A Windrush sufferer has branded the compensation scheme for victims of the scandal “disgusting”, and recommended the federal government had been ready for these affected to “die off”.
Critics have repeatedly referred to as for the Dwelling Workplace to be stripped of accountability for figuring out and dealing with funds to victims and mentioned it needs to be given to an unbiased physique as a substitute.
The compensation scheme has been in place since 3 April 2019.
It was arrange a yr after it emerged many British residents, largely from the Caribbean, had been denied entry to healthcare and advantages and threatened with deportation regardless of having the proper to reside within the UK.
Regardless of rising considerations across the variety of individuals dying earlier than receiving payouts, the Dwelling Workplace has thus far resisted calls for for such reforms.
Conroy Downie, a 67-year-old Windrush sufferer who has been advising hundreds of others on how one can make compensation claims continues to be ready for his case to be totally settled.
He instructed the PA information company: “It is a failure, it is disgusting. I feel they’re ready for us to die off.”
The nice-grandfather was born in Jamaica and got here to the UK as a youngster earlier than becoming a member of the Military.
Conroy Downie has helped advise hundreds of individuals on Windrush scandal compensation. Pic: Jamie Lau/Age UK/PA Wire
Twice, he confronted deportation amid the scandal, including that “the system has failed us” as he described how one of many primary issues was that folks nonetheless “do not belief the Dwelling Workplace”.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, mentioned whereas the most recent figures present “modest enhancements” within the efficiency of the scheme, “many individuals are nonetheless ready far too lengthy for the redress they’re due – over a yr and even 18 months within the worst circumstances”.
She added: “That is unacceptable, particularly provided that for most of the older candidates time shouldn’t be on their facet.”
It follows calls final month within the Lords for Windrush scandal victims to have comparable help to these affected by the Put up Workplace scandal.
In accordance with PA evaluation of the most recent accessible Dwelling Workplace figures, 7,862 claims have been made as of January 2024.
A complete of £80.1m had been paid out by the tip of the primary month of this yr for two,233 claims – a median of practically £35,900 per declare.
Some 4,847 claims had been totally closed by this time, of which simply over half (52%) had been discovered to haven’t any entitlement to compensation, 36% had been supplied compensation, and the remaining 12% had their eligibility for a declare refused or withdrawn.
A spokeswoman for the Dwelling Workplace mentioned: “We firmly consider transferring the operation of the scheme away from the Dwelling Workplace would danger considerably delaying important funds to individuals – there can be appreciable disruption to the processing of excellent claims while a brand new physique was established and made operational.”
