Windrush: Bristol man 'in limbo' waiting for compensation

A man who is still waiting for compensation from the scheme to help victims of the Windrush scandal said his life was "in limbo".

Mike Lord, 65, came to Bristol from Barbados when he was six and was only granted British citizenship last year.

He said he would like his claim "sorted out" and people who are "meant to be here" should be looked after instead of having "obstacles put in their way".

The Home Office said it would "confirm an offer shortly" to Mr Lord.

The Windrush Compensation Scheme was launched last year for those who did not have the right documentation to prove their status in the UK and suffered adverse effects on their life as a result.

Mr Lord said it had been seven months since he submitted his claim and he had had to resend the paperwork after the Home Office said it had not received it.

Despite working for most of his adult life - as a labourer, lorry driver and digger operator - he said it had been "really, really hard" in the past 20 years, and he had not been able to build up savings.

"At my age, it's even harder to get work without having all this to contend with," he said.

"I'm 66 this year, that's retirement and I can't even afford to retire.

"If I drop dead tomorrow, it'll be a sad day because I've got nothing to leave to my daughter or grandson - nothing at all, like I am in limbo."

Mr Lord said his parents came to the UK after being "sent for" - his mother trained as a nurse and his father worked as a fireman. He joined them in 1962.

He said he had never been to Barbados and had missed funerals of family members including his grandfather.

"I'd like to see the rest of my family and put flowers on the graves of my granddad and uncle," he added.

"Waiting for this payout is holding me back. I hope it gets sorted soon, so I get to have a bit of enjoyment out of it."

A Home Office spokesman said: "We are in contact with Mr Lord examining his claim very carefully and will be confirming a compensation offer to him shortly."

An estimated 500,000 people now living in the UK who arrived between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries have been called the Windrush generation.

They were granted indefinite leave to remain in 1971 but thousands were children travelling on their parents' passports, without their own documents.

Changes to immigration law in 2012 meant those without documents were asked for evidence to continue working, access services or even to remain in the UK.