The legality of the enforcement of council tax by committal to prison (R (on the application of Woolcock) v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government)

Table of contents

• What are the practical implications of this case?
• What was the background?
• What did the court decide?
• Does this case provide any assistance on the obstacles for a claimant seeking to establish systemic failure by judicial review?

Article summary

Local Government analysis: In the case R (on the application of Woolcock) v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hickinbottom J in the Divisional Court rejected a claim for judicial review which argued that the system for enforcement of council tax by committal to prison was systematically unlawful. Samuel Genen, consultant solicitor, of Steel & Shamash and Lound Mulrenan Jefferies Solicitors says that the judgement is an interesting development on systemic legal challenges.