Facts: Camden decided to close an old people’s care home, notwithstanding that the Resident’s Handbook, and a letter to residents’ had contained a ‘home for life’ promise, and without a prior assessment of the residents’ needs.

Judgment: Turner J held that, on the facts, there had been a ‘home for life’ promise, which had given rise to legitimate expectations that Camden would not close the home. Camden’s decision to close the home had been unlawful because it had failed to take into account the promise it had made and the expectations it had created. In addition, since the decision to close the home had been final, rather than provisional, it had been an unjustified departure from statutory guidance not to assess the residents’ needs: because it meant that the services to be provided were not ‘needs led’.