Westminster City Council v National Asylum Support Service
Mrs Y-Ahmed was an asylum seeker with cancer who required medical attention and other care. She had no accommodation and, because of her immigration status, could not be allocated council housing or assisted as a homeless person.

She was initially provided with accommodation in London by Westminster Social Services but they claimed that responsibility for accommodating such asylum seekers should lie with the National Asylum Support Service.

NASS refused to accept responsibility, saying councils were liable to provide for asylum seekers with care needs (other than those caused by destitution) under the National Assistance Act 1948.

The House of Lords has now resolved the issue. After considering the relevant statutory schemes it decided that "infirm destitute" asylum seekers were the responsibility of local social services authorities, not NASS. Only able-bodied adult asylum seekers were excluded from social services assistance.

Source

Housing Today

Reference

It remains to be seen what political steps will be taken to relieve authorities of the practical and financial consequences of this decision. This issue is finally settled in the courts.