Asylum seekers given right to challenge homes refusal

The court of appeal has granted two asylum seekers leave to
appeal against two local authorities that refused to house
them.

In a test case at the court of appeal, Lord Justice Simon Brown
said he would allow the asylum seekers from Iraq and Afghanistan to
appeal against the decisions of Harrow council and Kensington and
Chelsea council.

The London boroughs had refused the pair and their families
accommodation as homeless applicants because on their arrival in
Britain they had been dispersed to Glasgow. When they were awarded
leave to remain, the asylum seekers left Scotland and approached
the councils, but were referred back to Glasgow council by the
London boroughs.

Lord Justice Brown said the key issue was whether Glasgow could
be seen “as the residence of the asylum seeker’s own
choice”.

He said: “If the provider of accommodation cannot even pay
regard to the applicant’s preference as to its locality, it
cannot, in my judgement, be right to characterise residence in that
locality as being of the applicant’s own choice.”