Ruling gives failed asylum-seekers free healthcare

Thousands of failed asylum-seekers won the right to free healthcare yesterday, when the High Court ruled that restrictions on NHS treatment were unlawful.

• Posted on Apr 14, 2008

"Thousands of failed asylum-seekers won the right to free healthcare yesterday, when the High Court ruled that restrictions on NHS treatment were unlawful. The court victory by a Palestinian, known only as A, was the latest of several judicial rulings against Government policies this week. (April 6- 12)

Regulations barring failed asylum-seekers from receiving free NHS treatment while they wait to be sent home were declared unlawful by Mr Justice Mitting.

He said that guidance advising NHS trusts to charge unsuccessful asylum applicants for treatment did not apply when the person would otherwise be treated as "ordinarily resident" in the UK. The ruling affects an estimated 11,000 failed asylum-seekers whose return home has been delayed.

Full article by Richard Ford, Home Correspondent, From The Times, April 12, 2008 ;
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3732002.ece

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