Windrush Enquiries

Who are the Windrush Generation?

The group of people affected by the Windrush Scandal are known as the Windrush Generation, named after HMT Empire Windrush, which arrived in the UK in 1948 bringing hundreds of passengers from Jamaica, travelling to help re-build post-war Britain.

The Windrush Generation is not limited to those from the Caribbean, and includes many thousands of people, from all Commonwealth countries, who travelled to the UK between 1948 and the 1970s, and their children. The Windrush Generation are British people, who held CUKC citizenship (citizens of the UK and Colonies) and who for many years did not require any specific documents to prove their right to live and work in the UK.

Windrush Scandal

As a result of the increased tightening of immigration laws since the 1970s, and particularly following the introduction of the "hostile environment" immigration policies in 2012, many members of the Windrush Generation were forced into crisis as they lost their jobs, access to benefits and public services, were treated as being in the country illegally and, in some cases, were detained or deported.

In 2018 the Government acknowledged the Windrush Scandal and made a commitment to righting the wrongs, including by compensating those who had suffered harm. Despite these clear commitments, many members of the Windrush Generation continue to feel let down by the Government, and report after report shows that the Home Office are being too slow to right the wrongs of the Windrush Scandal.

Application Process

If you're settled in the UK but do not have a document to prove it, you may be eligible to apply to the 'Windrush Scheme'.

You may be able to apply for a document to prove you can live and work in the UK if one of the following is true:

• You came to the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973
• Your parents came to the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973
• You came to the UK from any country before 31 December 1988 and are now settled here

Fees

There is currently no government fee for this application.

You might also be entitled to apply for citizenship for free if you're a Commonwealth citizen who settled in the UK before 1 January 1973, or you're the child of someone who did.

Compensation

If you suffered losses because you did not have documents to show your settled status, you may also be able to apply for compensation. The compensation scheme is for losses that happened because you could not show that you had a right to live in the UK.

Why choose Westridge Legal?

Windrush Application forms can often be quite complex as there are multiple ways to apply for settlement:

• Apply for yourself
• Apply for a close family member
• Apply as a representative of an estate

Westridge Legal has experience in navigating the Windrush application process and our legal professionals can guide you through every step of the way.

If you wish to speak about your options directly with our specialist staff, please contact us on 0121 724 0302 to book a consultation today.