Lily, we put pressure on the council to get the family into a home. After 10 months of uncertainty, the family was thrilled and relieved to move into a permanent home of their own.
No child should have to feel unsafe.
And no child should be wishing for a proper home this winter.
But right now, nearly 139,000 children are homeless and trapped in temporary accommodation.
It’s not a home. And it’s not right.
We must act now.
