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Homelessness suitability and Article 9: Court of Appeal affirms practical balancing; faith-schooling preference not determinative; out-of-borough placements upheld (Ghaoui v Waltham Forest) [England and Wales]

Published on: 30 April 2024

Published by a LexisNexis Local Government expert
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Ghaoui v Waltham Forest London Borough Council [2024] EWCA Civ 405 What are the practical implications of this case?

This decision offers down-to-earth direction for homelessness officers on handling human rights considerations when judging suitability, confirming that, even where human rights are engaged, the task remains essentially practical rather than a purely legal one. Officers should focus on pinpointing and balancing the pertinent factors as mandated by the Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (England) Order 2012, SI 2012/2601, and take their cue from the statutory Homelessness Code of Guidance. Paragraph 1.28 of the Code imposes an obligation to consider human rights implications in the exercise of the authority’s powers. The exercise is not meant to be a piece of legal theorising, and the presence of EHCR principles does not require an officer to undertake a ‘structured human rights analysis’ for each particular offer. Rather, deciding suitability requires the officer to identify every relevant consideration and attribute to them the weight that, in their professional judgement, appears appropriate...

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