May 4, 2026
A landlord refused consent for a tenant's planning application to change part-use to residential, fearing increased risk of leasehold enfranchisement. The Supreme Court, by majority, held the refusal was reasonable, as protecting the reversion is a legitimate landlord concern. Facts The case concerned 51 Brewer Street, Soho, a six-storey terraced...
May 4, 2026
Vauxhall held a perpetual licence from MSCC to discharge water across canal land for £50 annual rent. After missing payment, MSCC terminated. The Supreme Court held equity's jurisdiction to relieve against forfeiture extends to possessory rights over land, not merely proprietary interests. Facts The Manchester Ship Canal Company Ltd (MSCC)...
May 4, 2026
Professor Shanks invented a glucose biosensor while employed by a Unilever research subsidiary. Unilever earned around £24m from licensing the patents. The Supreme Court held the patents were of outstanding benefit and awarded him a fair share of £2m. Facts Professor Shanks was employed from 1982 to 1986 by Unilever...
May 4, 2026
A district judge raised concerns about court cuts and suffered alleged detriments. The Supreme Court held that whilst judges are not 'workers' under the Employment Rights Act 1996, excluding them from whistle-blowing protection breached Article 14 ECHR, requiring the statute to be read to include them. Facts The appellant, Claire...
May 4, 2026
Mrs Coulter, domiciled in Jersey, left her UK estate to a Jersey-law charitable trust. HMRC refused inheritance tax relief under section 23 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that refusal breached EU free movement of capital. Facts Mrs Beryl Coulter died domiciled in...
May 3, 2026
D, a 16-year-old with multiple disabilities including autism and Tourette's, was placed in residential accommodation with continuous supervision. His parents consented to arrangements that would otherwise deprive him of his liberty. The Supreme Court held that parental consent could not authorise such deprivation for a 16 or 17-year-old, requiring Article...
May 3, 2026
The Supreme Court held that article 24(2) of the Brussels I Recast Regulation must be interpreted strictly. English courts had no jurisdiction over the authority claim challenging the Turkish trustees' appointment, as that claim's principal subject matter concerned a Turkish company's internal affairs. Facts Koza Altin, a publicly listed Turkish...
May 3, 2026
A Scottish farming company purchased EU Single Farm Payment entitlements to fund its taxable business activities. HMRC refused to allow deduction of input VAT on the purchases. The Supreme Court dismissed HMRC's appeal, holding the VAT was deductible as business overheads. Facts Frank A Smart & Son Ltd (FASL) is...
May 3, 2026
Non-party Asbestos Victims Support Groups Forum sought access to trial documents from settled asbestos litigation against Cape. The Supreme Court confirmed courts have inherent jurisdiction, rooted in the open justice principle, to allow non-party access to court documents beyond what procedural rules expressly permit. Facts Cape Intermediate Holdings Ltd (“Cape”),...
May 3, 2026
A UK tourist on a Kuoni package holiday in Sri Lanka was raped and assaulted by a hotel electrician who offered to guide her to reception. The Supreme Court referred questions to the CJEU on tour operator liability under the Package Travel Directive. Facts In April 2010, Mrs X and...
May 3, 2026
A slaughterhouse disputed an Official Veterinarian's decision that a bull carcass was unfit for human consumption. The Supreme Court considered whether section 9 of the Food Safety Act 1990 provided a challenge mechanism compatible with EU food safety law, and referred questions to the CJEU. Facts On 11 September 2014,...
May 3, 2026
An Italian national resident in the UK since 1985, imprisoned for manslaughter in 2001, faced deportation in 2007. The Supreme Court held he had not acquired permanent residence, so could not claim enhanced protection against expulsion under the Citizens' Directive. Facts Mr Franco Vomero, an Italian national, moved to the...
May 3, 2026
The Supreme Court considered the meaning of 'social support' in descriptor 9c of the PIP daily living activity 'engaging with other people face to face'. It held that social support may include prompting, need not be contemporaneous with the engagement, and must come from someone trained or experienced. Facts The...
May 3, 2026
Lambeth Council granted permission under section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to vary a condition restricting retail sales at a Streatham store. The decision notice stated 'proposed wording' but did not expressly reimpose it as a condition. The Supreme Court held the permission should be read...
May 3, 2026
A senior executive at Egon Zehnder sought to join a competitor despite a six-month non-competition covenant. She argued the word 'interested' unreasonably barred even minor shareholdings. The Supreme Court held the clause was in unreasonable restraint of trade but severed the offending words, restoring the injunction. Facts Ms Tillman was...
May 3, 2026
A Latvian national in the UK claimed state pension credit, relying on permanent residence rights under the Citizens Directive. The Supreme Court dismissed the Secretary of State's appeal, holding the 2009 extension of the Worker Registration Scheme was disproportionate and unlawful under EU law. Facts Ms Tamara Gubeladze, a Latvian...
May 3, 2026
Alcohol wholesalers refused HMRC approval under the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme sought to continue trading pending their appeals to the First-tier Tribunal. The Supreme Court held HMRC had no power to grant temporary approval under section 88C ALDA or section 9 of the 2005 Act. Facts The Finance Act 2015...
May 3, 2026
The m/v RENOS suffered an engine room fire. Owners claimed a constructive total loss under their hull policy. The Supreme Court held pre-notice-of-abandonment costs counted towards repair costs, but SCOPIC environmental salvage charges did not, as they were unconnected with repairing the hull. Facts On 23 August 2012, the m/v...
May 3, 2026
Ms Samuels, a single mother of four reliant on benefits, was evicted for rent arrears and found intentionally homeless by Birmingham City Council on the basis her accommodation was affordable. The Supreme Court allowed her appeal, holding the council misapplied the affordability assessment under the 1996 Order. Facts The appellant,...
May 3, 2026
Dennis Hutchings, a former soldier charged with the 1974 attempted murder of John Paul Cunningham in Northern Ireland, challenged the DPP's certificate ordering trial without a jury. The Supreme Court dismissed his appeal, upholding the certificate under the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007. Facts On 15 June 1974,...
May 3, 2026
Mr and Mrs Hancock sold their company shares for loan notes, later converted into qualifying corporate bonds. They argued the conversion escaped capital gains tax. The Supreme Court dismissed their appeal, holding the transaction comprised two separate conversions. Facts Mr and Mrs Hancock sold their shares in Blubeckers Ltd in...
May 3, 2026
Mexford House, a vacant office building in Blackpool, was valued for rating purposes despite no actual tenant being willing to pay a positive rent. The Supreme Court held that rateable value could be assessed by reference to general demand for comparable properties, restoring the Upper Tribunal's £370,000 valuation. Facts Mexford...
May 3, 2026
Privacy International challenged the Investigatory Powers Tribunal's ruling on thematic warrants for computer hacking by GCHQ. The Supreme Court held, by majority, that section 67(8) of RIPA 2000 did not oust the High Court's judicial review jurisdiction over IPT decisions for errors of law. Facts The Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT)...
May 3, 2026
Lone parents of young children challenged the revised benefit cap under the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016, arguing it unlawfully discriminated against them and their children contrary to Article 14 ECHR. The Supreme Court, by a 5-2 majority, dismissed the appeals. Facts The revised benefit cap, introduced by the...
May 3, 2026
Zambian villagers sued Vedanta, a UK-domiciled parent company, and its Zambian subsidiary KCM for toxic mine emissions. The Supreme Court upheld English jurisdiction, finding a triable issue on parent company liability and real risk that substantial justice was unobtainable in Zambia. Facts Some 1,826 Zambian citizens from rural farming communities...
August 25, 2026
National Case Law Archive
August 25, 2026
National Case Law Archive
August 25, 2026
National Case Law Archive