New action on redress for postmasters affected by Post Office scandals
The UK Government announced new measures to resolve outstanding compensation schemes for postmasters harmed by the Horizon and Capture scandals, including new deadlines and independent reviews.
The Government has announced a new package of measures to provide pathways to conclusion for postmaster redress schemes, strengthen scrutiny and fairness, and investigate pre-Horizon software. The scandals caused significant harm to postmasters, many of whom endured financial, personal and reputational damage. Over £1.7 billion has been paid in compensation to over 14,000 affected individuals, with 87% of Horizon claims now settled. The Government emphasised its commitment to ensuring fair and timely redress for all those impacted.
New deadlines have been set for applications to the remaining redress schemes. The Capture Redress Scheme will close to new applications on 31 March 2027, while the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme will close to new submissions on 31 July 2027. These deadlines aim to provide a clear pathway to conclusion while allowing sufficient time for affected postmasters to apply. The Government stated that the deadlines are designed to balance finality with fairness.
New routes have been introduced to strengthen fairness in compensation offers under the Horizon Shortfalls Scheme (HSS). From later this month, an independent review process will begin for postmasters who were told there was insufficient evidence for a fixed-sum compensation offer. In November, a separate independent review will open for those who accepted fixed-sum offers but believe their claims were undervalued.
A new independent investigation into software used before Horizon has been confirmed. This follows a recommendation from the Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Select Committee. The investigation will establish a full understanding of other software applications and their potential impact, with evidence to inform any future considerations. The Government stated this step aims to ensure no aspect of the scandal is overlooked.