Windrush compensation scheme criticised as ineffective

In May last year, Saunders Law pressed for the increased effectiveness of the government scheme to compensate the victims of the Windrush scandal.

Victims of the scandal who were wrongly deported have been offered compensation in a would be olive branch from the Home Office, who, by destroying thousands of historical documents relating to the victims immigration status, had removed any official proof that they had been living in the UK legally.

Unfortunately, and predictably, a large number of reports have emerged since the scheme's inception that show how it falls short of what one might expect having had their lives turned inside out by a failing, uncaring bureaucracy.

The sums paid to victims are currently subject to a cap based on categories of loss. They have been described in a recent Guardian article as 'derisory' and 'insultingly low'.

A deportation is an event which can and has totally ruined lives. Jobs lost, families torn apart for decades and isolation fostered for no wrongdoing whatsoever. Perhaps worse still are the cases of the Home Office - at its most uncaring and incompetent - deporting elderly, frail first generation immigrants back to their home countries after spending the majority of their adult lives working and paying taxes in the UK.

Reports surface of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's sufferer, originally from India, receiving letters from the Home Office informing him he is to be deported to India. He has resided legally here for 40 years. Sadly, this isn't an instance of a correspondence sent by mistake or the result of some resourcing or other issue. This was a planned deportation.

If you or a family member are part of the Windrush generation and feel you are being wrongly threatened by deportation, you may have a civil claim or a claim under the compensation scheme and we recommend you contact our Civil Liberties team on 02076324300.