Euen Herbert-Small

Assistant Editor

"We have worked and paid taxes, yet we can't even get legal aid to challenege the Home Office and while 'failed asylum seekers' can access everything, including housing, legal aid and now money to leave the UK."

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According to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, families will be offered £10,000 per member, capped at four per family, to leave the UK voluntarily. They will have seven days to reply, and if they do not take up the offer, the Home Office will attempt to forcibly remove them from the country.

NEW - EXCL: This week Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans to offer some asylum seekers up to £40,000 to leave the UK — sparking anger from Windrush victims who have spent years fighting for compensation from the Home Office after being wrongly targeted by the Windrush… pic.twitter.com/GlK2gCCJTd

— Jam Radio UK News (@Jam_RadioUK) March 8, 2026

But for victims and survivors of the Home Office Windrush Scandal—many of whom are still waiting for compensation after being wrongly treated as illegal immigrants, the proposal has reopened painful questions about fairness and priorities. Campaigners say the idea that large sums could be offered to resolve immigration cases quickly stands in stark contrast to the long and difficult process faced by Windrush victims seeking justice.

Bishop Desmond Jadoo - Chair of the Windrush National Organisation (WNO), presented Mike Tapp MP - Minister of State for Migration and Citizenship (right) with a Windrush borad game at the WNO's annual conference. Image credit: George Brown

Although the government later apologised for the WIndrush Scandal and created a compensation scheme, many victims and their families say the process has been slow, complex, and often deeply distressing.

Among those speaking out is Windrush victim and British Army veteran Hetticia McIntosh, who says the proposed policy highlights the continuing struggle many victims face.

“I came to Britain as a child in 1963 and built my life here believing I was British because the law said we were,” she said. “We worked, paid taxes, raised our families and contributed to this country in every way asked of us.”

McIntosh later served in the Women’s Royal Army Corps, but years later she and her husband (Vaun) were told they were no longer British Citizens and althought they had indefinate leave to reamin in the UK, they were never given paperwork to prove their status, which made their lives difficult.

Hetticia and Vaun continue to fight for fair compensation from the Home Office after more than 40 years of misery and distress.

“We lost opportunities and lived under years of uncertainty,” she said. “More than forty years of our lives have been overshadowed by stress, financial hardship and the emotional toll of being treated as if we did not belong. We've been ubale to access legal aid for our claims against the Home Office, while failed asylum seekers who have never contributed to the UK, can access taxy-payer funded services like housing and taxis and legal aid for their claims.” Heticia said, "we have never  even been offered housing by the very Home Office, we've funded with our taxes."

Vaun and his children Stuart, Chantell and Spencer on their way to Church in St. Lucia circa 1985 after having left the UK being unable to work and acces vital services. Image: Hetticia McInstosh

Vaun who worked as paint chemist at Hucol and later Berger Paints in Stratford since 1973 after qualifying at Eastham College was only offered £1,400 compensation by the Home Office for loss of employment. Vaun was no longer able to work after employers asked him for proof identification to update their records UK in 1984.

Stuart, Spencer and Chantell McIntosh all of whom are Britich citizens by birth in the UK, lost access access to their country of birth and were forced to grow up elsewhere because of UK government discrimination against their parents. Image: Hetticia McInstosh

Hetticia told JamRadio life became increasingly difficult for her and and three children, forcing them to move to St. Lucia where her sudban was born. She said watching new immigration proposals emerge while many Windrush victims remain in limbo is “deeply painful and disrespectful”.

“At a time when tens of thousands of pounds may be offered as payday to resolve failed asylum cases quickly, many Windrush victims—people who were already lawfully British, are still struggling for fair recognition and compensation,” she said. 

Advocates for the Windrush community told JamRadio the issue is not simply financial but also about dignity and justice. Some victims have died while waiting for their cases to be resolved, while others say they continue to face delays and disputes over the harm they experienced. Windrush 

“Windrush victiss were not migrants seeking entry; we were part of the United Kingdom, we had British passports” McIntosh said. “Many of us arrived as children, grew up here, worked, paid taxes here and built families here and were later treat as outsiders. Eight year after the governemt apologised, we are still having to fight them for fairness.”