Care Home Provider Stripped of Sponsorship Licence Wins Right to Challenge Home Office in Court (5 August 2026)

The High Court has granted permission for a judicial review after a challenge brought by Duncan Lewis Solicitors on behalf of a care home provider whose sponsor licence was revoked by the Home Office over alleged underpayments to sponsored workers.

The client, the care home company, had its sponsor licence revoked in March 2026 after the Home Office concluded that three sponsored employees had been underpaid over a five to six-month period. However, the company argues that issues were simply an error, which occurred due to an issue with the company's payroll system.

Duncan Lewis served a Pre-Action Protocol letter challenging the decision but the Home Office maintained its position, prompting the firm to take the next step and issue judicial review proceedings.

• The judicial review challenges the Home Office's decision on two main grounds. Firstly, it argues that the Home Office relied on the wrong immigration rules when revoking the company's sponsor licence. The company says it paid its sponsored workers the salaries it had promised and that the issue instead related to payroll calculations and minimum wage rules. Secondly, Duncan Lewis argues the Home Office acted unfairly by revoking the licence without giving the business an opportunity to explain or correct the alleged payroll errors before taking such serious action.

• The High Court accepted that both grounds are arguable and should proceed to a full hearing. The judge concluded there is a realistic argument that the Home Office may have misapplied its own guidance and that it was also arguable that the decision-making process was procedurally unfair.

A one-day hearing will now take place before the High Court, where the lawfulness of the Home Office's decision will be determined -the matter is being led by Duncan Lewis Solicitors, with Andrew Gilbert of One Pump Court Chambers acting as Counsel.

About Alleena Aktar

The case was led by trainee solicitor Alleena Akhtar, who works in the Private Immigration department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. She has significant experience assisting clients with Spouse Visa Applications, Visit Visa Applications, Indefinite Leave to Remain Applications, Further Leave to Remain Applications, Deportation Appeals, and Debated Nationality.

For more information contact Alleena-Akhtar at AlleenaA@Duncanlewis.com or call 02031141290.

Alleena works under the guidance of director Vicash Ramkissoon who has more than 20 years of professional experience. He leads a team skilled in complex immigration matters. This includes assistance for high-net-worth individuals from Asia and the Middle East and strategic immigration advice.

Contact Vicash at vicashr@duncanlewis.com or on 020 3114 1105 for expert guidance.

About Duncan Lewis

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is an award-winning firm with a long-standing reputation for delivering expert legal services with a genuine commitment to justice and client care. Recognised as top tier by both Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500, and listed among The Times Best Law Firms, the firm operates across a wide range of practice areas, serving clients at every level.