A British pensioner with dementia is facing removal from Sweden tomorrow in what his family has described as an “inhumane” act that could cost him his life.
Horace Mason, 74, has been living in the Scandinavian country for more than a quarter of a century and currently depends on round-the-clock care for both dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
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His children have presented medical evidence indicating that the estimated 12-hour journey back to the UK could prove fatal, given his multiple health conditions including vascular dementia, vascular Parkinsonism and heart complications.
Should Mr Mason fail to leave by August 20, Swedish police will be authorised to enforce his removal from the country.
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Mr Mason, nicknamed “George” by those close to him, originally relocated to Sweden after his son Carl had moved there nearly 30 years ago to marry his partner.
He followed to assist with looking after his grandchildren.
His residency came under threat following Brexit.
The family lodged an application for a residence permit in December 2021, within the timeframe set out in the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.
However, in November 2025, Swedish authorities rejected the application, citing insufficient documentation, a failure the family attributes to a court-appointed power of attorney who left out crucial evidence as Mr Mason’s health deteriorated.
On July 23, Sweden’s Migration Court of Appeal upheld the decision, ruling that “the state’s interest in regulated immigration outweighs [Mr Mason’s] interest in continuing to live and exercise [his] private life in Sweden”.
The ruling left his daughter Michelle feeling “physically sick,” she told LBC.
She said her father had been left “worried, confused” by the prospect of deportation, asking her: “What’s going to happen? What have I done? Are they going to come and take me to prison?”
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“He’s happy there – he’s settled. We don’t want to risk my dad’s life on a journey that’s unnecessary,” she said.
Michelle has simultaneously been undergoing radiotherapy for Stage 3 breast cancer, leaving her unable to work for nine months.
When she was finally well enough to visit her father, he did not recognise her because she had lost her hair during treatment.
“It’s been a really, really difficult road for me and my family so far,” she said.
The family is now racing to secure a temporary injunction to halt the deportation so the case can be referred to the European Court of Human Rights, having launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise the approximately £4,000 needed.
Carl is also due to travel to Stockholm on Thursday to deliver a petition to Swedish politicians.
Sweden’s rejection rate for post-Brexit British residency applications stood at roughly 28 per cent by the end of 2024, around seven times the EU average.
Dr David Milstead of the British in Sweden campaign group told LBC: “Horace is simply the latest case to make visible a failure that has been unfolding for years.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it is supporting Mr Mason’s family and remains in contact with Swedish authorities.
GB News has approached the Swedish Migration Agency for comment.
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