STORY
The High Court has ruled that Home Office policy changes requiring some torture survivors and other vulnerable asylum seekers to share rooms with strangers were unlawful. The case concerned changes introduced in 2024 that removed a previous presumption against shared accommodation for survivors of torture, trafficking and serious violence.
Mr Justice Sweeting found that the department had failed to assess the risks properly or consult specialist organisations before making the policy change. Charities including Freedom from Torture and the Helen Bamber Foundation argued that shared rooms could cause serious harm to people with a history of trauma.
The ruling creates a further challenge for ministers as they seek to reduce the cost of asylum accommodation and increase the use of shared housing. Campaigners said the decision could affect thousands of people, while the Home Office will need to review how it treats vulnerable asylum seekers in accommodation decisions.