Surrey County Council and Croydon London Borough Council have been in a long-running dispute over a family with high social care and SEN costs. The family in question cost Croydon around £375,000 a year in social care and SEN provision. At the start of 2021 Croydon bought a house for the family in Surrey, moved the family into that house, and notified Surrey County Council that as the family were now resident in their area, Surrey was responsible for covering the social care and SEN costs.
After years of disagreement between the two authorities, in August 2024 Surrey issued a final decision letter refusing to pay and invited Croydon to challenge it. Croydon duly issued a judicial review claim against that refusal letter (AC-2024-LON-003695).
Croydon chose to discontinue its claim (and pay Surrey’s legal costs) after Surrey’s Summary Grounds of Defence were filed, arguing that Croydon’s purchase of the house was an unlawful abuse of its statutory powers.
Andrew Sharland KC and Oliver Jackson acted for Surrey County Council.
