The UK government has launched a £1.5m fund to encourage people affected by the Windrush scandal to come forward and claim compensation, amid concerns that many victims have felt too nervous to engage with officials.
The UK government has launched a £1.5m fund to encourage people affected by the Windrush scandal to come forward and claim compensation. The move is an attempt to address concerns that many victims have felt too nervous to engage with officials from the Home Office, which was responsible for the scandal.
The Windrush scandal refers to a series of controversies surrounding the deportation and detention of 'Commonwealth citizens' , particularly those from 'Caribbean countries.'
Between 2002 and 2010, the UK government introduced new immigration laws that led to the loss of citizenship documents for many individuals.
This resulted in their wrongful deportation or detention.
In 2017-2018, it was revealed that over 30,000 people had been affected, with some being deported without due process.
The scandal highlighted issues with the Home Office's handling of immigration cases and the need for improved record-keeping.
The minister for migration and citizenship, Seema Malhotra, acknowledged that some people may still feel wary about contacting the Home Office to request documentation to show their immigration status is in order. She explained that the trauma experienced by many victims makes it difficult for them to approach the department, leading to a lack of trust.
The new fund will be released over three years and will help subsidise some of the cost of assisting with the complex compensation process. The government has also established a Windrush unit to make sure officials learn long-term lessons from their mistakes and tackle barriers that prevent people from coming forward.
The Windrush unit refers to a group of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK between 1948 and 1973 under the British Nationality Act.
These individuals were invited to contribute to the post-war rebuilding effort, but many faced difficulties in accessing healthcare, education, and other public services due to administrative errors and lack of documentation.
In '2018' , the UK government launched an inquiry into the Windrush scandal, which revealed systemic failures and a culture of hostility towards migrants.
Malhotra promised to address wider injustices experienced by the Windrush generation, including issues in education, health, and housing. She also committed to improving the government’s response to the scandal and ensuring that the Home Office is serious about righting the wrongs of the past.
Delays in processing claims have been falling, with a backlog of 582 claims currently being processed. The government has paid out around £108m in compensation across 3,155 Windrush claims since 2019. With the launch of this new fund, there is hope that more victims will come forward to claim the compensation they deserve.
The Windrush scandal involved British citizens of Caribbean descent who were wrongly deported, detained, or denied services due to uncertainty over their 'immigration status.'
Those affected can claim compensation through the Windrush Scheme, which provides financial redress for losses incurred.
Eligible individuals must have been born before 1983 and lived in the UK since childhood.
They must also demonstrate they've been a 'victim of the scandal.'
Claims can be made online or by contacting the Windrush Helpline.
The Home Office is recruiting an independent Windrush commissioner to scrutinise its progress towards resolving outstanding issues and ensuring that the scandal cannot be repeated. This move demonstrates a commitment to transparency and accountability, and provides a new era of hope for those affected by the Windrush scandal.
- theguardian.com | Ministers try to encourage Windrush compensation claims with £1.5m fund
