EHRC launches review of Home Office actions affecting Windrush generation

The Equality and Human Rights Commission confirms it has launching an assessment under section 31 of the Equality Act 2006 -

‘We will be reviewing how the Home Office complied with equality law when implementing the ‘hostile environment’ immigration measures, which had such a serious and damaging effect on many members of the group known as the Windrush generation and their descendants….

We will particularly consider how the department understood, monitored and reviewed the impact of placing increasingly onerous documentation requirements on the Windrush generation.

Our work will draw upon the findings of the Williams Review to help drive improvements in how the Home Office engages with affected individuals, communities and stakeholders when designing future immigration policies. The Review’s findings will also help to signpost other areas where more evidence from the Home Office may be required.’

EHRC’ has publssed its review of the Home Office’s hostile environment measures today -

The assessment has found that negative consequences were repeatedly ignored, dismissed, or their severity disregarded at crucial points of policy development. There was limited engagement with representatives of the Windrush generation, even as the severe effects of hostile environment policies began to emerge.

Equality impacts were often considered too late to form a meaningful part of many decision-making processes. Exceptions to the PSED for immigration were in many cases interpreted incorrectly or inconsistently, and there was a general lack of commitment within the Home Office to the importance of equality.

The findings of the assessment endorse the conclusion of the Windrush Lessons Learned Review that the experiences of that group were ‘foreseeable and avoidable’.

The Home Office has committed to enter into an agreement with us which will set out the actions the department will take to avoid such events ever happening again.

Home Office failed to comply with equality law when implementing ‘hostile environment’ measures