Windrush commissioner seeks state-funded legal support for compensation claims
Rev Clive Foster has urged ministers to commit to independent legal assistance by 30 October, with Mel B, Alison Hammond and David Lammy among those backing the call.
Windrush commissioner Rev Clive Foster is urging the UK government to fund independent legal support for people seeking compensation over the Windrush scandal. Public figures including Mel B, television presenter Alison Hammond and former justice secretary David Lammy have backed the proposal.
In a letter to migration minister Jo White, Foster asked ministers to commit to funding at the Windrush National Organisation conference in Birmingham on 30 October. He recommends that claimants receive independent legal advice before an official decision and again at review.
The Guardian reported in April that the Home Office had refused compensation in more than half of claims. University of Sussex research cited by the newspaper found successful claims averaged £11,400 before legal help and £83,200 after. In one case, a claimant initially offered nothing secured £295,000.
Ministers introduced a £1.5m advocacy support fund last year. It provides community-based help navigating the scheme, but not formal state-funded legal representation.
A Home Office spokesperson said the fund had “significantly enhanced” assistance. The department said the compensation scheme had paid more than £132m across 4,177 claims, and that major reforms took effect in January.
The government has not announced a commitment to Foster’s proposed legal funding. Mel B said funded support could help people manage the claims process and access compensation.
