On 22 June, to mark the annual Windrush Day, campaigners are raising awareness of the free legal support available to help more than 11,000 survivors of the Windrush scandal. The programme aims to encourage more survivors, who were unlawfully detained, deported or denied their legal rights by the UK Government, and who are still to apply for compensation.
Following the launch of the Windrush Compensation Scheme in April 2019, only 7% of Windrush survivors have been compensated for the hardships and discrimination they unlawfully suffered. Around £40 million has been reportedly paid to 1,037 of the 3,878 Windrush generation applicants.
The Home Office estimated that around 15,000 were due compensation. Recent reports on the scheme by the Home Affairs Select Committee, JUSTICE and the Windrush Justice Clinic all concluded that the lack of government-funded legal advice was a barrier to claimants bringing claims.
