Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 78
78
Accepted
Windrush urgent support guidance lacks clarity on payment recovery from compensation.
Conclusion
The ‘Windrush scheme: support in urgent and exceptional circumstances’ guidance should be amended immediately to make clear that urgent and exceptional payments can be recovered in full from a subsequent offer of compensation; caseworkers should receive training to ensure that this is also made sufficiently clear in any direct communications with individuals. (Paragraph 255) Other types of support provided by the Vulnerable Persons Team
Government Response Summary
The government states that the policy and decision letter wording were updated in February and March 2021 respectively, to clarify that urgent payments may be deducted from future compensation. They also intend to remind the Help Team and caseworkers to explicitly advise individuals of this.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The policy on Urgent and Exceptional Payments is available on GOV.UK and is also sent to claimants that enquire about the Compensation Scheme. The current version of the policy was published on 23 February 2021 and advises that any payments or assistance provided under this policy may be taken into account in any subsequent award made under the Compensation Scheme. The Home Office has always been clear that the purpose of this policy is to provide for exceptional payments to be made where a person is experiencing an urgent need that cannot wait for the completion of their compensation claim. Urgent and Exceptional Payments are, in essence, intended to act as an exceptional advance on future compensation. The standard wording of Urgent and Exceptional Payment decision letters was updated on 16 March 2021, in order to reflect the revisions made to the policy. Decision letters include a line which specifically states that payments may be deducted from any future compensation award. We intend to remind the Help Team and caseworkers to ensure that individuals who request urgent support are advised of this at the point that they discuss their urgent need with the team.