A single mother who is facing homelessness today says she is at “breaking point” with nowhere to turn to after a “lack of help” from the council.

Vaida Baltaviciute, from Brighton, has been unable to find a new property to rent since she was served with an eviction notice in December following her landlord’s decision to sell up.

The 32-year-old went to Brighton and Hove City Council for help straight away after receiving the notice but said her case was closed twice and she has had to fill out a homeless application for a third time.

She said the council told her the case was closed due to “loss of contact” but Ms Baltaviciute says she did not miss contact attempts.

She says the council advised her to come back once she had been removed from the property on October 18 by bailiffs and she would then be given temporary accommodation.

Ms Baltaviciute, who has lived in the UK for 12 years and is raising her five-year-old daughter Noa, says during one conversation with a housing officer it was suggested she return to her native Lithuania which she branded “discriminatory”.

“My daughter doesn’t even speak the language” she said.

“He said ‘she’s five she could learn’.

“I felt terrible.”

She made a complaint about the comment.

In a reply to the complaint the council said it would "explore these options with any client that makes a homeless application and has family in another area or country".

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Ms Baltaviciute says the council has not been supportive and she has been “begging” them to find her housing since January.

She now faces the arrival of bailiffs to her home with her daughter and cat and with all her belongings in boxes.

“The stress that I have had over the last year is unbelievable and the not knowing if the council will help us this time or will just close the case again,” she said.

“I even had to take a week off work sick as all of this got me to the breaking point.

“I don’t know what I will do.

“I don’t know what’s happening.

“It’s already stressful enough waiting for the bailiffs."

On Tuesday, she says she was told to pick a few of her belongings and to come to the council after her eviction.

She was also sent the number for an animal shelter for her cat.

"Not only have I got to leave all my belongings but be ok with leaving the cat too," she said.

Ms Baltaviciute, who works at a garden centre, says she feels like the council “doesn’t care” and described feeling “humiliated” when she sought the local authority’s help.

“It was horrible,” she said.

“The humiliation you go through with the questions they ask.”

She still hopes the council will step in in the last minute to help her.

Tenants’ union Acorn, which has been supporting Ms Baltaviciute, said council staff are offering “little or no help” to vulnerable tenants.

"This just shows once again that despite their promises, Brighton and Hove Council still isn't taking the housing crisis seriously,” a spokesman said.

Brighton and Hove City Council was contacted for comment.