The children's commissioner for England, Sir Al Aynsley-Green, said the ruling would help vulnerable children who have until now had to accept local authorities as "judge and jury".
In a case brought by the Children's Legal Centre, the court concluded decisions about a young person's age and identity rest with the court, not the council. The case arose when a 14-year-old, known as K, came from Uganda to live with her father in London. Relations between K and her father broke down and her age and identity came into dispute.
K was housed by the local authority and made a ward of court. The council was ordered to carry out a Section 37 report into K's welfare, but instead age-assessed her and concluded she was over 18.
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