At the Windrush international Conference in Birmingham on Friday 27th October 2023, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, Lord Simon Murray reaffirmed that the Home Office has no end date to the Windrush Compensation and Status schemes during his keynote address.

He further announced further improvements to the scheme in terms of employment loss of earning and loss of pension contributions.

The Minister announced that where someone lost their job owing to a status issue and managed to obtain employment but at a lower age, the scheme would compensate for the difference in the loss of earning during the qualifying period.

Furthermore, where national insurance contributions have not been made owing to loss of employment, when compensation is awarded then the contributions would be topped up, in order to ensure that the level of state retirement pension are no longer penalised.

The Minister went on the commit top open dialogue to ensure that the scheme meets the needs of claimants with the attendance and participation of Senior Home Official Officials and the Windrush Engagement team.

The conference was opened by the Vice Chair of the WNO Reverend Clive Foster with a prayer for wisdom and constructive dialogue.

Bishop Dr. Desmond Jaddoo, Chair of the WNO, in his opening speech mapped the journey of the WNO and announced that the organisations 3 years strategy launch, in October 2020, would now be updated for the next 3 years, along with looking at the other issues that the organisation has picked up for which workshops have now taken place and the finding s are currently being collated.

The additional workshop to status and compensation, were a resourced Advocacy workshop, Housing, Cultural Health & Social Care, Wealth & Legacy Management and Black Workers Rights. Following the Conference there was a successful Gala Fundraiser, which was attended by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, The Deputy Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands, the West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner and Bishop Mike Royal of Churches Together England, which raised important funds for the continuation of the work of the WNO and also the Windrush Welfare Fund.

By: Bishop Dr. Desmond Jaddoo, MBE, Chair, Windrush National Organisation