Community Care

Community Care Lawyers London

Community Care Law involves challenging decisions made by social services or, in some cases, a  government department, where it is considered that they have acted unlawfully in how they are providing or funding services to children, young people, and elderly, vulnerable or disabled adults.

Contact us

Contact

  • “Osbornes Law are a very highly regarded firm who are at the coalface. They are very on top of their cases.”

  • “Osbornes are one of the leading firms dealing with claims by unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors and age disputed young people. Their case preparation is heads above others I have seen in this field.”

Specialist Community Care Lawyers

Our community care team can provide you with expert legal advice and assistance on a range of community care issues and challenges. We can support you through the process to ensure that you and your family receive the support and care which you need or are entitled to.

What decisions can you challenge?

As we know, funding for social care is already under considerable financial pressures and has been affected by cuts to budgets. As a result, those who are in need of support and care often find themselves lacking or without.

Children social services – we can advise and assist on a wide range of matters including:

  • Requesting s.17 Children Act assessments in relation to duties owed towards children and their families
  • Securing accommodation for children in need under s.20 of the Children Act.
  • Challenging social services’ assessments by bringing a judicial review claim, where necessary.
  • Securing relevant support and suitable accommodation for care leavers
  • Helping families without recourse to public funds to access support and housing

Adult social services – we can advise and assist you with various matters including::

  • Challenging Care Act assessments
  • Requesting urgent interim accommodation pending assessment
  • Dealing with disputes relating to level and type of care required
  • Securing adaptations to your home
  • Securing support with housing and welfare for people in the UK who have no recourse to public funds
  • Care Home and nursing home assessments or placements
  • Challenging incorrect or unfair care charges or other funding issues
  • Assisting migrants who are being denied access to NHS healthcare or wrongly charged.
  • Provide assistance in relation to decisions regarding NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Our specialist community care solicitors consider and deal with all types of community care issues. Our team have wide experience in bringing judicial review claims in the High Court.

Bringing a Judicial Review

Please contact us immediately if you require advice or assistance with challenging an assessment. In most cases there is a 3 month deadline from the date of the decision in question to bring a claim for judicial review claim.

  • Osbornes Law represents tenants in the full variety of housing law matters,

    Chambers UK 2024

  • Osbornes Law are a very highly regarded firm who are at the coalface. They are very on top of their cases.

    Chambers UK 2024

  • The Osbornes team is capable and responsive.

    Chambers UK 2024

  • William Ford is the best housing and public law solicitor of his generation.

    Legal 500 2024

  • Osbornes are a fantastic team who really stand out in the market in the fields of housing and social care.

    Legal 500 2024

  • Their mix of private client work and legal aid means that legally aided clients are (unusually) able to access a professional and top-flight law firm and get treated with real respect

    Legal 500 2024

  • The social housing team at Osbornes is exceptional. The solicitors are highly competent, professional, and committed.

    Legal 500 2024

  • A large, experienced, and capable team with in-depth knowledge covering the entirety of housing and homelessness law

    Legal 500 2024

  • The group has developed expertise in several specialist areas, such as advising EU nationals on their legal status and bringing challenges in asylum age assessment cases.

    Legal 500 2024

  • The team has demonstrable experience in advising clients on issues involving vulnerable clients who have claims against local authorities and housing associations.

    Legal 500 2024

  • "The team explains things clearly, is very responsive and goes the extra step to help those who need it."

    Chambers UK 2023

  • "I was impressed and grateful from the very beginning - the team are extremely detailed, very thorough, helpful and reassuring at the same time. I would absolutely recommend Osbornes Law."

    Chambers UK 2023

  • "Osbornes Law is efficient and focused, and clearly prioritises the client's interests."

    Chambers UK 2023

  • ‘Osbornes are very approachable; in a time where many firms are unwilling to take on cases that do not look promising, they are prepared to look at difficult situations and find a way to assist their clients.

    Legal 500 2023

  • "Osbornes is one of the firms that I consistently recommend. Excellent service, and thorough and knowledgable lawyers."

    Legal 500 2023

  • ‘From the very first moment, I was aware and grateful to have been put in touch with Osbornes. The expertise, advice, leaving no stone unturned right from the first minute until the very last, I would most certainly recommend every single time.’

    Legal 500 2023

  • "The associates have a thorough knowledge of the area of law, communicate effectively and are incredibly easy to work with."

    Legal 500 2023

  • "They are a firm that likes a challenge and are prepared to do the groundwork to develop cases, even if it means much preparation without remuneration."

    Legal 500 2023

  • "It is clear the firm put the interests of the client first at all times."

    Legal 500 2023

  • "There’s a real sense of team ethic. It’s clear that internal communication and case recording are strong because if a solicitor handling a case is away the person covering is fully up to speed, has the necessary documents available to them and nothing falls through the cracks."

    Legal 500 2023

  • "If a short deadline comes up on an urgent case, solicitors are active in collaborating to ensure it can be met."

    Legal 500 2023

  • "The practice is ‘undoubtedly one of the best in the business‘ and has a strong reputation for complex disrepair cases and possession claims against local authorities and housing associations."

    Legal 500 2023

  • "Osbornes are an exceptional team. They have a wealth of housing experience and knowledge that is ‘top notch’. Clients are safe in their hands. As colleagues, they have a fantastic working relationship with each other and, feeding off of each other’s expert knowledge, their solicitors work to ensure that no stone is unturned."

    Legal 500 2021

  • "The team at Osbornes is inspired by its leader Will Ford, a truly first-rate, modern lawyer’s lawyer. The team have blossomed under his Will and are now packed with conscientious, dedicated and excellent lawyers who always give their clients 100%."

    Legal 500 2021

  • "Alex McMahon – thorough and committed. Very easy to work with."

    Legal 500 2021

  • "A committed and well-organised team with a good knowledge of the law and who work hard to secure a good outcome for their clients"

  • "Osbornes has an impressive social housing team and the quality of their work that I have seen is very high. Will Ford is a very well-regarded figure in the housing law world and leads a team of high quality and committed lawyers."

    Legal 500 2021

  • "Osbornes provide an incredibly high-quality service to their clients. The firm treats its legal aid clients with the same respect and commitment as if they were important private clients, which is rare and admirable. Their housing solicitors are also highly skilled and knowledgable."

    Legal 500 2021

  • "This is an outstanding firm with great attention to detail. They work tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcome for their clients. They have excellent client care skills and are extremely organised."

    Chambers UK 2021

  • "They are at the forefront of legal developments in the field of social housing and community care. They are committed to using their multidisciplinary expertise to achieve the best possible outcomes for clients."

    Chambers & Partners Directory 2020, Social Welfare

  • "This a great team - the quality of their work is amazing and they are very professional"

    Chambers & Partners Directory 2020, Social Welfare

  • "An exceptional outfit. They take on difficult cases, fight hard and win."

    Chambers UK

  • "Osbornes team is noted for cross-practice expertise in areas such as housing and community care, which it brings to bear in disrepair, possession and homelessness cases involving vulnerable adults, individuals with language difficulties, the elderly and those with no recourse to public funds."

    The Legal 500

  • The social housing team is friendly, approachable and genuinely care about its clients.

    Chambers UK

  • A broad knowledge places the social housing department one step ahead of others when it comes to community care knowledge.

    Chambers UK

  • The social housing department always go the extra mile.

    Chambers UK

  • The social housing team has a strong track record in representing tenants in claims against local authorities and housing associations, with particular expertise in complex disrepair and possession cases.

    Legal 500

  • Osbornes is commended for its 'rare level of commitment'.

    Legal 500

Speak to the Community Care team today

For a free initial conversation call 020 7485 8811

Email us Send us an email and we’ll get back to you






    Community Care Solicitors FAQs

    Is there legal aid funding available for my case?

    Our expert community care legal team are amongst a handful of firms in London who have a Legal Aid contract to undertake community care work. Please get in touch with us to find out if legal aid is available for your type of case and to check if you meet the financial requirements. Where your case cannot be funded by legal aid, we can offer competitive rates and potentially a fixed fee in some circumstances for our work.

    Do I need to approach social services myself before I contact Osbornes Law for help?

    It may be a requirement of legal aid funding that you have tried to request support or services yourself, or that there is a current assessment/care plan which you are seeking to challenge, before we can take on your case. There does need to be a legal issue involved, and it is not possible to obtain legal aid just to get general advice. It would be helpful when you contact us to have full details of your interactions with social services to date, to know their latest position and why you consider them to be acting unlawfully in your case.

    How do I know if social services are acting unlawfully?

    If you consider that you are eligible for support with your care needs and those care needs are unmet or only partially met by social services after an assessment has taken place, then social services may be acting unlawfully as they are not complying with their legal obligations. If there is a child in need who is without accommodation (or the people who normally care for the child are unable to do so), then children social services have a duty to carry out an assessment of the child’s needs and may be required to provide support and accommodation to the child’s welfare is protected. There are numerous ways in which a local authority’s social services department or a government department may be acting unlawfully. Please get in touch and we can confirm whether we are able to help with your case.

    Housing and Community Care InsightsVIEW ALL

    1. 23.1.2024

      Case Reiterates Local Authorities should follow Allocation Scheme

      R (on the application of Kukhtyak) -v- London Borough of Hounslow [2023] EWHC 2914 (Admin) This sad case concerned an elderly couple...

      Read more
    2. housing discussions
      7.12.2023

      Supreme Court sets High Threshold for Local Authorities...

      Judgment was handed down on 28 November 2023 by the Supreme Court in an important case regarding the main housing duty. The...

      Read more
    3. Renters Reform Bill
      15.8.2023

      The Renters (Reform) Bill – Will it have the...

      There has been much publicity recently over the Renters (Reform) Bill, the assumption being that the government have their eye...

      Read more
    4. Business people hands applauding at meeting
      14.7.2022

      20 Years of Celebrating Legal Aid Lawyers

      This year the litigation team at Osbornes attended the 20th anniversary of the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2022 (“LALY 2022”)...

      Read more
    5. london house
      16.5.2022

      Immediate, Non-Deferrable and Unqualified

      Judgment was handed down on 04 May 2022 in the Court of Appeal in an important case regarding the main housing duty....

      Read more
    6. Homeless Teenager
      5.11.2021

      Council overturns unlawful housing policy

      Homeless teenager claims victory for more than 1,200 homeless people after forcing council to overturn unlawful housing policy A homeless teenager...

      Read more
    7. shoreditch london
      3.9.2021

      Homeless Teenager takes London Council to High Court

      A homeless teenager is taking a London council to the High Court for ‘unlawfully’ banning hundreds of homeless people from...

      Read more
    8. mould
      19.8.2021

      Housing Disrepair Scandal in South London

      Following an investigation by ITV nearly 500 homes in the Eastfields Estate in Mitcham, south London, owned by the housing association...

      Read more
    9. model houses
      8.4.2021

      Council to amend unlawful housing allocation banding process

      For the last 8 years Brent Council has stopped the majority of homeless applicants from bidding for rehousing, treating them as ‘...

      Read more
    10. Troy Golide
      25.1.2021

      Hackney Council ignore vulnerable resident’s request

      Paranoid schizophrenic ignored by Hackney Council for four years wins legal battle over unsafe front door A man who suffers...

      Read more
    11. asylum seekers
      25.1.2021

      Teenage asylum seeker wins legal battle against Council...

      Vulnerable teenage asylum seeker wins age case against the council which unlawfully assessed him A vulnerable teenager who sought asylum...

      Read more
    12. signing document
      23.12.2020

      EU Nationals with Pre-Settled Status entitled to benefits...

      Court Judgment means EU Nationals with Pre-Settled Status can access benefits and housing On 18 December 2020 the Court of Appeal handed...

      Read more
    13. 2.12.2020

      Education provision to age disputed migrants

      The thorny issue of education provision to age disputed migrants There was an interesting article in The Guardian last week...

      Read more
    14. 24.11.2020

      Is the delay in the Renters Reform Bill...

      There have been issues tenants have faced for a long time before pandemic; namely no fault evictions and the other...

      Read more
    15. 20.11.2020

      Up Up and away to the First Tier...

      This year we assisted in written representations for a welfare benefit case in the Upper Tribunal. This is a Housing...

      Read more
    16. 20.11.2020

      You are homeless because you are in shared...

      It is well established that shared facilities are not suitable for families with children as long term accommodation. The client...

      Read more
    17. eviction notice
      24.8.2020

      Housing Lawyer at Osbornes comments on the government’...

      Alex McMahon, expert housing lawyer in the housing and community care department at Osbornes has been quoted in various publications...

      Read more
    18. scales law
      13.8.2020

      Judicial review – friend or foe?

      The Government announced on 31st July 2020 that an independent panel has been asked to look at judicial review to consider...

      Read more
    19. to-let sign
      24.7.2020

      Rejecting tenants on housing benefit deemed indirect discrimination

      In a recent decision in the County Court at York it was held that a letting agent’s policy of...

      Read more
    20. home
      27.5.2020

      I am vulnerable and homeless but the Council...

      Homelessness law and procedure can be very complicated. We hope this blog gives you some helpful pointers but it is...

      Read more
    21. 5.5.2020

      I have lost my job and I have...

      The impact of the current pandemic is being felt by many, but the prospect of losing your job or not...

      Read more
    22. eviction notice
      4.5.2020

      I am renting from a private landlord and...

      I know that many individuals across the country are extremely worried about the instability of their housing. This was a...

      Read more
    23. 29.4.2020

      Case news: Housing benefit decision addresses issue of...

      The background You might be forgiven for thinking that the question of whether a course is full time or part...

      Read more
    24. 28.4.2020

      When does a Local Authority have to provide...

      Absolutely anyone can be struck down by misfortune and find themselves in a situation where they are homeless. Though many...

      Read more

    VIEW ALL

    Recent community care clients we have helped:

    Our community care solicitors helped a 21 year old homeless young person get support with getting back into education and suitable accommodation from children’s social services as the young person was previously in the care of social services for 13 weeks between their 16th and 18th They had been turned away on numerous occasions and told to approach the housing department instead.

    Osbornes Law have successfully challenged Care Act assessments which found that a disabled client had no eligible care or support needs, but with our assistance they were able to secure a care and support package including 20 hours of care per week.

    We have helped our clients with no recourse to public funds access emergency housing and support from children social services whilst they carry out a s.17 Children Act assessment of the children and the family. Without such support the family would have been street homeless and destitute.

    Call today for advice from the Community Care team

    For a free initial conversation call 020 7485 8811

    Email us Send us an email and we’ll get back to you






      Accreditations

      • Times best law firm 2024
      • legal 500 leading firm
      • chambers logo

      Support Groups & Useful links

      For support for elderly, vulnerable and disabled adults:

      Age UK (https://www.ageuk.org.uk/)
      Carers UK (https://www.carersuk.org/)
      Voice Ability (https://www.voiceability.org/)

      For Children Act matters and advocacy services:

      Coram Voice (https://coramvoice.org.uk/)
      New Horizons (https://nhyouthcentre.org.uk/)
      Action for Children (https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/)

      For adults and families with no recourse to public funds:

      Project 17 (https://www.project17.org.uk/)
      No Recourse to Public Funds Network (http://www.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx)