Haile v Waltham Forest London Borough Council

Subject Matter

LOCAL GOVERNMENT — Homeless persons — Whether “homeless intentionally” — Applicant voluntarily leaving single occupancy hostel accommodation after becoming pregnant — Application to housing authority as homeless person with priority need — Applicant provided with temporary accommodation pending decision and subsequently giving birth to child — Whether intentionality of homelessness to be determined by reference to date on which applicant became homeless or date of local authority’s decision — Housing Act 1996, ss 191, 193

[2014] EWCA Civ 792; [2014] PTSR 1376; [2014] WLR (D) 257, CA

LOCAL GOVERNMENT — Homeless persons — Whether “homeless intentionally” — Applicant voluntarily leaving single occupancy hostel accommodation but subsequently applying to local housing authority as homeless person with priority need due to pregnancy — Authority refusing to provide accommodation on ground applicant intentionally homeless — Applicant having given birth to child by time of authority’s refusal — Single occupancy requirement at hostel such as would have made applicant homeless in any event at date of authority’s decision — Whether break in causal connection between deliberate act in leaving available accommodation and homelessness at date of authority’s decision — Housing Act 1996, ss 191(1), 193(1)

[2015] UKSC 34; [2015] AC 1471; [2015] 2 WLR 1441; [2015] PTSR 784; [2016] 1 All ER 579; [2015] WLR (D) 234; Case details, SC(E)

Appellate History