Advice Centres
Including Free Advice Centres and Clinics
The Windrush Legal Advice Clinic 58 Bank Street, Bilston, West Midlands WV14 8PD run by MJM Legal Services. Tel. 01902 498274 or email: wlac@mjmlegalservices.co.uk website: http://www.mjmlegalservices.co.uk
Windrush Justice Clinics (WJC) – These are located across the country assisting victims of the Windrush Scandal to obtain compensation for losses and distress. They are run by a collaboration of partners including legal advice clinics
University of Westminster Legal Advice Clinic Email: lawclinic@westminster.ac.uk Tel. 020 3506 9626
University of Greenwich Legal Advice Clinic. Email: legaladvicecentre@gre.ac.uk Tel. 020 8331 9947
London South Bank University Legal Advice Clinic (LSBU) Drop-in clinic only open during term time. Address: Clarence Centre for Enterprise and Innovation, 1 St George’s Circus London SE1 OAP Tel 020 7815 5450
Black Cultural Archives (BCA) run free surgery events for advice but are currently closed due to the pandemic. For updated information contact: info@bcaheritage.org.uk
Home Office Windrush Helpline Tel 0800 678 1925
Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm Weekends 10am to 3pm email: commonwealthtaskforce@homeoffice.gov.uk
The Joint Council for The Welfare of Immigrants offers free legal advice in collaboration with some of the UK’s most impressive law firms from the coveted leading Legal 500 list. Contact mailto:nicola.burgess@jcwi.org.uk
Legal Advice – Solicitors – A Selection
VH Lawyers Limited Romer House Room 206, 132 Lewisham High Street, London SE13 6EE. Offer a wide range of immigration legal services. Tel. 020 8609 6680-3. Email: v.henry@vhlawyerslimited.co.uk Website www.vhlawyersltd.co.uk
McKenzie Beute and Pope, 11 Sternhold Avenue, London SW2 4PA. This firm offers immigration and asylum services Telephone 020 8671 7989
Emergency 24 hour line 0758705 0934
MJM Legal Services Tel. 01902 498274 or email: wlac@mjmlegalservices.co.uk website: www.mjmlegalservices.co.uk
Consulates are always a good source for general advice.
WINDRUSH TIPS:
UNDERSTANDING YOUR POSITION WILL HELP TO DETERMINE WHICH TYPE OF SERVICE YOU NEED TO REGULARISE YOUR STAY
1. WINDRUSH GENERATION: These are people who came to the UK between 1948 and 1972 either as a adult or child as British subjects. Some have been disenfranchised as a result of the Government’s “Hostile Policies” and or do not have documentation such as a valid passport to prove their right to remain in the UK.
2. People who have been here for months, years or even decades who originally came on a visa – there are many types – and have overstayed, in other words the visa is no longer valid and out of date. Legal advice is advised as these people have no right to be here.
3. Children born here cannot be removed unless part of an application or part of a family unit in deportation proceedings, or if they commit a serious offence and the subject of a deportation order or, if their presence here is deemed not conducive to the public good. They will be eligible to register as a British citizen when they attain the age of 10, as long as they can prove that they were born in the UK and have lived here continuously since birth.
Understanding the difference between Windrush Victim and Deportees:
WINDRUSH VICTIM: came to the UK legally but now their documents have been destroyed or lost. This category has the right of abode in the UK with rights to all the benefits that the British enjoy. Government and voluntary organisations are working hard to rectify this huge problem with compensations being meted out for the victims.
DEPORTEES: this group have committed a crime, or their presence are deemed not conducive to the public good and are not British Citizens. In other words, to avoid being deported after committing a crime if you believe you have the right to be in the UK it is best to seek legal advice.
DID YOU KNOW?
People with settled status ie indefinite leave to remain in the UK can lose this right by staying out of Britain for more than 2 years unless they can demonstrate that they maintained strong links with the UK. Once out for 2 years or more and want to return, they will be issued with a visitor’s visa. It is therefore advisable to become “Naturalised” if you intend to leave the country for more than 2 years.
More information can be found on the Home Office Website https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-british-citizen-by-naturalisation-form-an
The Home Office also provide extensive assistance to victims of the Windrush Scandal. Visit their website to organise and obtain documents proving your right to be here at https://www.gov.uk/windrush-prove-your-right-to-be-in-the-uk
Compensation
If you are entitled to compensation as a victim of the Windrush Hostile Environment policies, details and an application form can be found at https://www.gov.uk/apply-windrush-compensation-scheme
Passports – Dual Nationality and Passport Renewals
Contact the issuing consulate for advice. Be sure to have all the necessary paperwork to hand. To avoid timely delays, ensure that the information on both your passports correspond.
We do not endorse any centre nor firm and some may charge for their services. The list of advice centres are by no means exhaustive.
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