Windrushers Campaign To Move The Compensation Scheme Away From The Home Office
Victims of the Windrush scandal will today [Friday 18th June 2021] hand in a 93,000-strong 38 Degrees petition to Downing Street that calls for the Windrush Compensation scheme to be taken away from the Home Office and handled by an independent body.
Patrick Vernon – longtime Windrush campaigner- is leading the petition hand-in with victims of the Windrush scandal to 10 Downing Street on Friday 18th June at 12:00pm
The 38 Degrees petition has been signed by over 94,000 supporters.
Campaigner Patrick Vernon, who has played a leading role in getting the government to admit institutional failings in the handling of the Windrush compensation scheme, will be joined by Windrush survivors and their families today to hand in a petition to 10 Downing Street signed by 93,000+ 38 Degrees supporters.
Patrick’s campaign calls for the compensation scheme to be amended in a bid to make it easier for those who struggle with accessibility, and for funds to be made available to outreach groups and survivors in the UK, Africa and the Caribbean. It also calls for a full apology letter to be included with every single compensation letter.
A group of prominent black entertainers, including Lenny Henry and Thandiwe Newton, are also calling on the Government to amend the compensation scheme.
Patrick Vernon OBE, Windrush Campaigner and cultural historian, said:
“People are having to fight and the majority of the claims have gone to appeal and the appeal system is an internal process – there’s no independence. The Home Office marks its own homework.
“The only way we’re going to get justice for the Windrush generation and their families is to have an independent body to manage and support the victims to access the claims that meet their needs so they can move on with their lives.”
Anthony Bryan, Windrush survivor, said:
The Home Office took away my liberty, livelihood, sanity, and fellow friends and campaigners the
late Sarah O’Connor and Paulette Wilson as result of the hostile environment. They have offered me
compensation package which does not reflect what I need to build my life again and to move
forward with my family. We need urgently an impartial and independent organisation to support all
compensation claims and to provide mental health and wellbeing support.
Ashley Bertie, 38 Degrees Head of Campaigns, said:
“It is a national disgrace that more than two years after the Windrush compensation scheme was set up, only a fraction of victims have been compensated. It is time that the scheme is administered by an independent body so that those affected by the Windush scandal are finally provided with the compensation they need to rebuild their lives”.