91制片厂鈥檚 (URC) Racial Justice Advocates (RJAs) are calling on the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to honour promises made to the Windrush generation.
The RJAs are also backing an open letter signed by 70 public figures supporting the Windrush Justice Community Collective (WJCC) campaign for a radical overhaul of the Windrush Compensation Scheme. The scheme was set up in 2019 to compensate people, mainly Black Britons, who, over decades, were incorrectly stripped of citizenship rights and classed as illegal migrants.
Members of Hillsborough Justice, which represents survivors of the 1989 stadium disaster and relatives affected by it, along with Grenfell United, which represents survivors of the 2017 London tower block fire and bereaved family members, .
calls for victims of the scandal to be provided free, independent legal support; the creation of a new, independent Windrush Redress Authority backed by legislation; a full public inquiry into the scandal and its ongoing impact; and for all victims to be granted citizenship or indefinite leave to remain, with all tests waived and any paid fees returned.
鈥淭he government is failing to honour its promise,鈥� said the Revd Zaidie Orr, Convenor of the URC鈥檚 RJA network: 鈥淭his scandal has already caused irreparable harm to thousands of Black Britons and their families. People have died waiting for compensation. It is simply outrageous that the Home Office continues to delay compensation and, in many cases, denies it.鈥�
shows that by January 2026, 11,475 claims had been received by the scheme. Of these, 9,224 had concluded and only a third, 3,148, resulted in a payout, while 56% of the claims, 5,203, received no award. The remainder of the claims were classed as either ineligible or withdrawn. The Home Office attributes this to 鈥渁pplications from people who successfully applied to have their legal status confirmed through the Windrush Scheme but did not suffer any financial detriment, or people who have experienced other detrimental treatment, impacts or losses that are not covered by the Windrush Compensation Scheme鈥�.
Pat Poinen, an RJA based in Darlington, said: 鈥淭he fact is that many commonwealth migrants came to the UK with British passports.
鈥淩ipping away a person鈥檚 identity, citizenship and right to belong causes profound harm. Families have been split apart for decades and, in some cases, individuals have been forced to return to countries which they left as children and no longer have any connection with. People have lost homes and livelihoods.
鈥淩egardless of whether a victim suffered financial detriment, compensation should be paid. There is no monetary value that can be placed on positive mental health or the right to family life. Any compensation can be regarded as a token attempt to right the injustice caused by this scandal, yet the attempts continuously fail.
鈥淚 urge as many people as possible to sign the WJCC petition.鈥�
In the report, NAO says: 鈥淭he Home Office told us the scheme was designed to be accessible without the need for legal representation.鈥�
However, according to the legal reform charity , victims from other compensation schemes 鈥� such as several relating to the Post Office Horizon Scandal, the Infected Blood Scheme, and the Lambeth Children鈥檚 Home Redress Scheme 鈥� have all been eligible for legal representation.
In comparison, up to 拢1,500 only is offered by the Windrush Compensation Scheme, for probate legal costs only.
: 鈥淟awyers who helped Windrush Scheme claimants suggest the attitude of Home Office caseworkers is designed to put off claimants and limit awards. The Home Office claims the process is simple and that individuals do not need legal help to apply. Yet lawyers describe the scheme as 鈥榯ortuous鈥� and 鈥榤isery on top of misery鈥�, with a pervasive 鈥榗ulture of disbelief鈥� causing delays and unreasonable refusals.鈥�
The charity also highlights 鈥渢he complexity of the application process, where rules and guidance extend to over 200 pages鈥� 鈥� this before the case even begins. Research by the charity also shows that 鈥渙ne claimant went from being refused any compensation to being awarded 拢295,000 with legal assistance; another had her award go from 拢20,000 to 拢170,000 once she had charitable legal support鈥�.
Karen Campbell, URC Head of Global and Intercultural Church, leads on the issues of racial justice and responses to the legacies of transatlantic slavery, and commented: 鈥淲e need to ask why the government has denied free, legal assistance to Windrush victims as compared to those of other high-profile scandals.鈥�
She added: 鈥淭here is only one solution 鈥� to truly right the injustice of the scandal itself and the subsequent injustice of denying victims free legal support as with other scandals, the Windrush Compensation Scheme must be taken out of the government鈥檚 hands and placed, as called for by the WJCC, into the hands of a new, independent Windrush Redress Authority. I urge members of the URC to back the WJCC鈥檚 petition.鈥�
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