Supreme Court to rule next week on policy of Scottish local authority on charging for community care services

The Supreme Court will next week (11 January) hand down its ruling in a dispute over whether Glasgow City Council’s charging policy for community care services is discriminatory.

The appellant in McCue (as guardian for Andrew McCue) v Glasgow City Council is the mother and guardian of Andrew McCue.

Andrew is disabled and thus entitled to community care services from the city council.

The respondent local authority has the power to charge for its services, though certain deductions may be applied to reduce the contribution payable.

The appeal concerns the council’s decision to allow only certain deductions together with the validity of the charging policy.

The appellant mother is seeking to challenge a ruling of the Inner House of the Court of Session, which concluded that the circumstances were not amenable to judicial review.

The case was heard by a Supreme Court panel comprising Lord Reed, Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lord Sales, Lord Burrows and Lord Stephens on 18 October 2022.