Following the Windrush scandal that affected people across the Bradford District, Imran has demanded that the Home Office reverse their decision and implement a hardship fund to support those disadvantaged by the scandal until the promised compensation scheme comes into force.

Writing to the Home Secretary, Imran has blasted the Home Office’s decision to refuse victims of the Windrush scandal access to a specialist hardship fund that would have supported those who have suffered due to the scandal, and he has spoken of the immense difficulties faced by his constituents who have been caught up in the Government’s ‘hostile environment’ and who would have been helped by the fund.

Whilst the Government has pledged to implement a compensation scheme for those affected by the Windrush scandal, it will not be implemented for many months due to the consultation process and call for evidence from victims, leaving those who have been financially disadvantaged by the scandal worse off and struggling for months until it comes into force – a position that Imran has declared in his letter to be “disgraceful” and one that “will not rebuild trust with the communities affected by the scandal”.

The call for a hardship fund was recently supported by the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee who declared that they were concerned people from the Windrush generation faced destitution as a result of being unable to settle legal bills, being forced to give up work or having their welfare support stopped through no fault of their own.

Speaking on his call for a hardship fund, Imran said:

“Following the emergence of the scandal, I’ve been approached by a great many constituents who have either been threatened with deportation by the Home Office, had their access to health care or welfare removed, or who are simply worried about their future status in this country, and it is shocking that the Government have imposed such a hostile environment towards people who have lived in the UK and contributed for years, often for almost their whole lives.

“Whilst we wait for the Government to implement their compensation scheme to recompense those who have been hit by the scandal, those who have been forced to hand over thousands of pounds to prove their immigration status and right to be in the UK, and those who have been denied welfare and health care are left to struggle. If the Home Secretary is serious about moving on from this scandal, he has to help the people who have been disadvantaged by his Government’s policies and put in place a hardship fund to help people immediately.”