A public event is being held in Thornton Heath TODAY (Sat Sept 14) for residents affected by the Windrush scandal.

 Members of the Commonwealth Citizens’ Taskforce and the Windrush Compensation Scheme will attend to explain what help and support is available and how to make a claim.

The Home Office is holding the question and answer session at  The Croydon African Caribbean Family Organisation (CAFCO) Education Centre 40 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 8HQ between 11am to 1pm

This is part of a series of public events being held around the country, reaching those who have been impacted by Windrush and ensuring they are aware of the help that is available to them.

The event is aimed at affected individuals, community leaders, lawyers, charities and support groups.

 The Windrush scandal, came to light in 2018, when it emerged UK citizens had been denied legal rights, threatened with deportation, and, in extreme cases, wrongly deported from the UK by the Home Office. Many of those affected had been born in British commonwealth countries and had arrived in the UK before 1973.

Immigration Minister Seema Kennedy said:“We are determined to right the wrongs of successive Governments and that’s why our Taskforce will travel to events across the country, giving hands-on advice and support.

 “The scheme has been designed to be as generous as possible and so I would urge anyone who thinks they may have been affected to attend the event in Thornton Heath and find out more.” 

(CACFO) UK which is chaired by Councillor Callton Young, is working with Windrush Action to secure fair and just compensation for Windrush victims.

Councillor Young said: “Hosting the Home Office event in Thornton Heath ward is particularly important because the area is home to the largest number of West Indians of any ward in London and therefore, potential interest in the Windrush Compensation Scheme is likely to be high.”

This series of events is the second part of an extensive engagement programme, having already held or attended 17 events across the country between April and June 2019.

The Windrush Compensation Scheme was launched in April this year to provide payments to eligible individuals who did not have the right documentation to prove their status in the UK and suffered adverse effects on their life as a result. 

It is open to almost anyone from a Commonwealth country who arrived and settled in the UK before 1973. Certain children and grandchildren of those arriving before 1973 and some close family members may also be eligible to apply.  

It is also open to anyone from any nationality who has the right to live or work in the UK without any restrictions or is now a British Citizen, and arrived in the UK before 31 December 1988.

For more information on Windrush Compensation Scheme community events and the Windrush Compensation Scheme, please visit https://www.gov.uk/windrush-compensation.

Individuals can apply to the Windrush Compensation Scheme by downloading the claim form from https://www.gov.uk/windrush-compensation.