Windrush victims must not be left behind

The London Assembly has today called for greater efforts to ensure all victims of the Windrush scandal are aware of and able to access compensation and support schemes.

While welcoming progress in reducing outstanding Windrush compensation claims, the Assembly expressed concern that some eligible Commonwealth citizens, particularly those from South Asian and West African communities, may not realise the schemes apply to them.

The Assembly has called on the Mayor to work with Government, boroughs and community organisations to reach those who may have been overlooked and ensure they receive the support and compensation they are entitled to.

Hina Bokhari OBE AM, who proposed the motion said:

“Many people don’t realise they were victims of the Windrush scandal because they aren’t from the Caribbean, but we know many Londoners of South Asian and West African heritage suffered too.

“That's why we want the Mayor to be much more proactive in working with communities to identify those who have been overlooked and bring them the justice and compensation they deserve.”

The full text of the motion is:

This Assembly recognises the profound injustice suffered by Commonwealth Londoners and their families through the Windrush scandal. People who helped build our city and sustain its public services were wrongly denied their rights, livelihoods and security.

This Assembly welcomes the current Government’s progress in reducing outstanding Windrush compensation claims, with claims in progress falling by almost a third between June 2024 and July 2026,¹ alongside improvements in processing and support. It recognises that this progress must now reach the forgotten victims who have yet to come forward or do not know they may be entitled to help.

Some Londoners of South Asian and West African heritage mistakenly believe the schemes apply only to people from the Caribbean.² This Assembly notes concerns raised by the Public Accounts Committee Chair in 2019 that around 160,000 non-Caribbean Commonwealth nationals across the UK could be missing out on support.³ The number still being overlooked remains unclear.

This Assembly calls on the Mayor to:

• Use his platforms and influence to describe the schemes explicitly as supporting eligible people from across the Commonwealth, alongside the Windrush name, so their wider reach is understood.
• Work with the Government, boroughs and trusted community organisations to identify and reach those being missed, including through targeted, accessible publicity.
• Press the Government to publish information on unmet need across London and ensure access to free, independent legal advice and representation.
  Champion swift payment of the full compensation every victim is owed.

No Londoner should be denied justice because they do not recognise their own story in the name of a scheme. Those left behind deserve to be heard, supported and compensated.

The meeting can be viewed via webcast or YouTube.

Follow us @LondonAssembly