29 March 2026 | The Gurkha Centre | Hayes | By Hari Bhandari
The Gurkha Centre is proud to announce the launch of its new advocacy initiative, “Gurkha Justice: Immigration and Welfare.” This campaign seeks to address the ongoing structural inequalities and historic injustices experienced by Gurkha veterans, their widows, and families across the United Kingdom.
Background and Context
For decades, Gurkha soldiers have served the United Kingdom with unwavering loyalty, dedication, and sacrifice. However, a significant number of veterans and their families continue to experience disproportionate disadvantage arising from historic immigration policies and systemic barriers.
Evidence from frontline casework and community engagement highlights persistent challenges, including:
- Family separation due to restrictive immigration rules
- Limited access to welfare entitlements linked to eligibility and documentation barriers
- Poor housing conditions among older veterans
- Language and literacy barriers impacting access to health and social care services
- Social isolation and marginalisation, particularly among widows and elderly individuals
These issues are not isolated but reflect broader structural inequities that require urgent and coordinated intervention.
A Human Rights and Social Justice Issue
The right to family life is a fundamental human right. Yet, many Gurkha families remain divided across borders, often for prolonged periods, due to policy constraints and unresolved historical disparities.
At the same time, older Gurkha veterans residing in the UK are frequently living in conditions that fall below acceptable standards of dignity and wellbeing. This raises critical questions about equity, inclusion, and the moral responsibility owed to those who have served the Crown.
Campaign Objectives
The Gurkha Justice: Immigration and Welfare campaign aims to:
- Advocate for fair and proportionate immigration policies that uphold the right to family unity
- Promote equitable access to welfare, housing, health, and social care services
- Amplify the lived experiences and voices of Gurkha veterans, widows, and families
- Influence policy reform through evidence-based research and community engagement
- Strengthen cross-sector partnerships to address systemic barriers
Our Approach
This campaign will adopt a multi-level strategy, combining:
- Grassroots engagement through community meetings, focus groups, and case studies
- Research and evidence generation, aligned with ongoing academic work and lived experience narratives
- Policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement with local authorities, NHS partners, and central government
- Public awareness and community mobilisation to ensure these issues are visible and acted upon
A Call to Action
This campaign is not only about raising awareness but about achieving meaningful and lasting change.
We invite policymakers, practitioners, legal professionals, researchers, and community members to join us in this collective effort. By working together, we can ensure that the voices of Gurkha veterans, widows, and families are heard, respected, and translated into action.
Conclusion
The Gurkha Centre remains committed to advancing justice, dignity, and equality for the communities we serve. The launch of this campaign marks a critical step towards addressing long-standing inequities and building a more inclusive and fair system for all.
Together, we stand for justice. Together, we work for change.
