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Judicial Review - Camden Council inhuman and bias Housing Policy

Hi All,
I am new and was steered here by a need for support in applying for a Judicial Review in the High Court, potentially on my own because of Legal Aid limitations.
Does anyone have any useful advice or experience to offer.
After 2 years of homelessness (caused by the same council neglect/bias), and subsequent hostel living, I’m largely unable to focus because of depression and I am struggling to pursue justice and equality, which seems to be a joke in my case,
Anyway it seems I’m not alone in this time of austerity and housing crisis but, I have no choice but to not allow Camden Council to be irresponsible with my current and future immobility,
*Link removed by moderator*
p.s Viewing is advised outside of mealtimes!
I am new and was steered here by a need for support in applying for a Judicial Review in the High Court, potentially on my own because of Legal Aid limitations.
Does anyone have any useful advice or experience to offer.
After 2 years of homelessness (caused by the same council neglect/bias), and subsequent hostel living, I’m largely unable to focus because of depression and I am struggling to pursue justice and equality, which seems to be a joke in my case,
Anyway it seems I’m not alone in this time of austerity and housing crisis but, I have no choice but to not allow Camden Council to be irresponsible with my current and future immobility,
*Link removed by moderator*
p.s Viewing is advised outside of mealtimes!
Replies
Welcome to the community and I am sorry to hear you have had such a tough time. Just to let you know, I have removed the link to your video as we felt it was too personal for public viewing.
I will ask @Joanne_Scope to take a look at your query and maybe some of our members will have had a similar experience and be able to share.
Best of luck to you
Senior online community officer
It sounds like you been through a really tough time!
Judicial review can be a way of compelling a Local Authority to make a decision, or to challenge decisions, actions or failures to act of public bodies.
It sounds like you have exhausted every other route to challenge them, which you need to have done before you can ask for a judicial review.
You said that you would potentially be doing this alone, but I would urge you to try and find a solicitor to help you with this.
Have you looked for a Law Centre in your area that might be able to help? There is also an organisation called the Disability Law Service which has a helpline giving free legal advice on housing issues.
There is also Civil Legal Advice which is a way of finding out if you are eligible for Legal Aid. If you do not qualify they can suggest places that you may be able to go to get help.
Shelter has some really useful information on the process of judicial review and what sort of decisions can be challenged in this way.
I hope that you manage to find some support with this and that someone on the Community has been through a similar experience and can give you some practical ideas on how to move forward.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Scope
Thank You for the response and support received...Very Informative!
Having been through 2 PIP and 2 ESA Tribunals without legal support, I can see although possible, Judicial Review will be significantly more challenging.
Although I can relate the the case quoted above, my case has evident and blatant disregard for the Equalities Act 2010, without regard to Race.
My shyness of late is because Legal Process is in place i.e. ‘Letter Before Claim’ has been issued and we await Camden’s official response!
However, since first writing Camden have made a major change of stance recently, they have referred me the home below and suspended my bidding.
Nice Home for someone more able but, my experience yesterday has invoked the following open letter.
Thanks Scope for being here!
The Child Poverty Action Group is currently running a judicial Review Project. This is to help Welfare Rights Workers with the process but it might be worth looking at. It has a number of template letters that you can use and also a link to a network of solicitors.
As @david235 has confirmed, you really would benefit from legal support!
Good luck with your case and keep us up dated.
Scope
You need legal advice from a lawyer trained in housing issues in your area.
This is a lawyer firm based in Camden. You can give them a call on Monday.
https://www.duncanlewis.co.uk/offices/Camden_Office.html
I do indeed have a Solicitor at Maryward who has been proactive in fighting an initial ‘Lawful Street Homeless’ Decision and currently continues to support my case.
i should explain!
My initial query was ‘preemptive research’ in view of the high threshold required to obtain Legal Aid for Barristers in relation to Judicial Reviews.
it seems this is an interesting thread and a subject worth greater accessibility.
However, (but not without the existence, advise and support of this platform,) I am extremely please to say Camden have had a complete change of attitude and direction.
My solicitor did send ‘Letter Before Claim’ 2 weeks ago, as a prerequisite for filing for the Judicial Review.
Camden’s response maybe the result of, appropriate due diligence however this has taken years and last week I was invited to live up 5 flights of stairs (most distressing)
To conclude the advise given above is, in my view, prudent and tangible. I would be following up on the above but clearly no longer need to.
Considering my experience, I have little doubt others will be faced with similar and even worse circumstances so it’s brilliant that Scope and other groups are here to help, encourage, motive and counsel vulnerable people, forced to fight a governing body.