Over 2,000 individuals affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal have the opportunity to appeal the financial compensation they received, if they feel it was insufficient, via a newly established independent process.
The government has announced that any of the 2,228 former Post Office branch workers who have previously settled through the Horizon Shortfalls Scheme (HSS) can contest their settlements if they believe those settlements do not accurately represent their losses and suffering. The HSS was initiated following a 2018/19 High Court case that revealed the unexplained accounting shortfalls—which subpostmasters were held responsible for—were actually due to errors in the Horizon computer system utilized by the branches.
The HSS is specifically intended for former subpostmasters who were not convicted of any crimes but suffered financial losses due to repaying the Post Office for discrepancies they were wrongfully accused of. So far, it has compensated 2,280 individuals with a total payout of £144 million, including interim payments. However, many victims feel they were pressured into accepting settlements prematurely. To date, the government has received 3,930 applications for the HSS, with 2,262 (57%) accepting full and final payments exceeding £90 million in total.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) stated, “This new appeals process will allow postmasters who believe their financial settlements do not adequately reflect the extent of their losses and trauma to apply for an independent review.” Post Office minister Gareth Thomas emphasized, “This new appeals mechanism will enable subpostmasters to have their settlements independently assessed by my department.”
This appeals process has been introduced in response to feedback from an independent advisory board set up to oversee the financial redress for victims of the Horizon scandal. Advisory board members, including peers Kevan Jones and James Arbuthnot, have long advocated for subpostmasters and expressed concerns that the initial scheme did not allow claimants to present their full cases when it launched in 2020.
“The appeals process will give postmasters the chance to have their claims reassessed using newly provided information,” noted the DBT. Arbuthnot pointed out that in the early stages of the HSS, the government adopted a more aggressive negotiation strategy, leading some subpostmasters to accept lower settlements than they might today. He stated, “It is only fair that subpostmasters are treated equitably in determining their compensation. Therefore, having an independent appeals mechanism is essential for ensuring fairness and credibility in the process.”
Jo Hamilton, a former subpostmistress wrongfully convicted of false accounting, welcomed the news for those who had settled early in the HSS, urging a review of all settlements within the scheme. In addition to the HSS and the redress process for the wrongfully convicted, there is another scheme for subpostmasters who succeeded against the Post Office during the High Court group litigation order (GLO) in 2018/19.
Sir Alan Bates, a former subpostmaster and key campaigner against the Post Office, acknowledged that any efforts to help victims receive fair compensation are positive but criticized the government for only addressing surface issues, such as the limited number of GLO group members who have received full and fair redress. He emphasized that the achievement would not have been possible without the relentless efforts of the 555 members of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, who played a crucial role in exposing the Post Office scandal.
The scandal first came to light in 2009, when Computer Weekly reported on the harrowing experiences of seven subpostmasters, including Alan Bates, who faced significant problems due to faulty accounting software. This situation stands as one of the most significant miscarriages of justice in British history.
• Also read: What you need to know about the Horizon scandal •
• Also watch: ITV’s documentary – Mr Bates vs The Post Office: The real story •