Age Assessment for Asylum Seekers
Our lawyers specialise in age assessment challenges. We have significant experience in overturning negative age assessment decisions and issuing judicial reviews against local authorities. Read on to find out more about our experience and the leading cases we have been involved in.
“Described as an outstanding public law solicitor, Edward Taylor has experience acting for asylum-seeking minors in judicial reviews challenging age assessments.”
“The team is particularly well regarded for its expertise in accommodation rights and asylum support.”
Why are there disputes over age?
The age assessment of unaccompanied children seeking asylum is a challenging process.
Many countries from which refugees and asylum seekers flee from do not have a robust administration system, particularly when it comes to registering births or issuing passports. Therefore, many individuals who enter the UK arrive without conclusive proof that they are a child.
Why does age assessment matter?
Children are entitled to various services from local councils, including education and accommodation. Age also has implications on whether the applicant is eligible for financial support and protections against deportation.
In immigration cases, whenever the age of the applicant is in doubt, the Home Office can order an age assessment, which operates under ‘benefit of the doubt’ guidance. This means that unless the applicant’s appearance very strongly suggests that they are significantly over the age of 18, they should be treated as a child until a more complete assessment is carried out.
Specialist Age Assessment Lawyers
Osbornes Law are instructed to help clients establish their age during the age assessment process and to help challenge assessments which conclude that an individual should be treated as an adult.
Our expert age assessment lawyers have significant experience in challenging negative age assessments, including issuing judicial review proceedings against local authorities.
Taylor a really good public lawyer.
Will is the best housing solicitor there is and he has the best housing law mind I have come across. He is really exceptional and incredibly helpful for both clients and people in the sector.
They are extremely good and diligent in their work - they are super amazing.
The lawyers at Osbornes Law work with passion, putting in all their best.
Osbornes has some very good quality lawyers doing very interesting work.
The Osbornes Law team is very solid quality across the board.
The lawyers provide good standards of practice.
They are one of the go-to firms for public law in London. They have real strength in the depth of their team and work hard for their clients.
Osbornes have a strong team with some truly excellent individuals.
Edward Taylor is an outstanding public law solicitor. He has particular skills in working with vulnerable clients and in complex and fast-moving cases.
They are tenacious, approachable, and extremely effective in representing the interests of their clients including in highly complex cases.
Osbornes Law are a truly excellent team. They cover a range of immigration, housing, and social care matters with a core commitment to representing vulnerable clients.
Alex McMahon is a recommended lawyer, who also specialises in complex age dispute cases
Described as an outstanding public law solicitor, Edward Taylor has experience acting for asylum-seeking minors in judicial reviews challenging age assessments
Osbornes has a particular strength in handling social housing challenges with a focus on homelessness and assisting children with disabilities.
William Ford has a forensic knowledge of housing law and is extremely intelligent, very thorough, and excellent with clients
Excellent communication at all stages of a claim and an emphasis on the needs of the client.
A thoroughly professional firm who have specialist knowledge of their areas of law.
Outstanding lawyers providing outstanding quality advice. They are one of the leaders in the field.
Alex McMahon is an extremely safe pair of hands for any housing issues.
William Ford has long been a leading individual in the housing law world.
Osbornes' social housing law team is very good and very well regarded within the field, with great solicitors across the full range of seniority.
The housing team at Osbornes is the best in England.
Alex McMahon is another notable team member who practices across housing law, public law, and community care.
Practice head William Ford is praised as ‘the best housing and social security lawyer in the sector.
The social housing team at Osbornes boasts extensive experience in representing clients with claims against local authorities and housing associations in mandates surrounding disrepair, possession, eviction warrants and illegal evictions, homelessness, and anti-social behaviour.
"The firm is known for expertly running judicial review challenges against local authorities, and has recently succefully challenged the Secretary of State for the Home Department in a case relating to adverse age assessments for unaccompanied asylum-seeking putative minors."
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