A Swedish court has ordered the deportation of a 74-year-old British national who has resided in Sweden for approximately 25 years, following a ruling that the government’s immigration enforcement objectives take precedence over the individual’s healthcare needs. The man, identified as Horace Mason, requires continuous supervision and full-time residential care due to advanced vascular dementia and related conditions. He was given until August 20 to depart the country.
The deportation decision stemmed from a July court ruling by Sweden’s migrations court of appeals, which determined that the state’s interest in regulated immigration outweighed Mason’s personal circumstances. His residency permit application was initially rejected in November by the Swedish migration agency for insufficient documentation, and subsequent appeals—including one based on exceptional humanitarian grounds and European human rights protections—were also denied. The court acknowledged that dementia care exists in the United Kingdom and that Mason has a daughter there, though his son Carl argued this relative could not provide the level of care his father currently receives.
Mason’s case reflects a broader pattern affecting British nationals in Sweden following the country’s departure from the European Union. His son has launched an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg and established a fundraising campaign to cover legal costs. The UK government stated it is supporting Mason’s family and maintaining contact with Swedish authorities regarding the situation.
Activists and observers have raised concerns about Sweden’s approach to post-Brexit migration cases. According to grassroots campaign group British in Sweden, the country rejected 27.5% of residence applications through the end of 2024—a rate three times higher than any other EU member state and significantly above the EU average of 3-4%. This case joins similar situations, including that of a 78-year-old widow also facing deportation, and follows an earlier case involving another British dementia patient who died in a care home after facing deportation threats.
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