Stop discriminatory immigration policies against Black people
The Issue
This petition affects long-term Black Commonwealth residents and their families, particularly people from Commonwealth countries outside Europe who have made Britain their home, including people who arrived in the UK as children and have spent decades living, working and contributing to British society.
Some have lived in Britain lawfully for 10, 20 or even 30 years. They have built careers, paid taxes, raised families, obtained qualifications, rented or bought homes and contributed to their local communities. Many have become deeply rooted in British society and know no other home.
Yet people in this position can find themselves trapped in an immigration system where a change, delay or dispute over their immigration status can suddenly mean losing the right to work and being prevented from accessing public funds.
For someone who has spent 20 years building a life in Britain, this can be devastating. A person can lose their employment, lose their income, fall into rent arrears and face homelessness — while simultaneously being told that they cannot access the financial assistance that could prevent them from becoming destitute.
Even when people seek help, they can encounter a wall of “no recourse to public funds” restrictions. Adult social care, councils, housing services and other support systems may tell them that certain forms of assistance are unavailable because of their immigration conditions. This can extend to homelessness prevention, leaving people at risk of losing the very homes they have spent years maintaining.
This is not simply about newly arrived migrants. It is about people who have already spent a substantial part of their lives in Britain.
For those who arrived as children, the injustice can be particularly stark. They may have grown up in British schools, worked in British workplaces, paid into the British economy and built their entire adult lives here, only to find themselves unable to work or support themselves because of an immigration status problem.
The racial dimension cannot be ignored
We believe the Home Office must urgently examine whether immigration policies and their practical consequences are producing racial disparities, particularly for Black Commonwealth communities and other Black residents who have longstanding connections to Britain.
This is not an accusation that every immigration rule was deliberately written to target Black people. The issue is whether policies that appear neutral on paper can nevertheless have disproportionate consequences for particular racial or national communities.
Research from the University of Oxford's Migration Observatory has highlighted that discrimination experienced by migrants and ethnic minorities can be connected to race, nationality, ethnicity, language and other factors. Its research has also highlighted how immigration status and immigration controls can affect access to employment, housing, healthcare and other services.
The Migration Observatory has also documented how people can experience difficulties proving their right to live and work in the UK, with the consequences potentially affecting employment, housing and access to services.These issues deserve proper investigation rather than being dismissed as isolated administrative problems.
We cannot continue to tell ourselves that racism has disappeared simply because discriminatory language is no longer openly used in the way it once was. Indirect discrimination and disproportionate outcomes matter too.
We need to stop pretending this is an isolated problem
When people affected by this situation try to obtain legal help, they can discover something deeply troubling: immigration solicitors are already familiar with these circumstances.
When people describe being unable to work, having no access to public funds, facing homelessness and being caught in uncertainty over their immigration status, solicitors can recognise the situation because they have encountered similar cases before. In some cases, people are told that this is something that happens quite often.
If legal professionals are seeing these cases repeatedly, we need to stop pretending that these are isolated administrative mishaps affecting a handful of people.
There is a wider problem here.
When someone has lost their employment and has no access to public funds, paying a solicitor simply to obtain an initial consultation can itself become a major barrier. Solicitors may require consultation fees simply to discuss the circumstances, answer questions and provide initial advice.
This creates a cruel situation:
The person cannot work because of their immigration position, cannot access public assistance because of their immigration conditions, may be at risk of homelessness, and then cannot easily obtain professional legal assistance because they cannot afford the fees.
The generation that arrived as children must not be forgotten
There is another uncomfortable truth that needs to be confronted within the Windrush community itself.
We are tired of seeing Windrush events and annual celebrations repeatedly focus on the achievements and sacrifices of the generation that arrived in Britain, while insufficient attention is given to the children who came with them, the children who were born here, and the generations that followed who have also built their entire lives in Britain.
The people who arrived in Britain did not simply exist as individuals.
They had children. Those children had children. Those families established homes, careers, relationships and communities in Britain.
Some of the people most affected by the consequences of Britain's immigration system today are precisely those who arrived as children or grew up as children and grandchildren of the Windrush generation.
They may have spent their formative years in Britain, attended British schools, worked in Britain and contributed to British society for decades. Yet many feel that their experiences are being overlooked.
We are particularly concerned about the role of organisations and leaders who have been placed in positions of responsibility to represent and support Windrush communities.
If these leaders claim to represent the community, they must represent the whole community — not only the generation that originally arrived.
There must be meaningful recognition and assistance for the children and descendants whose lives were also shaped by the Windrush migration and Britain's immigration policies.
Celebrating Windrush once a year is not enough.
We do not need another annual lunch, another speech about how remarkable the Windrush generation was, or another celebration of the contribution made decades ago while people from the subsequent generations are struggling today with the consequences of the same immigration system.
We need action.
The Windrush story did not end with the arrival of the first generation. It continued through their children and grandchildren.
If people who arrived in Britain as children are now adults in their 30s, 40s, 50s or beyond, and are still experiencing immigration insecurity, employment restrictions, NRPF, housing insecurity or difficulties proving their status, they are part of the Windrush story too.
Their experiences cannot continue to be ignored.
The Commonwealth relationship must be respected. Britain's relationship with the Commonwealth is not merely historical. Millions of people from Commonwealth countries have longstanding connections to Britain, and Black Commonwealth citizens have made an enormous contribution to British society.
The people affected by these policies are not simply statistics or immigration cases. They are workers, parents, grandparents, neighbours, carers, taxpayers, professionals and members of British communities.
Many have spent the overwhelming majority of their lives here. It is therefore deeply concerning when people who have lived in Britain for decades continue to face uncertainty about their right to remain, their right to work and their ability to support themselves and their families.
What we are calling for
We call on the Home Office and the UK Government to:
1. Establish an independent review of immigration policies and their racial impact.
This review should examine whether current and proposed immigration policies have disproportionate consequences for Black people, particularly Black Commonwealth citizens and long-term residents who arrived in Britain as children.
2. Guarantee a fairer route to permanent residence for people with long-term residence.
People who have lived in Britain for 10 years or more, particularly those who arrived as children and have established their lives here, should have access to a fair and realistic route to permanent status rather than being left in prolonged immigration insecurity.
3. Protect the right to work while genuine long-term residents await decisions.
People who have established their lives in Britain should not unnecessarily be prevented from supporting themselves while waiting for the Home Office to determine their immigration applications, particularly where delays or administrative problems are not their fault.
4. Review NRPF restrictions where they place long-term residents at risk of destitution.
No person who has spent decades contributing to British society should be pushed towards homelessness simply because immigration conditions prevent them from accessing the support available to others.
5. Introduce meaningful consultation with affected communities.
Black Commonwealth residents, Windrush descendants and people who arrived in Britain as children must have a genuine voice in the development and reform of immigration policies that directly affect their lives.
6. Ensure Windrush representation includes the generations that followed.
Windrush leadership and organisations must recognise and support not only the original generation but also the children and grandchildren whose lives were shaped by that migration and by Britain's immigration system.
This must stop
People who have lived in Britain for 10, 20 or more years should not be able to fall from being a worker and contributor to being unable to work, unable to access financial assistance and at risk of homelessness simply because of an unresolved immigration status issue.
We believe there must be a fairer system that recognises the reality of long-term residence, contribution and established lives in Britain.
We are calling for justice, compassion, equality and accountability.
The truth needs to be confronted, not hidden behind statistics, administrative language, annual celebrations or the suggestion that racism is a problem Britain has already solved.
Windrush did not end with the first generation.
The people who came as children, their children and their grandchildren are part of this story.
Their lives matter. Their experiences matter. Their contribution matters. And they deserve to be recognised, protected and supported.
Sign this petition and call on the UK Government to stop discriminatory outcomes against Black Commonwealth residents and to create an immigration system that treats long-term residents with fairness, dignity and humanity.
19
The Issue
This petition affects long-term Black Commonwealth residents and their families, particularly people from Commonwealth countries outside Europe who have made Britain their home, including people who arrived in the UK as children and have spent decades living, working and contributing to British society.
Some have lived in Britain lawfully for 10, 20 or even 30 years. They have built careers, paid taxes, raised families, obtained qualifications, rented or bought homes and contributed to their local communities. Many have become deeply rooted in British society and know no other home.
Yet people in this position can find themselves trapped in an immigration system where a change, delay or dispute over their immigration status can suddenly mean losing the right to work and being prevented from accessing public funds.
For someone who has spent 20 years building a life in Britain, this can be devastating. A person can lose their employment, lose their income, fall into rent arrears and face homelessness — while simultaneously being told that they cannot access the financial assistance that could prevent them from becoming destitute.
Even when people seek help, they can encounter a wall of “no recourse to public funds” restrictions. Adult social care, councils, housing services and other support systems may tell them that certain forms of assistance are unavailable because of their immigration conditions. This can extend to homelessness prevention, leaving people at risk of losing the very homes they have spent years maintaining.
This is not simply about newly arrived migrants. It is about people who have already spent a substantial part of their lives in Britain.
For those who arrived as children, the injustice can be particularly stark. They may have grown up in British schools, worked in British workplaces, paid into the British economy and built their entire adult lives here, only to find themselves unable to work or support themselves because of an immigration status problem.
The racial dimension cannot be ignored
We believe the Home Office must urgently examine whether immigration policies and their practical consequences are producing racial disparities, particularly for Black Commonwealth communities and other Black residents who have longstanding connections to Britain.
This is not an accusation that every immigration rule was deliberately written to target Black people. The issue is whether policies that appear neutral on paper can nevertheless have disproportionate consequences for particular racial or national communities.
Research from the University of Oxford's Migration Observatory has highlighted that discrimination experienced by migrants and ethnic minorities can be connected to race, nationality, ethnicity, language and other factors. Its research has also highlighted how immigration status and immigration controls can affect access to employment, housing, healthcare and other services.
The Migration Observatory has also documented how people can experience difficulties proving their right to live and work in the UK, with the consequences potentially affecting employment, housing and access to services.These issues deserve proper investigation rather than being dismissed as isolated administrative problems.
We cannot continue to tell ourselves that racism has disappeared simply because discriminatory language is no longer openly used in the way it once was. Indirect discrimination and disproportionate outcomes matter too.
We need to stop pretending this is an isolated problem
When people affected by this situation try to obtain legal help, they can discover something deeply troubling: immigration solicitors are already familiar with these circumstances.
When people describe being unable to work, having no access to public funds, facing homelessness and being caught in uncertainty over their immigration status, solicitors can recognise the situation because they have encountered similar cases before. In some cases, people are told that this is something that happens quite often.
If legal professionals are seeing these cases repeatedly, we need to stop pretending that these are isolated administrative mishaps affecting a handful of people.
There is a wider problem here.
When someone has lost their employment and has no access to public funds, paying a solicitor simply to obtain an initial consultation can itself become a major barrier. Solicitors may require consultation fees simply to discuss the circumstances, answer questions and provide initial advice.
This creates a cruel situation:
The person cannot work because of their immigration position, cannot access public assistance because of their immigration conditions, may be at risk of homelessness, and then cannot easily obtain professional legal assistance because they cannot afford the fees.
The generation that arrived as children must not be forgotten
There is another uncomfortable truth that needs to be confronted within the Windrush community itself.
We are tired of seeing Windrush events and annual celebrations repeatedly focus on the achievements and sacrifices of the generation that arrived in Britain, while insufficient attention is given to the children who came with them, the children who were born here, and the generations that followed who have also built their entire lives in Britain.
The people who arrived in Britain did not simply exist as individuals.
They had children. Those children had children. Those families established homes, careers, relationships and communities in Britain.
Some of the people most affected by the consequences of Britain's immigration system today are precisely those who arrived as children or grew up as children and grandchildren of the Windrush generation.
They may have spent their formative years in Britain, attended British schools, worked in Britain and contributed to British society for decades. Yet many feel that their experiences are being overlooked.
We are particularly concerned about the role of organisations and leaders who have been placed in positions of responsibility to represent and support Windrush communities.
If these leaders claim to represent the community, they must represent the whole community — not only the generation that originally arrived.
There must be meaningful recognition and assistance for the children and descendants whose lives were also shaped by the Windrush migration and Britain's immigration policies.
Celebrating Windrush once a year is not enough.
We do not need another annual lunch, another speech about how remarkable the Windrush generation was, or another celebration of the contribution made decades ago while people from the subsequent generations are struggling today with the consequences of the same immigration system.
We need action.
The Windrush story did not end with the arrival of the first generation. It continued through their children and grandchildren.
If people who arrived in Britain as children are now adults in their 30s, 40s, 50s or beyond, and are still experiencing immigration insecurity, employment restrictions, NRPF, housing insecurity or difficulties proving their status, they are part of the Windrush story too.
Their experiences cannot continue to be ignored.
The Commonwealth relationship must be respected. Britain's relationship with the Commonwealth is not merely historical. Millions of people from Commonwealth countries have longstanding connections to Britain, and Black Commonwealth citizens have made an enormous contribution to British society.
The people affected by these policies are not simply statistics or immigration cases. They are workers, parents, grandparents, neighbours, carers, taxpayers, professionals and members of British communities.
Many have spent the overwhelming majority of their lives here. It is therefore deeply concerning when people who have lived in Britain for decades continue to face uncertainty about their right to remain, their right to work and their ability to support themselves and their families.
What we are calling for
We call on the Home Office and the UK Government to:
1. Establish an independent review of immigration policies and their racial impact.
This review should examine whether current and proposed immigration policies have disproportionate consequences for Black people, particularly Black Commonwealth citizens and long-term residents who arrived in Britain as children.
2. Guarantee a fairer route to permanent residence for people with long-term residence.
People who have lived in Britain for 10 years or more, particularly those who arrived as children and have established their lives here, should have access to a fair and realistic route to permanent status rather than being left in prolonged immigration insecurity.
3. Protect the right to work while genuine long-term residents await decisions.
People who have established their lives in Britain should not unnecessarily be prevented from supporting themselves while waiting for the Home Office to determine their immigration applications, particularly where delays or administrative problems are not their fault.
4. Review NRPF restrictions where they place long-term residents at risk of destitution.
No person who has spent decades contributing to British society should be pushed towards homelessness simply because immigration conditions prevent them from accessing the support available to others.
5. Introduce meaningful consultation with affected communities.
Black Commonwealth residents, Windrush descendants and people who arrived in Britain as children must have a genuine voice in the development and reform of immigration policies that directly affect their lives.
6. Ensure Windrush representation includes the generations that followed.
Windrush leadership and organisations must recognise and support not only the original generation but also the children and grandchildren whose lives were shaped by that migration and by Britain's immigration system.
This must stop
People who have lived in Britain for 10, 20 or more years should not be able to fall from being a worker and contributor to being unable to work, unable to access financial assistance and at risk of homelessness simply because of an unresolved immigration status issue.
We believe there must be a fairer system that recognises the reality of long-term residence, contribution and established lives in Britain.
We are calling for justice, compassion, equality and accountability.
The truth needs to be confronted, not hidden behind statistics, administrative language, annual celebrations or the suggestion that racism is a problem Britain has already solved.
Windrush did not end with the first generation.
The people who came as children, their children and their grandchildren are part of this story.
Their lives matter. Their experiences matter. Their contribution matters. And they deserve to be recognised, protected and supported.
Sign this petition and call on the UK Government to stop discriminatory outcomes against Black Commonwealth residents and to create an immigration system that treats long-term residents with fairness, dignity and humanity.
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Petition created on 17 August 2026