Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 41
41
Deferred
We urge the Home Office to enable We Are Digital to book as many additional...
Recommendation
We urge the Home Office to enable We Are Digital to book as many additional support sessions for claimants as are needed and to monitor feedback from claimants carefully to ensure any gaps in support are identified. We believe that the service provided by We Are Digital should complement rather than replace specialist legal support. (Paragraph 131) Calls for legal assistance
Government Response Summary
The government response focuses on existing urgent financial support processes and plans to support further training for caseworkers to gather information more efficiently, but does not address enabling 'We Are Digital' for additional support sessions or ensuring the service complements legal support.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The circumstances of individuals’ compensation claim may be complex, and it is important that time is taken in order to consider these carefully and ensure that a correct decision is ultimately reached. We do, however, continue to maintain a separate process by which individuals in urgent need may request (and receive) financial support on a rapid basis. Where an individual is eligible for the Compensation Scheme and believes that they require urgent financial support, they may contact the Windrush Help Team in order to request this. All requests for support are considered in line with our policy on Urgent and Exceptional Payments, which is available on GOV.UK. When considering a request, it is important that we do understand an individual’s circumstances and the reasons why they are applying for support. Our dedicated Vulnerable Persons Team works with individuals in order to establish whether there is a need for urgent financial support. This process is light-touch and entirely separate to the consideration of compensation claims. Some requests which are initially financial can often be resolved with support from the Vulnerable Persons Team, for example signposting a claimant to debt management, assisting with contacting the DWP benefits team or liaising with the housing providers to halt an eviction so that a payment schedule can be arranged. Urgent and exceptional payments have in the past been used to support with costs such as essential furniture, clothing, flights or debt management. There will be circumstances where additional information is required, and we will support further training for our caseworkers and the Help Team to ensure that it is clear to the claimant that by providing as much information as possible at the time of making contact, it will allow us to provide appropriate support as quickly as possible.