High court to hear crowdfunded challenge to ‘begging fines’ – The Guardian

‘A landmark high court case will determine whether fines for begging, loitering and leaving bedding in doorways unfairly targets homeless people, after a fundraising campaign for legal costs reached its target.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Appellant loses High Court challenge over ruling that she was out of time to bring homelessness appeal – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 31st, 2019 in appeals, homelessness, housing, news, time limits by sally

‘A woman who travelled to Mauritius to see her father after he had suffered a stroke has lost her appeal against an order by a County Court judge refusing her application for permission to bring an appeal out of time over a council’s decision that it had discharged its housing duty.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 30th Octobe 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

More on “vulnerability” – Nearly Legal

‘In Guiste v Lambeth LBC (2019) EWCA Civ 1758, the Court of Appeal returned again to the meaning of Lord Neuberger’s eliptical phrase in Hotak v Southwark LBC that, for the purposes of the homelessness provisions in the Housing Act 1996, vulnerability meant being significantly more vulnerable than ordinarily vulnerable as a result of being made homeless. The decision in Guiste (I’m told that it is pronounced “Geest” as opposed to “Gwist”) in some respects is one on its facts, but the Court of Appeal make a number of observations of significance in these cases and leave one point open (albeit give their penniworth on it). As an academic interested in the field, I wonder at the amount of effort,time, and money spent in arguing the toss about vulnerability, and whether there might be better uses of that effort/time/cash, but there we go; that’s why we have our tower.’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 29th October 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Court of Appeal quashes homelessness “vulnerability” decision – Doughty Street Chambers

Posted October 29th, 2019 in appeals, expert witnesses, homelessness, housing, news, psychiatrists by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has given further guidance on the vexed meaning of vulnerability for the purposes of the homelessness provisions in the Housing Act 1996, Part 7, and the handling of medical evidence.’

Full Story

Doughty Street Chambers, 22nd October 2019

Source: www.doughtystreet.co.uk

Permission to appeal out of time – the strict approach – Nearly Legal

Posted October 29th, 2019 in homelessness, housing, limitations, news by sally

‘Emambee v London Borough of Islington (2019) EWHC 2835 (QB). We saw what seemed like a rather harsh refusal on permission to bring a s.204 Housing Act 1996 homelessness appeal out of time in London Borough of Hamlets v Al Ahmed (2019) EWHC 749 (QB) (our note). Here is another one which seems to take a strict view, both on when the s.202 review decision was received, and on delay to obtain legal representation.’

Full Story

Nearly Legal , 27th october 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Harry Styles stalker: Homeless man told to keep away from star – BBC News

Posted October 22nd, 2019 in community service, homelessness, news, rehabilitation, sentencing, stalking by sally

‘A homeless man convicted of stalking Harry Styles after camping outside his house has been banned from going within 250m of the singer.’

Full Story

BBC News, 21st October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Child slavery victims being lured back into exploitation due to lack of support amid surge in cases – The Independent

‘Child victims of modern slavery are being lured back into exploitation and falling into homelessness as cash-strapped local authorities struggle to cope with a surge in cases, charities have warned. Thousands of young people who have been trafficked and exploited, often by county lines gangs or through international criminal networks, are being left to navigate complex legal, education and immigration systems alone because austerity-hit services cannot adequately support them.’

Full Story

The Independent, 18th October 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Dishonourable discharge – Nearly Legal

‘SH, R (on the application of) v The London Borough of Waltham Forest (2019) EWHC 2618 (Admin). This was a judicial review of Waltham Forest’s decision that it had discharged its s.193 Housing Act 1996 duty (the full homeless duty) to Ms SH by an offer of private sector accommodation under s.193(7AA). In fact, WF maintained it had done so twice, and both purported discharges were challenged, by way of WF’s decision that Ms SH had made a fresh application, rather than it having a continuing duty. There is also a brief excursus into the relation of s.193 and s.189B duties.’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 13th October 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Scheme giving ex-offenders a stable place to live up and running – Ministry of Justice

‘A scheme giving vulnerable ex-offenders stable accommodation to help them rebuild their lives and stay away from crime is now up and running, Prisons Minister Lucy Frazer announced today (10 October 2019).’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 10th october 2019

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Women lose landmark High Court fight against pension changes that caused homelessness and destitution – The Independent

Posted October 3rd, 2019 in age discrimination, equality, homelessness, news, pensions, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘Women affected by controversial adjustments made to the state pension age, which campaigners say unlawfully discriminates against women born in the 1950s, have lost their landmark High Court battle against the government.’

Full Story

The Independent, 3rd October 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

GP surgeries deny care to vulnerable people without ID documents – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2019 in doctors, health, homelessness, identification, medical treatment, news, travellers by sally

‘Many practices are refusing to take new patients without checks that breach NHS rules.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th September 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Modern slavery: Are British victims being failed in the UK? – BBC News

Posted September 2nd, 2019 in drug trafficking, forced labour, homelessness, news, prosecutions, statistics by sally

‘Michael was homeless when he was approached by a couple to sell drugs.’

Full Story

BBC News, 2nd September 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Shelter crowd funds legal action over alleged failure by council to offer homeless people temporary accommodation – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 22nd, 2019 in homelessness, housing, judicial review, local government, news, Scotland by sally

‘Housing charity Shelter Scotland is seeking to crowdfund legal action over what it says is Glasgow City Council’s unlawful failure to offer homeless people temporary accommodation.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 21st August 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Discrimination claims and s204 appeal – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has ruled that there is no home for discrimination claims in section 204 appeals, write Dean Underwood and Riccardo Calzavara.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 13th August 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Equality and Homeless Appeals – Nearly Legal

‘Adesotu v Lewisham London Borough Council (2019) EWCA Civ 1405. We first saw this case as a county court appeal where the central issue was whether Equality Act 2010 issues could be raised and decided within a section 204 Housing Act 1996 homelessness appeal. HHJ Luba QC held that they could not, and the matter went to the Court of Appeal.’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 11th August 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Court of Appeal rules on Equality Act breaches and homelessness appeals – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has held that a homeless person cannot raise alleged breaches of the Equality Act 2010 in a homelessness appeal before a county court judge.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 8th August 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Justice secretary urges evidence-led approach to cut crime – Ministry of Justice

‘Justice Secretary David Gauke today called for an “evidence-led” approach to tackling reoffending in order to crack down on crime and reduce the number of victims.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 18th July 2019

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

County council admits flawed practice of turning homeless children away, settles judicial review challenge – Local Government Lawyers

‘Essex County Council has settled a judicial review challenge brought on behalf of a 16-year-old homeless child, admitting that it had operated an unlawful practice of turning homeless children away from care in breach of section 20 of the Children Act 1989.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 4th July 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

JusticeWatch: Growing ‘justice gap’ in discrimination cases – Legal Voice

‘Victims of discrimination were being denied access to justice and offenders going unchallenged as a result of a ‘failing’ legal aid system, as reported in the Justice Gap.’

Full Story

Legal Voice, 21st June 2019

Source: legalvoice.org.uk

Supreme Court quashes decision to declare mother ‘intentionally homeless’ – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 21st, 2019 in benefits, homelessness, housing, local government, news, rent, Supreme Court by sally

‘Samuels v Birmingham City Council [2019] UKSC 28. In unanimously allowing an appeal against a decision to declare the appellant intentionally homeless due to her inability to pay her rent, the Supreme Court affirmed that non-housing benefits are not designed to create a surplus that can be used to account for insufficient housing benefits.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 18th June 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com