A HOMELESS mum is hoping the new year will bring her better luck, and a place of her own to bring up her three children.

Leanne Andrews, 23, became homeless after her benefits were not paid out for nearly a year.

She was not entitled to help with her rent until her claim for income support was sorted out.

And despite repeated contact with government departments, and her family even sending supporting paperwork by courier, her claim was delayed so long that she was evicted and ordered to pay court costs.

Leanne, whose children are aged 10 months, 19 months and three, is now living at her mum's home in St Ives.

East Dorset Housing Association has told her it has no suitable accommodation as two bed homes would be "overcrowding" but did offer her two small inter-connecting rooms in a hostel at Tricketts Cross, Ferndown, sharing a kitchen and shower room with strangers.

Leanne said the rooms had to be separately locked, had rusting metal sticking out and was miles from her family in St Ives.

Mum Michaela Nott, 41, who has a five-year-old, said she couldn't understand why East Dorset Housing Association couldn't transfer her three-bed tenancy agreement to her daughter, as she would like something smaller.

Dominic Amans, neighbourhood team leader at East Dorset Housing Association, said they literally had nothing else to offer Leanne.

Mr Amans said if they transferred the tenancy, the mother would have made herself intentionally homeless and would not be rehoused. He said they would be happy to check and resolve any safety issues at the hostel.

A spokeswoman added that Leanne had declined their offer.

"Leanne is still on the housing register. She is more than welcome to bid for properties through HomeFinder." She added: "If a property does come up, the housing advice team will work with her."

Ferndown councillor John Little is now looking into the case.