Challenging Unlawful Decisions and Holding Public Bodies to Account
Public law protects individuals when public authorities act unlawfully, unfairly or fail to fulfil their legal duties.
At Southwark Law Centre, we use public law to challenge decisions made by government departments (such as the Home Office), local authorities and other public bodies. We help people enforce their legal rights and, where appropriate, bring cases that lead to wider change for others facing similar issues.
How We Can Help
We advise and represent people where public bodies have acted unlawfully or failed to comply with their legal obligations.
Our work includes:
- Judicial Review (JR)
- Challenging unlawful local authority decisions
- Housing and homelessness public law claims
- Community care and social care disputes
- Immigration and asylum public law
- Education JR claims related to school exclusion decisions or delivery of provision specified in EHC Plans
- Community challenges to local and central government planning decisions
- Human rights claims
- Equality Act claims against public bodies
- Policy and systemic challenges where legal action can improve outcomes for larger groups of people
Many of our public law cases arise alongside our housing, immigration, welfare benefits and discrimination work.
Strategic Litigation
Some legal cases have the potential to improve the law or change the way public bodies make decisions.
We build strategic challenges by working with local organisations and considering issues raised to us by the local community or challenges we see our clients face time and time again. We identify cases that can create wider public benefit by clarifying legal duties, improving public services or strengthening protections for vulnerable people.
Our strategic litigation has included challenges to unlawful local authority decisions affecting homeless and disabled people, litigation concerning the treatment of people accommodated in asylum hotels, and nationally significant Windrush compensation litigation. In the landmark case of R (Oji) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, we successfully challenged the Windrush Compensation Scheme, helping to establish that applicants are entitled to publicly funded legal representation where this is necessary to ensure a fair hearing. The judgment has the potential to improve access to justice for Windrush victims across the country.
Asylum Hotels Project
Southwark Law Centre has developed specialist expertise in supporting people accommodated in asylum hotels.
Working alongside partner organisations, we provide legal advice and representation to individuals experiencing problems with asylum accommodation and access to essential services.
Our work includes challenging unlawful conditions in asylum accommodation, improving access to legal advice and identifying systemic issues requiring strategic legal action.
Where appropriate, we use public law to hold decision-makers to account and improve conditions and processes affecting asylum seekers more widely.
Legal Aid
Public law cases may be eligible for Legal Aid, subject to the nature of the case and financial eligibility.
If Legal Aid is not available, we will consider whether alternative sources of funding or other options may be appropriate.
Why Public Law Matters
Public law is about more than resolving individual disputes. It helps ensure that public authorities act lawfully, fairly and accountably.
By challenging unlawful decisions, we not only secure justice for individual clients but also contribute to lasting improvements in public policy and public services, helping protect the rights of communities across South London and beyond.