Victims of the Windrush scandal are set to receive at least £200 million in compensation from the government.
The news was announced by the Home Secretary Sajid Javid who aims to compensate those who were impacted by the ‘hostile environment’ policy.
Of the compensation, Javid said: “Nothing we say or do will ever wipe away the hurt, the trauma, the loss that should never have been suffered by the men and women of the Windrush generation.
“But together we can begin to right the wrongs of Windrush”.
Under the ‘hostile environment’ policy, it has been estimated that 50,000 people were threatened with the possibility of being deported for not formalising their residency status or the documentation to prove it.
Many of the Windrush generation were affected by the policy for several reasons beyond their control and most importantly, because the Home Office did not keep record of individuals entering Britain with leave to remain before 1 January 1973.
Compensation will be received by anyone who has been wrongly classified as an illegal immigrant in the UK since 1988 and lost employment opportunities, access to the NHS and ability to rent because of their incorrect immigration status.
Since the Windrush taskforce was set up, over 5,000 people have presented with documentation and over 3,000 people have been granted British citizenship.