The key question was whether the council had any legal power to pay for her accommodation and other support. The judge decided that the Local Government Act 2000 empowered a local authority to do "anything" to promote economic or social well-being. That power could be exercised for the benefit of all council residents and could include giving financial assistance. That meant that the council could pay for accommodation costs and other financial support for Ms Theophilus.
The council would have to reconsider its withdrawal of funding after the pledge of support it had made.
Source
Housing Today
Reference
This case follows another example of the 2000 Act being held as a way to pay accommodation costs for someone not entitled to help any other way (J v Enfield LBC [2002] 2 FLR 1). As a result, it has become very difficult for a council to say that there is any resident whom it "can't help with housing costs".
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