Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to promote the Windrush Compensation Scheme to potential applicants.

Evidence and feedback from stakeholders has found that face-to-face communication is the preferred way to engage with affected communities on this issue. We work with key partners, community groups (faith and non-faith) and local councils to identify opportunities to both deliver, and to promote engagement events for people who have been affected, through our own communication channels as well as their own. This includes publication of events on gov.uk, promotion through social media and where appropriate, press releases and local press advertisements. Communications toolkits have also been sent to over 70 stakeholders as well as local authorities. Over 30 local engagement events have taken place across the UK between April and December 2019 at which members of the Taskforce and the Compensation Scheme have been present to explain what help and support is available to those affected and how to make a compensation claim.

The Home Office has also worked with Member of Parliament to arrange events in their consistuencies and would welcome further opportunites to do so.

Following extensive engagement with Home Office staff and the diversity network, a staff volunteer network was established in May 2018, which has become a significant channel for outreach into affected communities. This network now has around 130 staff volunteers who engage with their own communities to promote the scheme.

To further inform our activity, we have also set up a Windrush Stakeholder Advisory Group to bring together influential community leaders across the country and seek their advice on our communications and engagement strategy to promote the Windrush Compensation Scheme. The group was launched by the Home Secretary at a roundtable on 26 September 2019 and met again on 9 December 2019. The group will work collaboratively with the aim of having constructive dialogue and achieving tangible outcomes for the benefit of those affected.