The Home Office has announced a further £3 million to help vulnerable and at-risk EU citizens apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).

The money will go to the network of grant funded organisations, which supports people across the UK in applying to the EUSS who have vulnerabilities such as language barriers or limited access to IT.

This funding boost means the Home Office has now made £25 million in funding available for the network since 2019, which includes charities, local authorities and community groups.

Having helped more than 360,000 individuals with applications to the scheme, Home Office funding for the network of 72 organisations will now continue until at least 31 March 2022.

This will ensure that provision remains in place for eligible EU citizens with reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline to access the support they need to make a late application.

According to statistics released today, the Home Office received more than 6.2 million applications to the EUSS by 30 September 2021, with 172,200 received since the 30 June 2021 deadline.

Minister for Future Borders and Immigration Kevin Foster said:

Supporting vulnerable EU citizens has been an important focus of our approach to the EU Settlement Scheme.

I am happy we are continuing to fund the network of 72 grant funded organisations so they can continue to provide such invaluable assistance and advice to vulnerable EU citizens and their families during the application process.   I encourage anyone who is eligible to make a late application to apply and join the millions who have been granted status, contacting any of the grant funded organisations if they need additional help.

This builds on a wide range of support available to EU citizens applying to the EUSS. This includes assisted digital locations across the UK which can support people who may not have the appropriate skills or access to apply online.

There are also more than 1,500 Home Office staff working on the EUSS with 250 Settlement Resolution Centre staff in place to provide assistance to applicants with any questions about the scheme or who need help applying.

The grant funded network supported by the Home Office includes charities, local authorities and local government associations based across the UK.

Paul Prosser, lead for NOAH Enterprise said:

NOAH Enterprise in Luton are passionate about making sure that vulnerable people can access the EUSS and secure their immigration status in the UK. We work with those who are the most deprived and experience real poverty and homelessness, some are suffering from mental ill health and exploitation from other people.

The Home Office funding has allowed us to dedicate specialist resources to find and meet individuals in need across Luton and deliver holistic and accessible support.

Chief Executive of Simon Community, Scotland, Lorraine McGrath said:

I am incredibly pleased to be able to continue to provide intensive specialised support to people affected by homelessness under the EU Settlement Scheme. Many vulnerable people need our support to establish their rights and achieve settled status.  This grant will enable us to continue to reach, engage and find quick resolutions for many of them.

Service Manager at Community Renewal Glasgow Suzanne Bell said:  

The Community Renewal Govanhill Roma team worked tirelessly to support as many community members as possible to attain EUSS status in time for the June 2021 deadline.

We are thankful that this funding will help us support those who may have understandably missed the deadline. Thanks to this funding we can support this community to settle in the place they have chosen to call home.

The SIA today (15 October 2021) published its interim update to the Manchester Arena Inquiry. The update outlines the SIA’s progress on 2 monitored recommendations made by the Inquiry.

The update, submitted by the SIA to the Inquiry on 30 September, has been published on the Manchester Arena Inquiry website and is now also available here on GOV.UK.

This follows the SIA’s statement in response to the Manchester Arena Inquiry Report, published in June.

The monument, which is backed by £1 million of government funding, will pay tribute to the dreams, ambition, courage and resilience of the Windrush pioneers who arrived in Britain after the Second World War and the generations that followed over the years.

The three figures – man, woman and child – dressed in their “Sunday best” are climbing a mountain of suitcases hand-in-hand, demonstrating the inseparable bond of the Windrush pioneers and their descendants and the aspirations of their generation.

The design will stand as a testament to those who landed in Britain to help rebuild the country, as well as to lay a foundation for their families and their future, influencing and contributing to every aspect of our society.

The announcement, which delivers on a manifesto commitment, comes as the nation celebrates Black History Month with events taking place up and down the country.

Communities Minister Kemi Badenoch MP said:

I want to congratulate Basil Watson on being selected to design the National Windrush Monument. The government is very pleased to be sponsoring this commemoration.

His design will celebrate and honour the contribution of the Windrush generation, right at the centre of our nation’s capital.

The Monument will become a permanent place of reflection and inspiration for all, reminding us of our shared history and heritage.

Chair of the Windrush Commemoration Committee Baroness Floella Benjamin DBE said:

I am thrilled to be able to reveal the final design of our National Windrush Monument, which so vividly captures the experiences of the Windrush generation and their descendants across the country.

It was empowering to see how Basil’s design deeply and emotionally effected so many – adults and children alike.

This Windrush Monument represents the past, present and future and I hope it will be the catalyst for other monuments commemorating the extraordinary contribution of the Windrush generation to this country.

Basil Watson said:

I’m truly honoured to be chosen to design this monument from an outstanding field of applicants.

I feel privileged that I now have this opportunity to express the aspirations, vision and courage of my parents, who took the long sea voyage to England in 1952 as part of that Windrush generation in search of a brighter future.

I look forward to bringing my design to life, because I know how much this means to the Windrush community.

His Excellency Seth George Ramocan CD, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom said:

It’s my delight to offer warmest congratulations to Basil Watson, for his dedication and vision in creating this superb design.

It is an honour to be a serving High Commissioner and to see this monument moving into place as a symbol of the great efforts and contributions of those that made their journey to the UK and their descendants.

This National Windrush Monument is a testament to the great contributions made by the Windrush generation – it echoes the energy and direction the community have in both paying tribute to those who made their first steps here and moving forward with all the energy and drive that they gave following generations.

Following a public engagement phase over the summer, the winning design was selected by the Windrush Commemoration Committee (WCC), chaired by Baroness Floella Benjamin DBE.

Sculptor and painter Basil Watson has designed public sculptures and monuments across the world including statues of Martin Luther King, Usain Bolt and Merlene Ottey. This will be his first public artwork in the United Kingdom, where he lived for part of his childhood with his family, who are part of the Windrush generation.

Basil, who was awarded the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) in 2016 by the Jamaican government in recognition of his artistic accomplishment, will now begin work to convert his maquette into the 12-foot-high bronze monument that will be unveiled to the public on Windrush Day – Wednesday 22 June 2022.

Hear Basil talking about his design concept in more detail

UP Projects was appointed to manage the selection process and make sure that the views of the Caribbean community in the UK were sought on what would represent a meaningful legacy.

A long list of 16 artists who matched the criteria of the artistic brief was put forward to the Windrush Commemoration Committee, chaired by Baroness Floella Benjamin DBE, who then chose a shortlist of four artists.

The shortlist of four artists in the running to design the Windrush Monument was revealed earlier in the year. Alongside Basil Watson, the list was made up of a mix of world-renowned, established and up-and coming artists working across the visual arts – all of whom are of Caribbean descent: Jeannette Ehlers, Thomas J Price and Valda Jackson.

Over the summer the public were invited to have their say on the artists’ proposals through an online survey. UP Projects’ team includes a Caribbean Networks Consultant and a Curator & Caribbean Community Engagement Consultant, who liaised with the Caribbean community as a major part of the public engagement strategy.

Basil Watson’s design received the most positive feedback from the online survey and focus groups which included individuals from a range of ages and locations. Their views were taken into consideration by the Windrush Commemoration Committee when they made their final selection.

The Monument is expected to be unveiled on Windrush Day 2022.

Windrush Monument

The Windrush Monument will be a permanent tribute to a generation of arrivals from the Caribbean to Britain – from the arrival of MV Empire Windrush in 1948 and in the decades that followed. 

It will recognise how the Windrush generation has enriched our nation’s history and made invaluable contributions to all aspects of British life, from our health and transport services to our politics, businesses, literature and culture.

London Waterloo station is strongly associated with the stories of many members of the Windrush generation. It stands at a point where thousands of Windrush pioneers first arrived in London before starting new lives across the UK.

The monument will be an ambitious public artwork that stands as a testament to the contribution of Caribbean pioneers in communities across the United Kingdom. It will create a permanent place of reflection and inspiration and be a visible statement of our shared history and heritage.

More information on selecting an artist for the Windrush monument

Over 250 international and British cultural leaders, curators and leaders in the Caribbean community were invited to nominate artists who have the ability and experience to create a significant civic monument. Over 100 artists were nominated, a quarter of whom were invited to express an interest. A longlist of artists, all of Caribbean heritage and many of whom have lived experience of the Windrush legacy, was then created.

The longlist comprised a rich and diverse range of 16 artists, all of Caribbean heritage, based internationally and in the UK, from London and from regional cities. The artists represented a range of artforms and approaches including multi-media installation, film, performance as well as sculpture, including Sonia Barrett, Christopher Cozier, Ebony G Patterson, Dominique White and Alberta Whittle.

Key facts and figures

1. DLUHC announced a £1 million budget towards a Windrush monument to be constructed within London Waterloo station.
2. The location within Waterloo station is on the upper concourse, adjacent to Victory Arch, Exit 5 of the station. The site is opposite Platform 19.
3. The Windrush generation has come to be defined as those people who emigrated from the Caribbean to Britain between the arrival of the MV Empire Windrush on 22 June 1948 and the Immigration Act 1971. The monument will be a tribute to them, their descendants and the wider British Caribbean community. 
4. UP Projects curates and commissions contemporary art in the public domain. Founded in 2002 by Emma Underhill, the charity’s mission is to support artists to make new work that has social relevance, encourages learning and enriches the public sphere. 
5. UP Projects makes work that is relevant to the places they work in and people that they work with. They take time to understand who their diverse audiences are, and what their needs and aspirations are. UP Projects works collaboratively with a broad range of both public and private-sector partners including major public bodies, significant cultural institutions, cultural festivals, and research and learning facilities. Collaboration is central to the work that UP Projects do and the way that they work.

Windrush Day

2019 saw the first national Windrush Day take place, with activities and events taking place up and down the country. Through educational workshops, theatre performances and historical exhibitions communities honoured that landmark day over 70 years ago when the Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks.

The government is committed to building on the success of Windrush Day 2019, 2020 and 2021, embedding 22 June in the national conscience, ensuring that we continue to honour and recognise the outstanding resilience, innovation and creativity of the Windrush generation and their descendants.

Photos – Credit: Basil Watson

More than £5.8 billion of foreign investment in green projects has been secured since the launch of the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan, along with at least 56,000 jobs in the UK’s clean industries, the government has set out today (Friday 15th October).

This major green investment boost, revealed in new data released by the Department for International Trade, helps to drive forward the Prime Minister’s ambitions to make the UK a global leader in green technology and finance. It includes more than £650 million in advancing offshore wind this year alone, supporting almost 3,600 jobs across the Humber and North-East and over £900 million in accelerating the shift to zero-emissions vehicles.

Envision AESC will invest over £400 million in battery manufacturing for example, as part of a £1 billion project with Nissan and Sunderland Council to create a flagship Electric Vehicle Hub. ENI Spa has invested more than £400 million in offshore wind.

UK and international investment has backed the vision of a Green Industrial Revolution since the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan was launched, with around 56,000 green jobs across the UK economy either already online or in the pipeline over the next decade – including in electric vehicle manufacturing in Sunderland, Hydrogen facilities in Teesside, and offshore wind in Northumberland, Yorkshire and Humber.

Next week’s Global Investment Summit in London is expected to attract almost 200 leading industry figures from around the world to invest in the best of UK green business and innovation. Securing private investment for clean technology is a core part of the government’s strategy to meet our world-leading emissions reductions targets over the next decade and achieve Net Zero by 2050.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

These new figures are yet more evidence that going green means creating high quality jobs across the United Kingdom.

We are at the forefront of seizing these new opportunities, supported by major government investment and a British zeal for innovation and commerce.

Since the launch of our Ten Point Plan businesses across the country have attracted international investment in the industries of the future, ensuring we build back better and greener.

International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

The UK is already one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world and the Global Investment Summit will build our reputation further as we bring the world’s top business names to our shores.

Inward investment helps level up the UK by making companies more profitable, which means they can invest back into local economies and create stronger supply chains, meaning more sustainable communities for the future.

Investment in new technologies and green innovation will also be vital as we make progress to net zero emissions, and delivering the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan.

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:

The UK is fully capitalising on the global green industrial revolution, showing the world how business and industry can remain competitive and attract international investment in this race to secure new green industries.

As we power on with our plan to back new British industries – from car battery makers to wind turbine designers – we are laying the foundations for a new era of green jobs and decades of economic growth to come.

This comes as the Prime Minister convenes a regional Cabinet in the South-West of England. Ministers are expected to discuss UK climate leadership ahead of COP26 in Glasgow in just over two weeks’ time, as well as the opportunities of the upcoming Net Zero Strategy for boosting jobs and investment.

Claudio Descalzi, chief executive of Eni, said:

Eni is strongly committed to the energy transition and we will reach net zero emissions by 2050, scope 1, 2 and 3, deploying existing technologies in areas such as carbon capture and storage, renewables, hydrogen, circular economy and sustainable mobility.

We’re developing breakthrough technological solutions, such as magnetic fusion. Our decarbonization strategy is therefore pragmatic and concrete, and we consider UK as a strategic country to invest in.

Lei Zhang, founder and chief executive of Envision Group, said:

Our mission is to be the net zero technology partner of choice for global enterprises, governments, and cities. We are delighted to work with Nissan and Sunderland City Council to drive carbon neutrality and zero-emission mobility, setting a new blueprint for the future of the automotive sector and creating the first EV hub in the UK.

The PM Ten Point Plan will mobilise £12 billion of government investment over the next decade to create and support up to 250,000 highly skilled green jobs in the UK – and unlock three times as much private sector investment by 2030. The government’s Net Zero Strategy will build on its progress and set out a clear path to net zero emissions by 2050.

Further progress since the Ten Point Plan includes:

• Securing around £1.5bn of investment into our offshore wind industry, supported by the government’s £160m scheme to upgrade ports and infrastructure. Renewables now represent almost 40% of the UK’s total electricity generation.
• Kicking off the biggest-ever round of our flagship renewable energy scheme for low carbon electricity (Contract for Difference) with £200 million for offshore wind projects and £24m for floating offshore wind.
• Publishing the Hydrogen Strategy to grow the UK hydrogen economy, consulting on design of the £240m Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, and announcing funding of seven real-world hydrogen transport pilots.
• Committing £20 million to increase on-street charge points for electric vehicles and providing £50m to support charge point installations.
• Publishing our Transport Decarbonisation Plan and National Bus Strategy, as well as supporting Coventry to become UK’s first all-electric bus city and consulting on world-leading pledge to end the sale of all new, polluting road vehicles by 2040 and net zero aviation emissions by 2050. This is on top of more than 300 new walking and cycling schemes.
• Providing £1 billion to upgrade schools, hospitals, and council buildings with energy efficiency measures and committing £222 million to upgrade socially rented homes. Local Authorities through the Green Homes Grant scheme have also started installing upgrades to around 50,000 low-income households.
• Announcing £19.5 million of grant funding for UK projects developing novel carbon capture technology and we have kicked off the process to decide the first carbon capture cluster locations in our industrial heartlands.
• Launching the floods investment programme that is on track to better protect 336,000 properties.
• Awarding 90 projects under the second round of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, totalling £80 million of investment, and launched several schemes under the Nature for Climate Fund to expand our pipeline of tree planting projects in England.
• Launching the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, providing funding for low-carbon technologies and systems across the areas of the 10 Point Plan.
• Publishing the recommendations of the Green Jobs Taskforce.
• Launching our North Sea Transition Deal and Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy.