UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A £1.5m fund is launched to support Windrush victims in claiming compensation, aiming to rebuild trust and assist victims wary of the Home Office.
As reported by The Guardian, a new £1.5m fund has been introduced to encourage Windrush victims to apply for compensation, as ministers recognize the hesitance to approach the Home Office.
Seema Malhotra’s views on Windrush victims’ reluctance to claim compensation
Seema Malhotra, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, acknowledged that the Home Office mishandling had left many victims unwilling to engage, resulting in missed compensation claims.
She added,
“People are very fearful about coming forward to the status schemes or the compensation scheme, because of the traumatising nature of their experiences, so that it still feels too raw to be able to approach the Home Office.”
Following a roundtable event in Manchester on Friday, Ms Malhotra discussed how community leaders have been assisting victims with the complex compensation process, much of it done without payment. A new £1.5m fund, available over three years, aims to offset some of these costs.
She added,
“It’s a real imperative that we reach out to those who have lost all their trust in the Home Office, to make sure that they understand the Home Office is serious about righting these wrongs and making sure that we tackle all the barriers that are stopping people coming forward.”
Re-establishment of the Windrush unit
The latest move marks a significant change in the Home Office’s approach to the Windrush scandal. The scandal had severe impacts on many, including job losses, evictions, and the loss of access to essential benefits and healthcare. Some victims were even detained and deported.
The home secretary re-established the Windrush unit in the autumn to assist officials learn from previous errors. This action came after the unit’s shutdown in 2023 by Suella Braverman, which was seen as premature given the unfinished departmental changes.
Campaigners call for independent management of Windrush compensation
The compensation scheme, currently under the Home Office’s management, is facing calls from campaigners to be handed over to an independent organization. Officials warn this could cause potential delays.
The minister was informed by community advocates that assisting with claims could require more than 20 hours of staff time, raising concerns about how much the fund would cover.
Seema Malhotra’s efforts to address Windrush delays show progress
Ms Malhotra has engaged in 15 Windrush-related events since assuming office, including four in the past week, and received a warm reception from advocates who remain optimistic about the government’s efforts to improve the response.
The Home Office has seen a decline in delays for processing claims, with the backlog shrinking from 2,500 two years ago to just 582 in February. Since 2019, £108m has been paid out in compensation across 3,155 Windrush claims.
Seema Malhotra’s take on addressing barriers for the Windrush generation
Ms Malhotra stated that learning from the Windrush scandal should lead to a “wider work on tackling barriers to opportunity”
She pledged to tackle broader injustices faced by the Windrush generation in areas like education, healthcare, and housing. This would be part of efforts to enhance the government’s response.
According to Ms Malhotra, the Windrush unit would join forces with the Home Office’s new race equality engagement group to examine wider social inequalities.
The Windrush scandal
The Windrush scandal refers to the wrongful detainment, refusal of legal rights, and wrongful deportation of members of the Windrush generation. These were long-term Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK before 1971.