Horizon Scandal Redress: Government Response Under Scrutiny

The Bench Report

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-13:25

Horizon Scandal Redress: Government Response Under Scrutiny

Over 4,000 claimants are still waiting to settle their claims.

May 01, 2025

Transcript

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the extended shownotes for our podcast episode on the ongoing Post Office Horizon scandal. We look at a critical report by the Business and Trade Committee (BTC) that examines the Government's response to compensating the thousands of sub-postmasters wrongly accused due to the faulty Horizon IT system. It's a story of significant delays and a feeling among those affected that the fight for justice continues.

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The Government's handling of the Post Office Horizon redress schemes:

The Business and Trade Committee has recently released its Fourth Report, scrutinizing how the Government has responded to their earlier recommendations on accelerating redress payments to the over 4,000 individuals still waiting for settlement. While the Committee acknowledges some progress, particularly the increase in payment amounts and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) taking over responsibility for overturned conviction redress, they express significant disappointment that only three out of their seventeen recommendations aimed at speeding up the process have been fully accepted by the Government.

A major concern highlighted in the report is the continued delays in providing redress, which the Committee emphasizes has a "considerable" human cost. Claimants feel that the "redress process is akin to a second trial," adding to their distress. Although the Committee welcomes the full funding of the schemes, they stress that the actual payment processes are still far too slow.

A central point of contention remains the involvement of Post Office Ltd in administering the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS). The Committee strongly believes that Post Office Ltd, the very organisation at the heart of the scandal, should not be in charge of deciding the financial redress owed to victims. They reiterate their view that it was a "mistake" for the Government not to transfer the administration of the HSS to the DBT. While the Government has agreed to take over responsibility for overturned convictions redress from June 2025, they have only partially accepted recommendations regarding the HSS, citing potential disruption as a reason for not fully transferring its administration.

The Committee also strongly advocates for upfront, no-cost legal advice for HSS claimants to help them navigate the "complex questionnaire" and ensure they receive fair compensation. The Government has rejected this, arguing that the HSS was designed to be accessible without legal input. However, the Committee believes this lack of early legal support contributes significantly to delays and burdens for claimants.

Concerns are also raised about the speed and efficiency of the redress schemes. The Committee is worried about the 18-month timeframe for the Independent Panel to assess outstanding HSS claims and suggests that the Panel should be resourced to work full-time. While the Government points to the £75,000 fixed sum offer as having an impact, they only partially agreed to fully resourcing the panel. The Committee also criticizes the "gold-plated legalistic process" of the HSS and urges the Government to simplify settlements.

To improve case management, the Committee recommended an empowered case facilitator for the HSS, similar to that for Overturned Convictions. The Government accepted this for the HSS Appeals process and remaining dispute resolution cases. However, recommendations regarding the reasonableness and timelines of Requests for Information (RFIs) were largely rejected.

The Committee also suggests that disputed first offers in the HSS should go directly to external mediation rather than internal reassessment. The Government only partially accepted this, stating that internal reassessment by the Post Office will occur where possible first. Furthermore, the Committee strongly called for binding timeframes at each stage of all redress schemes, with financial penalties for non-compliance, a recommendation consistently rejected by the Government.

Regarding the Group Litigation Order (GLO) Scheme, while progress on first offers is noted, the Committee reiterates concerns about the time for final payments and the lack of a greater case management role for the Independent Reviewer (Sir Ross Cranston). These recommendations were largely not accepted by the Government. Similar to the HSS, the Committee's suggestions on offer amounts and RFIs for the GLO scheme were also not taken up.

For the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS), the Committee is concerned about ensuring all eligible individuals are aware of their right to redress and calls for a better notification plan and more detailed data. These recommendations were also rejected, although the Government agreed to publish regular transparency reports on external legal costs across all schemes.

Key Takeaways:

Over 4,000 claimants are still awaiting settlement for the Post Office Horizon scandal.
The Business and Trade Committee is "disappointed" that the Government has only fully accepted three out of seventeen recommendations to speed up redress payments.
A key point of contention is the continued involvement of Post Office Ltd in administering the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS).
The Committee believes that the lack of upfront legal advice for HSS claimants is a significant problem.
There are concerns about the slow pace and complexity of the various redress schemes, particularly the HSS.
The Committee has called for binding timeframes for all schemes, a recommendation the Government has consistently rejected.

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Glossary of Key Terms

Redress: Compensation or remedies provided to victims of a wrong or injustice. In this context, financial payments and other forms of support for sub-postmasters affected by the Horizon scandal.
Claimants: Individuals who have submitted a claim for compensation under one of the Post Office Horizon redress schemes.
Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS): One of the schemes established to provide financial redress to sub-postmasters who experienced shortfalls in their accounts that they believe were caused by the Horizon IT system but who were not convicted of a crime.
Group Litigation Order (GLO) Scheme: A redress scheme for sub-postmasters who were part of the original Bates v Post Office group litigation.

Parliamentary Sources

Post Office Horizon scandal redress: Unfinished business: Government response

Questions and Answers

Why is the Business and Trade Committee critical of the Government's response? The Committee is critical because the Government has not fully accepted most of their recommendations aimed at accelerating and improving the fairness of the redress schemes, leading to continued delays and hardship for claimants.

What is the main issue with the Horizon Shortfall Scheme according to the Committee? The continued involvement of Post Office Ltd in administering the scheme is a major concern, as the Committee believes the Post Office should not be in charge of deciding compensation for a scandal they were responsible for.

What does the Committee recommend regarding legal advice for HSS claimants? The Committee strongly recommends that HSS claimants should be provided with no-cost legal advice from the outset to help them navigate the complex application process.

Has the Government agreed to any of the Committee's recommendations? Yes, the Government has fully accepted three recommendations, including providing authoritative facilitation and case management for HSS claimants (specifically for appeals and remaining dispute resolution cases) and publishing regular transparency reports on external legal costs.

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What you can do.

If you or someone you know has been affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal and is waiting for redress, it's crucial to stay informed about the progress of the various schemes. Keep up to date with reports from parliamentary committees and news coverage. If you are part of a redress scheme, ensure you understand the process and seek any legal support available to you when offers are made.

Lost Chances also go in touch with us via social media when they heard the original podcast. They are a group represents the adult children of former SubPostmasters caught up in the Post Office Scandal.

You can follow them on X and BlueSky.