Dechert Assists Windrush Claimants Pro Bono
Dechert is among eight law firms supporting the UK’s Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) in establishing a free legal advice clinic to increase the number of applications for the UK government’s Windrush Compensation Scheme.
Established in 2019, the Windrush Compensation Scheme was set up to assist those affected by the Windrush scandal – individuals who moved from Caribbean countries to the UK between 1948 and 1971 at the invitation of the government, but who subsequently have faced hardships such as eviction, job loss, denial of healthcare and deportation due to the government’s “hostile environment policy” requiring evidence of citizenship or immigration status.
Under the scheme, those affected by the Windrush scandal can apply for compensation for the harm they have experienced, with the minimum amount of compensation for victims now set at £10,000. However, despite more than 12,000 individuals being eligible for compensation, fewer than 2,000 claims have been made under the scheme to date, with the £6.1 million in funds paid out so far amounting to only a fraction of the estimated £500 million total expected. The duration of the scheme was recently extended until April 2023 so that more claimants may come forward.
The low number of claims made is thought to be due in part to limited legal support available to applicants, which the JCWI clinic seeks to address by helping individuals submit applications, assess resulting decisions and appeal if necessary.
Nicola Burgess, Legal Director at the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants said, “Two years on from the introduction of the Windrush Compensation scheme, it is woefully inadequate that so few people have been able to apply for compensation. The Home Office promised that the people affected would have justice, but they continue to be failed by the government. The scheme is designed in a way which bars them from the support they are entitled to and deserve. We hope that this initiative goes some way to support the Windrush generation, but it’s clear that victims need legal aid and a system which works in their favour, not against them.”
Dechert is working in collaboration with JCWI and seven other law firms on this project: Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Charles Russell Speechlys, Debevoise & Plimpton, Latham & Watkins, Linklaters, Taylor Wessing and White & Case.
Read more about the legal advice clinic here.
About Dechert
Dechert is a leading global law firm with 25 offices around the world. We advise on matters and transactions of the greatest complexity, bringing energy, creativity and efficient management of legal issues to deliver commercial and practical advice for clients.
