Windrush scandal victim says govt ‘waiting for us to die off’ in row over compensation scheme
A Windrush victim has branded the compensation scheme for victims of the scandal “disgusting”, and suggested the government were waiting for those affected to “die off”.
Critics have repeatedly called for the Home Office to be stripped of responsibility for determining and handling payments to victims and said it should be given to an independent body instead.
The compensation scheme has been in place since 3 April 2019.
It was set up a year after it emerged many British citizens, mostly from the Caribbean, had been denied access to healthcare and benefits and threatened with deportation despite having the right to live in the UK.
Despite growing concerns around the number of people dying before receiving payouts, the Home Office has so far resisted demands for such reforms.
Conroy Downie, a 67-year-old Windrush victim who has been advising thousands of others on how to make compensation claims is still waiting for his case to be fully settled.
He told the PA news agency: “It’s a failure, it’s disgusting. I think they are waiting for us to die off.”
The great-grandfather was born in Jamaica and came to the UK as a teenager before joining the Army.
Conroy Downie has helped advise thousands of people on Windrush scandal compensation. Pic: Jamie Lau/Age UK/PA Wire
Twice, he faced deportation amid the scandal, adding that “the system has failed us” as he described how one of the main problems was that people still “don’t trust the Home Office”.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said while the latest figures show “modest improvements” in the performance of the scheme, “many people are still waiting far too long for the redress they are due – over a year or even 18 months in the worst cases”.
She added: “This is unacceptable, especially given that for many of the older applicants time is not on their side.”
It follows calls last month in the Lords for Windrush scandal victims to have similar support to those affected by the Post Office scandal.
According to PA analysis of the latest available Home Office figures, 7,862 claims have been made as of January 2024.
A total of £80.1m had been paid out by the end of the first month of this year for 2,233 claims – an average of nearly £35,900 per claim.
Some 4,847 claims had been fully closed by this time, of which just over half (52%) were found to have no entitlement to compensation, 36% were offered compensation, and the remaining 12% had their eligibility for a claim refused or withdrawn.
A spokeswoman for the Home Office said: “We firmly believe moving the operation of the scheme away from the Home Office would risk significantly delaying vital payments to people – there would be considerable disruption to the processing of outstanding claims whilst a new body was established and made operational.”
Thunderstorm warnings have been issued for large parts of the country, lasting from lunchtime until Monday night.
The Met Office says thunder and heavy downpours could cause flooding and travel problems.
Southeast England – including Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and south London – could be affected from noon, says the forecaster.
Other areas affected are mid-Wales and most of northern England, stretching up past Glasgow into southwest Scotland.
That warning is in force from 1pm – with both alerts ending at 9pm.
Pic: Met Office
Pic: Met Office
“Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures,” says the Met Office, while there is also a small chance that roads and properties could be flooded.
Bank Holiday Monday has brought a grey and cloudy start for many, with forecasts ranging from 12C (53F) in the Hebrides to 18C (64F) in northern England at 1pm.
Get the latest Sky News forecast for where you live
However, it will become warmer, brighter and drier from Tuesday with high pressure forecast for much of the UK – and it should stay that way for next weekend.
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London is expected to have 23C (73F) with sunny spells next Saturday and Sunday, according to the Met Office.
Highs of 20C (68F) are forecast in Edinburgh, while Cardiff is set for sunshine and 19C (66F), and Belfast likely to struggle with cloud but still feeling warm with a maximum of 20C.
West Ham have agreed a deal in principle with Julen Lopetegui to take over from David Moyes as manager at the end of the season, Sky Sports News understands.
Lopetegui, 57, has been out of work since leaving Wolves three days before the start of the season but has stayed in England in the hope of landing another job in the Premier League.
The Spaniard, who has also managed Porto, Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla during an illustrious coaching career, looks set to take charge at the London Stadium at the end of the season after Moyes’ expected departure.
Julen Lopetegui. File pic: PA
West Ham are ninth in the league after Sunday’s 5-0 defeat at Chelsea.
Moyes, 61, who is out of contract in the summer, has faced increased questions about his future as his team have won only one of their previous nine league games.
He said he felt “really sorry” for West Ham fans after watching his side fall to a heavy loss at Stamford Bridge.
He said: “The fans have been great but I feel bad for them.
“I don’t normally have teams who get beaten like this but we are lacking some ingredients – mental toughness and leadership to get better results, or at least not get hammered.
West Ham United manager David Moyes during the Premier League defeat at Chelsea. Pic PA
“The fans played their part and I can only say I’m really sorry for how it played out.”
Asked if he was frustrated that the club was regularly being linked with other managers, he said: “I’ll talk to the board at the end of the season. We’ll do that then.”
The Scot, whose second spell as Hammers boss began in 2019, led the club to their Premier League points total of 65 in 2021, finishing in sixth place.
The following year they finished seventh and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League.
They went one better last year, winning the Europa Conference League final, the club’s first European trophy since 1965.
In November, Lopetegui told Sky Sports News he had unfinished business in the Premier League.
He said: “It’s why I’ve said no to different countries and different situations because I would like to stay here in England. I feel like our team here is just starting and we want to achieve our dreams.
“The way the country lives football here is special – it’s the best league in the world, the most competitive league in the world, the best environment for the players, coaches and fans too.”
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