Home Office pledges faster payouts and new entitlements for Windrush victims after years of criticism over slow, unfair compensation process…reports Asian Lite News
Victims of the Windrush scandal will now receive three-quarters of their compensation payments in advance, as the government moves to accelerate long-delayed payouts and expand the scheme to include new entitlements.
The Home Office said on Friday that applicants aged 75 and over, as well as those suffering from serious health conditions, will be prioritised under the revised system in a bid to deliver “speedier justice”. For the first time, compensation will also cover lost pension contributions and immigration fees paid by victims.
The reforms come amid sustained criticism of the Windrush Compensation Scheme, launched in 2019, which has faced scrutiny from campaigners, MPs and legal experts for long processing delays, low offers and unfair rejections.
The scandal first came to light in 2018, when it emerged that the Home Office had failed to keep proper records of people granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK, and had not issued documentation to confirm their legal status. As a result, thousands of Caribbean migrants who came to Britain between 1948 and 1973 — legally and often as children — were wrongly classed as illegal immigrants.
Many were denied access to housing, employment, benefits and NHS care. Others were detained or even deported despite having the right to remain in the UK.
Official figures published last month show that more than £116 million has been paid out in compensation so far. However, when the scheme was established, ministers estimated that as many as 15,000 people could be eligible.
A damning report published in June suggested that nearly two-thirds of eligible claimants had still not received any compensation. The report also found that some victims had been offered sums far below what they were entitled to, often because they lacked legal advice or guidance during the process.
One woman told the BBC that her late father had been offered just £400 by the Home Office despite years of hardship caused by his wrongful classification.
Under the new rules, victims who have appealed against their compensation offers will now receive an advance payment equal to 75 per cent of the amount under review while they wait for the appeal process to conclude. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the changes were intended to end the unacceptable delays that have plagued the scheme since its creation.
“It is unacceptable that many victims are still waiting for compensation all these years later. That changes today,” Mahmood said.
Describing the Windrush scandal as a “shameful stain on our history”, she added: “I will leave no stone unturned until everyone affected receives the justice they deserve.”
In June, the government appointed the Reverend Clive Foster as the first Windrush Commissioner, a newly created post designed to represent victims and help shape improvements to the compensation system.
Foster, who has long campaigned for fairness in the scheme, said in a letter to ministers last month that there was a perception among some victims that “the Home Office is waiting for us to die off.”
He added that he did not personally believe this was true, but that he wanted to convey the deep frustration and mistrust among claimants. Responding to the latest reforms, Foster said the measures would “make a real difference, especially for those who don’t have time on their side”. However, he warned that success would depend on swift and consistent implementation.
“The roll-out must be swift and sustained,” he said. “Trust will only be rebuilt through action, and I will continue to press for progress on all my outstanding recommendations.” The changes were announced by Migration and Citizenship Minister Mike Tapp during the Windrush National Organisation conference in Birmingham.
The event brought together victims, community leaders and officials to discuss how to rebuild confidence after years of institutional failure. Tapp said the reforms were aimed at ensuring “no one affected by the Windrush scandal is left behind” and that the department was committed to “righting the wrongs of the past.”
However, campaigners remain sceptical about the government’s ability to deliver lasting change. Critics note that the Windrush Compensation Scheme remains one of the few major government-run redress programmes that does not provide victims with access to funded legal representation. Despite repeated calls for this to be introduced, the Home Office has resisted the move, insisting that it would slow down the process further.
Campaigners argue the lack of legal support leaves many victims unable to navigate the complex application and appeals process. Since the scandal broke seven years ago, successive governments have apologised for the treatment of the Windrush generation — men and women invited to Britain from the Caribbean to help rebuild the country after the Second World War.
The Home Office has pledged to reform its culture and processes, but critics say deep mistrust remains among those affected. For many victims and their families, the promise of advance payments represents long-awaited recognition — but for others, it remains to be seen whether the reforms will finally deliver the justice they were denied for decades.
