Big Issue: Windrush monument receives mixed reception as 3 in 4 victims are still waiting for compensation
Windrush monument receives mixed reception as 3 in 4 victims are still waiting for compensation
A government-funded monument honouring the “courage and resilience” of the Windrush generation has received a mixed response – as three in four victims who applied for compensation are still waiting.
The memorial, designed by Jamaican artist Basil Watson, features a man, woman and child in their Sunday best standing on top of suitcases. It was unveiled to mark Windrush Day on Wednesday, with Prince William and Kate joining members of the Windrush generation at Waterloo Station.
The government says it “symbolises the courage, commitment and resilience of the thousands of men, women and children who travelled to the UK to start new lives from 1948 to 1971”.
But campaigners aren’t so sure.
Patrick Vernon, who led the campaign to mark Windrush Day, described the monument – and the day itself – as “bittersweet” due to the ongoing failures of the Windrush compensation scheme.
The scheme has been been plagued with problems since launching in April 2019. The government expected 15,000 applications – but only 3,878 have been made. Of those, under half have received a final decision, and only one in four have received any compensation. At least 23 victims of the scandal have died before receiving compensation.