New report from Age UK outlines the failures of the Windrush Compensation Scheme and recommendations for reform
Government’s efforts to compensate those impacted falls short of addressing the immense trauma experienced by victims
Thousands of individuals from the Windrush Generation, who arrived in the UK from Commonwealth countries between 1948 and 1973, have faced unjust treatment by the Home Office, being wrongly classified as illegal immigrants.
This misclassification has resulted in severe consequences, with many losing access to fundamental necessities such as housing, healthcare, and employment. Shockingly, some were subjected to immigration detention and forced deportation from the UK. The majority of those affected are elderly individuals, now in the most vulnerable stage of their lives.
Reports indicate that compensation levels are often insufficient and fail to cover all areas of impact, including losses in private pensions and future earnings. Furthermore, the Home Office acknowledges that only 13% of eligible claimants have received compensation, leaving a significant portion of victims still awaiting justice and restitution.
Tragically, time is running out for many of these individuals, with 53 claimants having died before receiving the compensation rightfully owed to them. The delay in compensation continues to exacerbate the suffering of those affected by this grave injustice.
Urgent Action
The Government must remain committed to righting the wrongs of the Windrush Scandal and the Compensation Scheme is key to this. An appropriately generous and well-run compensation scheme could begin to make amends for the enormous detriment many have suffered and are still suffering.
Age UK are campaigning for the Government to urgently reform the Windrush Compensation Scheme by:
- Removing administration from the Home Office
- Processing applications and appeals quicker
- Improving training for caseworkers and consistency between cases
- Improve routes to challenge Compensation Scheme decisions
- Accounting for losses to private pensions and future earning
- Reducing the burden of proof on claimants
- Implementing all the recommendations set out by the 2020 Wendy Williams Review
Read the report here.
