Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Claims that the Israeli occupation has withdrawn from areas in the neighborhoods of al-Zaytoun, al-Tuffah, and al-Shujaiya are false
Hamas: The two delegations stressed that any negotiations must lead to the achievement of our people's goals and aspirations, foremost among which is ending the war and the complete withdrawal of enemy forces
Hamas: A delegation from the Hamas leadership, led by the head of the leadership council, Mohammad Darwish, met with an Islamic Jihad delegation, headed by its Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah

‘Windrush’ victims left failed, uncompensated in UK plan: HRW

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 17 Apr 2023 09:45
3 Min Read

A recent report by a leading human rights organization reveals that those affected by the "Windrush" scandal continue to receive insufficient compensation offers and long waits.

  • x
  • Thomas Tobierre, 69, who applied to the Home Office’s Windrush Compensation Scheme as a primary applicant, says he realized that the scheme was set up to deny claimants their right to an effective remedy. (2023 Ellie Kealey for Human Rights Watch)
    Thomas Tobierre, 69, applied to the Home Office’s Windrush Compensation Scheme as a primary applicant in 2023 (HRW)

More than five years after the unlawful deportation and detention of Britons of Caribbean ancestry was made public, a rights group revealed that the British government's scheme to compensate victims of the "Windrush" scandal is failing.

Thousands of immigrants who came to the UK between 1948 and the early 1970s had to fulfill unapplicable government standards to prove their right to be in Britain even though they had been living and working there for decades.

Due to their inability to provide documentation, many people lost their houses, jobs, health insurance, pensions, and benefits. Others were forced to return to the Caribbean.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May apologized to Caribbean leaders on April 17, 2018, and in 2019, a compensation scheme was prepared.

Read next: Celebrating 70 years of British massacres!

Human Rights Watch, however, stated that the program established to support victims was "failing and violating their right to an effective remedy for human rights abuses they suffered at the hands of the Home Office (interior ministry)."

"Five years after the Windrush scandal came to light, the Home Office compensation scheme is compounding its injustice by denying claimants their right to redress for the life-altering losses and negative effects it has had on their lives for years," added Almaz Teffera, an HRW researcher on racism in Europe.

"The UK government should hand over the compensation scheme to an independent body that guarantees each claimant a fair and independent hearing," Teffera said.

Known as the "Windrush" generation -- after the Empire Windrush, one of the ships that brought them to the UK from the West Indies -- they were invited to work in Britain due to shortages of key workers in the aftermath of World War II.

Related News

'Windrush' scandal: Chronically-ill people kicked out of UK hospitals

They were granted indefinite leave to remain, but many who did not apply for passports found themselves targeted by immigration laws designed to create a "hostile environment" for illegal immigrants.

After the right-wing Conservative Party regained office in 2010 when May served as Interior Minister, the hardline policy was pioneered.

Subsequently, many found themselves accused of being illegal immigrants.

It's not the first time the compensation scheme has been denounced.

In 2021, British MPs criticized what they said were "truly shocking" delays in compensation.

A cross-party home affairs committee reported that 23 claimants had passed away without getting any compensation and suggested that the Home Office be relieved of its responsibility for managing the claims.

The MPs said claimants faced a "daunting" application process and "unreasonable requests for evidence" and were "left in limbo in the midst of inordinate delays".

Only 12.8 percent of the estimated 11,500 qualified claimants had received compensation as of January, as per HRW.

It added that the scheme should be independent and provide legal aid to claimants to help them navigate the "complex application process."

Earlier this year, a UN group on people of African descent acknowledged that the "Windrush" generation had endured "irreparable harm" and that redress was "imperative".

Read next: Almost one in six people in the UK experience racial abuse: Survey

  • Windrush scandal
  • Rishi Sunak
  • UK
  • compensation

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS