HomeBritish CitizenshipWindrush & Commonwealth
Windrush and Commonwealth status
Many people who came to the UK from Commonwealth countries decades ago are settled here in law but hold nothing that proves it. The Windrush Scheme puts that right, free of charge - and for many it leads to British citizenship.
Written by Dipendra Fakira, Supervising Immigration Caseworker · Reviewed by Georgette Thomas, Principal Solicitor · Last reviewed 12 July 2026
At a glance
Scheme fee
Windrush Scheme - no Home Office fee
Grant on success
ILR or citizenship, depending on route
Residence requirement
Or Commonwealth citizen with settled parent
Compensation
Financial redress runs in parallel
Home Office fees and thresholds change - check gov.uk for the current figures. We confirm them in writing when we quote you.
Who the scheme covers
You may be able to apply for a document proving your right to live and work in the UK if one of these is true:
- You arrived in the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973.
- You are the child of a Commonwealth citizen who arrived before 1973.
- You arrived in the UK before 1989 and are still settled here.
The scheme is free. Applications from inside the UK go in by post on the Windrush Scheme form; from outside the UK you apply online. The Home Office then searches its own records and those of other government departments for evidence of your residence - and the taskforce may come back with questions, which is where prepared answers help.
From documentation to citizenship
For many applicants the scheme does more than confirm settled status. If you are a Commonwealth citizen who settled in the UK before 1 January 1973, or the child of someone who did, you may be able to apply for British citizenship itself.
We piece the residence history together - school records, NHS records, employment, National Insurance - and put the application on the strongest legal footing, whether that is documentation of status or citizenship.
The compensation scheme
If you suffered losses because you could not prove your right to live in the UK - a job lost, housing or benefits refused, detention or removal - you may be entitled to compensation under the separate Windrush Compensation Scheme. We help you set out the losses and evidence them properly.
What it costs
| Service | Our fixed fee |
|---|---|
Nationality application package Citizenship applications arising from Windrush and Commonwealth status - evidence, forms and submission | £936–£1,782 + VAT |
Initial consultation We tell you what the scheme can give you - the scheme itself is free | from £50 + VAT |
The Windrush Scheme explained
Windrush and Commonwealth questions
Commonwealth citizens who settled in the UK before 1 January 1973 and lost the paperwork proving their status, and their children born in the UK or who joined them before their 18th birthday. There is no fee to apply.
Confirmation of your existing right to be here (a no-time-limit endorsement or documentation of ILR), and, if eligible, British citizenship by naturalisation or registration - both fee-free through this route.
Anything showing your presence in the UK since before 1973 - school records, employment, medical, tax, National Insurance, tenancy, church, family. The Home Office is required to help you gather what you cannot get yourself; we push for that.
A separate scheme for those who suffered loss because they could not prove their status - lost jobs, housing, benefits, healthcare, or wrongful detention or removal. Awards are calculated by category. It is a claim, not an application for status.
No. The scheme covers all Commonwealth citizens who settled here before 1973, and their family members - not just those from Caribbean countries. Nationals from anywhere in the Commonwealth are eligible if the dates fit.
You may still be eligible for confirmation of status and for compensation. The Windrush Taskforce has specific procedures for people who were wrongly refused, detained or removed. Contact us - we handle these cases with care.
Straightforward status confirmations can be resolved in weeks. Cases needing evidence-gathering or Home Office record searches take longer. The scheme is designed to be flexible, and there is no charge for keeping it open until it is right.
Settled here for decades but nothing to prove it?
Book an initial consultation, from £50 + VAT. We will tell you what the Windrush Scheme can give you and what evidence the Home Office will look for.