Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 9
9
The Department asserted that no-one eligible to receive compensation should fail to receive it because...
Conclusion
The Department asserted that no-one eligible to receive compensation should fail to receive it because they could not provide evidence to support their claim.28 The Department claimed it designed the scheme to minimise the amount of evidence required, although the National Audit Office reported that initially some areas, for example claims for loss of access to employment, had stringent evidence requirements.29 The Department lowered the burden of proof for some areas of claims within the scheme in October 2020.30 The Department recognised that it would still be very difficult for some to obtain documentary evidence and that in such cases the Department often needed to work with the applicant, former employers or other government departments, such as HMRC and DWP, to obtain that evidence.31 Even then, the Department stated that many applicants felt the scheme required too much documentation. It assured us that it would continue to review whether the demands placed upon applicants were realistic.32
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The department agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: March 2022 2.2 Prior to the publication of the Committee's report and in response to feedback from stakeholders and affected individuals, the department had launched a package of support to help those making, or who have already made, claims on behalf of a relative who has passed away to obtain the legal documentation required to process their claims. The department is writing to all those who have already made claims on behalf of a relative without a Grant of Representation and has published information about the support available on GOV.UK: Support available to make a claim as a representative of an estate. A redesigned primary claim form was published on 21 July 2021 (Windrush Compensation Scheme Primary Claimant Claim Form (publishing.service.gov.uk)), which is easier for claimants to complete, and refreshed casework guidance which sets out how caseworkers should apply the balance of probabilities and gather evidence to ensure claimants are only asked to provide the minimum evidence necessary. These measures should reduce the time taken to process claims and improve claimants’ experiences of applying to the Scheme. 2.3 The department is committed to ensuring that caseworkers are equipped to act effectively and compassionately. All staff complete training courses such as ‘The Face Behind the Case’. The department is helping staff with its commitment to bring the Home Office values ‘Compassion, Collaboration, Courteous and Respectful’ to life. 2.4 In addition, the department is working towards Operational Excellence Accreditation. 2.5 To measure improvements and efficiency, the department has implemented a suite of performance data resources. These assist with the management of the teams and allow the department to focus on what is needed to deliver a high quality service to claimants.