Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide free and independent legal representation to claimants of the Windrush Compensation Scheme.

The Scheme was designed to be accessible without legal representation. Whilst we recognise the application process can be emotionally challenging, it does not require the arguing of complex points of law or determinations of liability. For these reasons, legal representation is not considered necessary to access the Scheme.

Instead, we are focused on providing practical, community based support. The £1.5 million Windrush Compensation Advocacy Support Fund, launched in 2025, enables trusted local organisations to help claimants gather evidence, complete forms, and confidently tell their stories. The Year 2 funding competition launched on 12 January and closed on 6 February. Successful bids are expected to be announced shortly.