About the scheme
The Home Secretary and the Immigration Minister have made clear that they are determined to right the wrongs experienced by the Windrush generation. The Compensation Scheme is another step to deliver on that commitment, and it is now open for claims. The scheme will provide financial payments to members of the Windrush generation who did not have the right documentation to prove their lawful right to live in the UK and suffered losses or impacts on their life as a result.
In developing the scheme, we have considered nearly 1,500 responses to the consultation and the Home Secretary appointed Martin Forde QC to advise on its design.
Who is eligible to claim?
The Scheme is open to those who settled in the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973, and in certain circumstances their children and grandchildren. It is also open to people of all nationalities who arrived to live in the UK before 31 December 1988 and are settled here.
If someone suffered loss or impacts on their life due to not having documents to demonstrate their right to live in the UK, and belongs to one of the following groups, they may be eligible:
Commonwealth citizens who settled in the UK before 1973;
A child or grandchild of a Commonwealth citizen who arrived before 1973, in some circumstances;
A person of any nationality who settled in the UK before 31 December 1988 and is now lawfully in the UK;
The estates of those who are now deceased but who would have otherwise been eligible to claim compensation; and
Certain close family members of eligible claimants where there has been a significant impact on their life or where there is evidence of certain direct financial costs.
Read more on all the categories of eligibility here.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/windrush-compensation-scheme
What losses will be compensated for?
Individuals may be entitled to compensation for a wide range of losses, including impacts relating to:
Employment
Immigration fees and associated legal costs
Detention, deportation removal and returns
Housing
Health
Education
Driving licences
Banking services
Impact on normal daily life
Applicants can make claims under multiple categories and there is no overall cap on the amount of compensation an individual can receive.
How to apply for compensation
It is quick and easy to make an application, and help is available to those who require additional support to make a claim.
Claim forms can be downloaded from here.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/windrush-compensation-scheme
Individuals can request a form to be sent by post by calling our helpline on 0800 678 1925. They can also check eligibility and request any additional support they may need to complete the form using that helpline.
Guidance on completing the application can be found here.
Individuals with additional questions .https://www.gov.uk/guidance/windrush-compensation-scheme
We will consider each claim based on the information provided. Whether you receive a payment, and how much, will depend on the details of your claim.