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It’s not good enough that only two Windrush applicants have been assisted under the hardship fund - Abbott

Tuesday, 19 March 2019 17:03

Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on a new update to the Home Affairs Select Committee showing that only two Windrush applicants have been assisted under the hardship fund, said: “These latest figures show that the Windrush generation are still being treated appallingly by this Government. “It’s not good enough that only two applicants have been assisted under the hardship fund and there is still no sign of the...Request free trial

Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on a new update to the Home Affairs Select Committee showing that only two Windrush applicants have been assisted under the hardship fund, said:

“These latest figures show that the Windrush generation are still being treated appallingly by this Government.

“It’s not good enough that only two applicants have been assisted under the hardship fund and there is still no sign of the compensation scheme.

“British citizens have been left desperate having lost their homes and been forced into debt as a result of the Government’s hostile environment policies. The Tories need to give full compensation for the losses faced by the Windrush generation.”

Ends

Notes to editors

· The Home Sec’s latest updated to the Home Affairs Select Committee on Windrush has been published this afternoon. They show that only two people have so far been granted emergency support. - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/update-to-hasc-on-windrush-19-march-2019

Hardship fund:

· In July last year, the Home Secretary wrote to HASC stating that making interim payments to those who need immediate financial support would “undermine” the long term compensation process.

Home Secretary, Letter to Chair of HASC, 28 June 2018, https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/home-affairs/Correspondence-17-19/Government-Response-Windrush-hardship%20fund.pdf

· However, a month later Javid confirmed that a third sector organisation has been asked to oversee action “to support people in advance of the Compensation Scheme being put in place”, adding that he would write again with further details “in the next few weeks”.

Sajid Javid letter to Chair of HASC, 21 August 2018, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/735170/20180821_-_Windrush_update_.pdf

· In September, the Home Secretary reveals that “the Home Office has contracted Citizens Advice to provide bespoke professional advice, including debt advice, to those experiencing immediate financial problems.”

Sajid Javid, letter to Chair of HASC, 21 September 2018, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/742688/20180921_-_Monthly_update_-_Windrush_.pdf

· In October, the consultation period for the Windrush Compensation scheme was extended. The Home Secretary acknowledged there may be some exceptional cases that required immediate financial help before the compensation scheme could be launched. He said that the Home Office “will ensure that individual payments are made in urgent and exceptional cases”

Home Office, 21 October 2018, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/windrush-compensation-scheme-consultation-extends

· In November, Javid confirmed he had asked his officials “to develop a framework for considering such cases and I will publish that policy in due course”.

Sajid Javid, Letter to Chair of HASC, 12 November 2018, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/755675/2018112_-__Monthly_HASC_update.pdf

· On 17 December, the hardship scheme is finally launched.

Home Office, 17 December 2018, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-scheme-support-in-urgent-and-exceptional-circumstances

· At the beginning of February 2019, the Home Secretary confirmed that, by the end of 2018, 16 people had requested support, but just one person had received financial assistance under the hardship fund.

Sajid Javid, letter to Chair of HASC, 7 February 2017, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/777303/HASC_Windrush_update_Nov_and_Dec.pdf

· Just over a month later, the Home Secretary’s latest updated revealed that, as of the end of January, out of 48 applications, 41 are still being processed, with 5 refused and just 2 granted.

Sajid Javid, letter to Chair HASC, 19 March 2019, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/787133/HASC_Windrush_update_for_Jan19_19.03.19.pdf

Compensation scheme:

· At the end of April 2018, a minister told the Today programme that compensation for victims of the Windrush scandal would be dealt with “in two weeks”.

“The home secretary has said look, we’ve set up a taskforce, in two weeks well have dealt with all the Windrush cases including compensation.”

Nadhim Zahawi, Today R4, 25 April 2018

· But two weeks later, the new Home Secretary only announced a month-long “call for evidence” on how a compensation scheme might operate.

Home Office, 10 May 2018, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-secretary-launches-windrush-compensation-scheme-call-for-evidence

· On 15 June the Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes admitted: “We have not decided any details of the scheme”.

Caroline Nokes, Hansard, Written Answer 142902, 15 June 2018, https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-05-10/142902/

· On 19 July, Sajid Javid launched a further consultation on a compensation scheme, initially due to close on 11 October.

Home Office, 19 July 2018, https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/windrush-compensation-scheme

· In October, it is announced that the consultation will stay open for another month. The Home Secretary says this is because it is “absolutely vital we get the scheme right and give everyone who wants to participate in the consultation the chance to input their view.”

Home Office, 11 October 2018, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/windrush-compensation-scheme-consultation-extends

· On 17 December, the Home Secretary writes to HASC says he is “determined that we design a Compensation Scheme that effectively addresses the losses people have faced”. He added that it was important to listen to the views of those affected and that he would “announce details of the final Scheme and ensure it is open for applications as soon as possible after the consultation process has ended.”

Sajid Javid, letter to Chair of HASC, 17 December 2018, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/765280/Letter_to_Chair_Windrush_update_October_17-12-18.pdf

· On 8 February 2019, Sajid Javid publishes a WMS on the compensation scheme in which he says “I intend to publish the formal Government response to the consultation shortly, which will set out the detailed design of the scheme”

Sajid Javid, Hansard, HCWS1313, 8 February 2019, https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-02-08/HCWS1313/

· On 19 March 2019, writing to the Chair of HASC, the Home Secretary once again says “I intend to publish the formal Government response to the consultation shortly, which will set out the detailed design of the scheme”.

Sajid Javid, letter to Chair HASC, 19 March 2019, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/787133/HASC_Windrush_update_for_Jan19_19.03.19.pdf