Windrush victim hospitalised due to Home Office compensation stress

Windrush Victim Criticizes Compensation Delays

A Windrush victim has criticized delays in the compensation scheme. She claims the lack of contact from the Home Office about her husband’s claim has left her hospitalized due to stress.

Background of the McIntosh Family

Hetticia and Vanderbilt McIntosh, both 70, moved to the UK at six years old in the 1960s. They were forced back to the Caribbean after being mistakenly refused new British passports in the late 1970s.

The couple and their children flew back and forth between the UK and the Caribbean. They were finally granted new British passports in 2020, just as the Windrush scandal was uncovered.

Compensation Issues

Mrs. McIntosh was refused compensation three times before receiving a £40,000 offer this year. Her husband received a “nil offer.” She stated that the moment they were forced to leave the UK “changed the entire trajectory of their lives.”

Her health deteriorated, and she was hospitalized on 10 October 2025 for 17 days due to stress related to the ongoing situation with the Home Office. She said, “My heart was just racing and my pressure went skyrocketing. At one stage, it was over 200.”

Family History and Struggles

The McIntoshes received British passports as children after a government recruiting drive to address a nursing shortage. Mrs. McIntosh’s mother worked at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, while Mr. McIntosh’s mother was a midwife in east London.

Despite having British passports, both were denied renewals. Mrs. McIntosh was turned down in 1978 because Barbados had become independent. Mr. McIntosh faced a similar situation in 1984 after St Lucia gained independence.

Impact on Employment and Family

Mr. McIntosh lost his job in quality assurance because he could not prove his British citizenship. The couple had to move their three British-born children to live with their grandparents in an overcrowded home.

After living in the UK for most of his life, Mr. McIntosh moved back to Saint Lucia with his children to find work. They faced restrictions on working and receiving healthcare.

Windrush Compensation Process

When the Windrush story broke in 2018, the couple applied for compensation but were told they were “not entitled to a preliminary payment” and “had lost their status” due to being out of the country from 1985-1993.

This was an “insult to injury” for Mrs. McIntosh, who served as a physical training instructor for the British army. She felt “used and abused” because “all we knew was Britain was our home.”

In January this year, after two nil awards, Mrs. McIntosh received a level three award of £40,000. Mr. McIntosh was offered nothing and is appealing the decision.

Call for Justice

Mrs. McIntosh explained that the level three award is for those affected for months, but the McIntoshes have been impacted for decades. They were not compensated for lost employment and healthcare access.

Mrs. McIntosh has started a petition for justice and for the Home Secretary to fund free legal representation for all Windrush compensation claimants.

Mr. McIntosh stated, “We gave them all they needed to know to award me something… for them to say nothing, it hurts.”

Government Response

The retired couple is calling for a national inquiry into the Windrush scandal, noting that “some people are dying without receiving compensation.” A spokesperson for the Home Office said, “This government is working to ensure justice and compensation for victims of the Windrush Scandal is delivered as quickly as possible.”

Summary of Key Facts