PRITI PATEL moved to bolster the Home Office’s battered reputation over the Windrush compensation scheme, as she released new quarterly figures showing over £41 million had been offered to victims of the Windrush scandal.

The scheme was heavily criticised by a cross-party group of MPs last November, fuelling demands by Windrush campaigners for it to be taken out of the Home Office and given to an independent body.

But today the Home Secretary boasted that 45% of applications have been concluded and over 25% of applicants (940 people) have collectively received £35 million.

Patel said: “Since I overhauled the Windrush Compensation Scheme, the Home Office has been able to secure compensation for more people more quickly. £41 million has now been offered to Windrush victims, with more claims being finalised as quickly as possible.”

The Home Affairs Select Committee recommended that the compensation scheme be administered by an independent body, but the government is insisting that it will remain in the Home Office.

The latest Home Office figures show that 259 people were offered or paid over £50,000. Of these, eleven people were paid between £200,000 and £300,000. 3,387 people in total have made applications for compensation.

Ministers have not officially responded to the Home Affairs Select Committee, despite being over the two month deadline, but are due to respond “in due course.”

23 victims have died before receiving compensation, including Paulette Wilson, who campaigned for justice for the Windrush scandal victims.

Lawyers are also understood to be ready to mount a legal challenge to get the courts to make the compensation scheme independent.

The Home Office estimate that between 4,000 and 6,000 people are eligible to apply but Windrush campaigners believe the original estimate of 15,000 is a truer figure.

Professor Patrick Vernon OBE, a leading campaigner on this issue, said victims were under immense stress and he was speaking to people who had cancer and suffered strokes since being caught up in the scandal.

He said: “25% of people paid means three quarters are still contesting the offers. I’ve spoken to some of those who now regret accepting the offer because it was so low and didn’t even cover loss of earnings, but they were desperate and also suffering in this pandemic.

“The fact is, people don’t trust the Home Office, and the sooner that the scheme is moved to an independent agency, then people have more confidence to apply.”

He said the scheme should be paying legal fees to challenge low offers, and accused the government of “moving the goalposts in whittling down” the assessment of how many people might be impacted by the Windrush scandal.

Wendy Williams, who carried out a government-commissioned review of the ‘hostile environment’ against immigrants following the Windrush scandal is due to finish a new review of the extent to which government have responded to her recommendations.