Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Windrush Compensation Scheme claimants died after making an application.

It is hugely regrettable that a claimant passes away before a compensation award can be made or an apology sent to them.

The Windrush Compensation Scheme staff are working hard to ensure that where they are aware of claimants with critical or life shortening illnesses, that their cases are prioritised.

In the deeply unfortunate circumstances where a claimant has passed away after submitting a compensation claim, but before the claim is fully resolved, the team continues to work closely with the appointed representative, usually members of the family, to ensure the compensation payment is made as quickly as possible.

We are aware of five unfortunate cases to date where the claimant has passed away after having submitted a claim but before receiving compensation. We are working closely with the families and legal representatives to determine the right person to whom the compensation can be paid.

To help family members during this distressing time, we have provided links to Government websites that provide information on how to deal with bereavement and we have offered assistance from our claim’s assistance provider Citizens Advice which is well versed in dealing with the financial implications of bereavement.