Free Webinar – Displacing Homeless Families: how to challenge out-of-borough discharges in homelessness law

As local authorities come under ever-greater strain, more and more homeless people are being displaced from their local areas. When it comes to both temporary accommodation and final offers, practitioners are routinely having to challenge out-of-borough placements in neighbouring boroughs, distant suburbs, and (increasingly) wholly different regions of the city.

This webinar will give an overview of the law and current trends in out-of-borough placements, and consider the most effective kinds of suitability challenge. The panel will look at recent cases and potential new grounds for challenge, including discrimination and PSED challenges under the Equality Act 2010.

Speakers

Maaha Elahi, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers (Chair)
Maaha has a broad civil practice, specialising in immigration, housing and public law. Maaha was featured on the Aziz Foundation and Emerald Network’s “100 Inspiring Muslims” List in September 2024, due to her work in human rights law. Under the supervision of Sonali Naik KC, Maaha assisted in high-profile litigation relating to the Rwanda deportation plan, criminalisation of migrants arriving via small boats and Afghan relocation. Maaha has a wealth of experience in researching and challenging systemic issues in the criminal justice system. She is well-placed to assist crime-related civil claims and judicial reviews.

Matthew Ahluwalia, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Matthew is a social welfare and public law barrister. He has particular interest and experience in housing, homelessness, public law, welfare benefits, and migrants’ rights. Matthew has a busy housing law practice, and is happy to accept instructions in cases defending possession proceedings, homelessness, housing allocation schemes, and social security issues. Matthew’s experience in welfare benefits, public law, asylum support, and migrants’ rights enables him to provide a holistic approach.

Nick Bano, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Nick Bano specialises in representing homeless people, residential occupiers, and destitute & migrant households in both public law and private law disputes. He has acted in many of the most important housing law cases in recent years. The legal directories consistently recognise his expertise in this field, as well as his inventiveness and commitment to his clients. Nick has a particular specialism in cases where social entitlements overlap with equality and discrimination law.  He has been instructed in many of the key cases in this area, including TM v Metropolitan, Forward v Aldwyck and London & Quadrant v Patrick (on the Public Sector Equality Duty in housing possession claims) and Adesotu v Lewisham (on discrimination against homelessness applicants).

Reserve your online ticket
If you have booked an online ticket, we will send joining details to all those who have signed up on the day of the event. If you have not received the link by 2pm on Thursday 13 November, and it is not in your junk inbox, please email webinars@gclaw.co.uk.