Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support victims of the Windrush scandal.

This government is determined to put right the appalling injustices caused by the Home Office’s treatment of members of the Windrush community, making sure that those affected receive the compensation they deserve quickly and ensuring cultural change is embedded permanently into the fabric of the department.

We are committed to engaging directly with the communities most affected to understand their views and priorities, and to ensure their voices are heard. Both I and the Home Secretary have met, and will continue to listen to, those directly affected by the scandal and representatives of groups advocating for them.

In February, we launched the recruitment for a Windrush Commissioner, which marks a vital step in resetting the government’s response to the Home Office Windrush scandal. The Commissioner will serve as an independent advocate for those affected, assure delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme and hold the department to account as we learn the lessons of the past to drive improvements. The immediate priority is to appoint the right person into the role and ensure they engage swiftly with impacted communities to truly understand what they need and identify how the Commissioner can deliver meaningful change through their role.

We have injected £1.5 into a programme of grant funding for organisations to provide support for Compensation Scheme applicants who need additional help with the application process, ensuring claimants feel supported.  We invited applications for funding on 11^th April 2025, with successful organisations expected to be announced by summer 2025.

Financial compensation cannot make up for what has been lost but we are committed to giving the maximum amount at the earliest point possible and doing so with compassion and understanding.

This is why we introduced a new single named caseworker process in July so the individuals who apply for compensation are better supported and have increased transparency on the progress of their claim. The time taken to allocate claims has also been reduced significantly, down to six weeks from 3 months a year ago. The time taken to finalise a claim has similarly reduced significantly now down to approximately 3 months compared to 6-7 months a year ago.

We also have a dedicated Vulnerable Persons Team who provide trusted help and advice to vulnerable people in urgent need. The Vulnerable Persons Team also administers the Urgent and Exceptional Payments policy, which provides immediate financial support to people in urgent need.