U.K – £1.5 million fund to support Windrush compensation applicants

Victims of the Home Office Windrush scandal will receive crucial support to access the compensation they deserve under a £1.5 million fund launched by the government today.

The Windrush Compensation Advocacy Support Fund (WCASF) will provide claimants with dedicated advocates from community organisations to work alongside them throughout the compensation application process.

Many victims have reported that while this process is not legally complex, the emotional toll of revisiting traumatic experiences can make it difficult to navigate alone.

Delivered over the next three years and offered alongside existing support for Windrush Compensation Scheme applicants, the WCASF will break down barriers to justice by ensuring victims’ voices are heard and their experiences fully documented.

The fund delivers on the government’s manifesto commitment to provide additional support and work more closely with affected communities and forms part of the wider Plan for Change to deliver justice for Windrush victims.

Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra MP said:

The Home Office Windrush scandal was an appalling injustice that should never have happened. People who had built their lives here and contributed so much to our country were wrongly treated as illegal immigrants in the place they called home.

This £1.5 million fund is a decisive step in our mission to right these wrongs. By providing dedicated advocacy support, we’re breaking down barriers and ensuring victims have a voice through every step of the compensation process.

We are determined that Windrush communities will finally receive the recognition and justice they deserve.

Advocates will help applicants gather supporting evidence, provide signposting to additional services, and create a trusted environment so no victim has to face the system by themselves.

The additional support will be of immense importance to victims. For many, the scandal resulted in loss of employment, denial of healthcare, threats of deportation, and in some cases, actual deportation from a country they had every right to call home. These experiences led to severe financial hardship, deteriorating mental health, broken families, and shattered trust in government institutions.

The fund has been shaped by extensive consultation with more than 20 organisations, all serving different segments of the Windrush community.

Advocates funded through this initiative will understand applicants’ cultural background and support them to articulate their stories in a safe environment. It aims to ensure applications fully capture the impact of the scandal on individuals’ lives, livelihoods, and wellbeing.

Since coming into office, the government has re-established the Windrush Unit to oversee the department’s response to the scandal and embed permanent cultural change across the Home Office – keeping the voices of victims at the heart of all work undertaken to address the scandal.

Recruitment is currently underway for the vital role of Windrush Commissioner, who will represent victims’ views at the highest levels of government and drive lasting change. The appointment is expected by summer 2025