Court of Appeal Examines Care Duties for Homeless Youth and Late Judicial Review
Public Law and Judicial Review, Housing, Local Government, Health and Social Care
In a two day hearing starting today, the Court of Appeal will consider whether Calver J was correct to find that Surrey County Council should have treated a young man as being owed the duty under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 when he applied as homeless to another local authority, and where he subsequently lived with a friend rather than with his mother.
The Court below found that, when the Claimant’s support worker gave him a lift back to this accommodation, that amounted to arranging accommodation for him and that, although he did not ask for assistance at that time, he was owed duties as a care leaver some four years later. The Court will also consider whether permission to seek judicial review out of time should have been granted by the Judge.
Catherine Rowlands represents Surrey County Council.
