The High Court has ruled that the UK government acted unlawfully by forcing survivors of torture to share rooms in asylum accommodation, dealing a blow to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's plans to house more asylum seekers in former army barracks.
Mr Justice Sweeting found that the government failed in its duties when it forced survivors of trafficking, torture, and other serious violence to share rooms with strangers. The judge said the Home Office also failed to assess the impact of the changes despite 'longstanding, consistent evidence of the serious risks of harm'.
The ruling could affect Mahmood's strategy to move asylum seekers out of hotels by the end of this parliament by placing many in shared housing and dormitories on Ministry of Defence land, including the former RAF Brize Norton base.
Charities Freedom From Torture and the Helen Bamber Foundation brought the legal challenge. They said a policy introduced in February 2024 by the previous government removed a 'protective presumption' that torture survivors would not share rooms. The charities estimate 10,000 survivors could be affected.
The Home Office must now decide whether to revert to the old policy or reintroduce the changes after proper consultation and impact assessment. A Home Office spokesperson said the department would 'carefully consider' the ruling.
