Windrush Compensation Advocacy Support Fund 2027-28

Key facts

About this grant

Summary from the official listing on Find a Grant (GOV.UK):

What is the Windrush Compensation Advocacy Support Fund?

1. The Windrush Compensation Advocacy Support Fund (WCASF) is a three-year program of £1,500,000 grant funding for organisations to provide essential advocacy and support to Windrush Compensation Scheme (WCS) claimants who need additional help with the application process.

2. The WCASF is offered and administered by the Home Office. The purpose of the WCASF is to offer funding to organisations in return for advocacy support with the WCS application process, including the acceptance and review process.

3. The support will include practical help with information and evidence gathering. Advocates will establish a positive relationship, ensuring claimants feel safe, supported, and able to provide their account in an environment where they are comfortable and at ease. Where appropriate, advocates will signpost claimants to internal Home Office and external organisations for additional assistance, for example where health or wellbeing is a concern.

4. Advocates will understand individuals' culture and background and will support them to articulate their story, with the aim of submitting a viable and eligible application and/or supporting with acceptance and review paperwork. Victims will be more likely to trust that these organisations will understand and have empathy with their lived experience. This will help to build essential trust, necessary for individuals to share their trauma and experiences.

5. WCASF support can be provided at any stage of the Windrush Compensation Scheme claim process, from before a claim is submitted through to accepting a decision and/or supporting a review request.

6. Support can include:

a. Helping claimants explain their story and evidence in their claim form.

b. Helping claimants check if a claim has already been made on their behalf to the Home Office.

c. Supporting claimants to complete and submit a claim to the Home Office.

d. Taking part in a three way “warm handover” between the Claimant, Home Office Caseworker and Advocate.

e. Providing up to five hours additional support after the warm handover including participating in further three-way calls and supporting claimants in responding to additional information requests

f. Supporting claimants to complete paperwork to accept a decision or request a review; and

g. Taking part in a further warm handover between the Claimant, Home Office Tier 1 Reviewer and Advocate where requested.

7. For the Year 3 funding round, the UK will be divided into ten geographical regions, and Applicants must submit bids for the region(s) where they wish to deliver advocacy services. Northern Ireland (N.I) which will be one of the geographical regions, will be divided into six sub-regions.

8. Applicants may choose to bid for more than one region and for N.I you may choose to bid for more than one sub-region or all six sub-regions.

9. Training will not be provided. Advocates will be expected to have a solid understanding of Windrush Compensation Scheme rules, guidance and process.

10. This competition relates to funding for Financial Year 2027/2028 (Year 3) only.

Eligibility

If you are applying in England, Scotland or WalesYou can apply if you are:

• An unincorporated charity or community organisation, a community interest company, or a company with a charitable purpose; or,

• A registered charity; or,

• A successful organisation or member of a consortium who received funding in WCASF Year 1 or 2; or,

• A grassroots organisation AND

• An organisation with secure systems in place to ensure claimants data is securely stored, saved and destroyed (evidence of successful organisation’s privacy policy will be required); and,

• Based in the UK and are already providing a Windrush Compensation advocacy service within your community. You must demonstrate that you are a trusted member of your community. If you are applying in Northern Ireland

You can apply if you are:

• An unincorporated charity or community organisation, a community interest company, or a company with a charitable purpose; or,

• A registered charity; or,

• A successful organisation or an organisation who was a member of a consortium who received funding in WCASF Year 1 or 2; or,

• A grassroots organisation AND

• An organisation with secure systems in place to ensure claimants data is securely stored, saved and destroyed (evidence of successful organisation’s privacy policy will be required); and,

• Based in the UK and are already providing an advocacy service within your community. You must demonstrate that you are a trusted member of your community. Unincorporated charities, community organisations, community interest companies and companies with a charitable purposeYou can apply if you:

• Were established for charitable and public benefit purposes.

• Have a governing body with at least 3 members.

• Can provide a valid governing document for your organisation with a set of rules on how your organisation is structured and its purpose.

• Can provide audited accounts for the most recent financial year, or, where audited accounts are not available, an income and expenditure statement for the most recent financial year, together with evidence that this has been approved by your governing body.Registered charitiesYou can apply if:

• You can provide a valid registration number issued by the Charity Commission.

• Have a governing body with at least 3 members.

• Can provide a valid governing document for your organisation with a set of rules on how your organisation is structured and its purpose.

• Can provide audit

Details are copied from the official source and can change. Check the official listing before you apply. Grant Writing Company is not affiliated with this funder.