Facts: two former employees of a direct payment support service provider, Direct Payment Service Users Ltd (‘DPSUL’) raised concerns about its conduct and financial practices with Nottinghamshire. In addition, the Trading Standards Department informed Nottinghamshire that a criminal investigation into DPSUL was progressing. That investigation raised serious concerns. Having given DPSUL some opportunity of response, Nottinghamshire then suspended DPSUL from its list of accredited direct payment support service providers, which effectively prevented DPSUL from dealing with the funds of potentially vulnerable individuals and from using and administering public funds. A group of service users brought a judicial review.

Judgment: Patterson J refused permission to apply for judicial review on the basis that Nottinghamshire had acted rationally and there was nothing in the Care Act 2014 that precluded it from taking such action.