UK Inquiry Tracker

Government compensation schemes: update

Public Accounts Committee Open Inquiry

Opened: 10 Jul 2025 Parliament page

When public bodies’ failures harm UK citizens, they should expect to be fairly and swiftly compensated. Failings in such schemes were identified in the PAC’s previous reports on the Windrush Compensation Scheme , Equitable Life and the British Steel Pension Scheme . In January 2024, the National Audit Office (NAO) … Read more When public bodies’ failures harm UK citizens, they should expect to be fairly and swiftly compensated. Failings in such schemes were identified in the PAC’s previous reports on the Windrush Compensation Scheme , Equitable Life and the British Steel Pension Scheme . In January 2024, the National Audit Office (NAO) agreed to the then-PAC Chair’s request that a thematic review be conducted of how government compensation schemes are designed and implemented, citing as examples the Windrush Compensation Scheme; compensation and restorative measures for LGBT veterans; the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme; and compensation for sub-postmasters affected by the Horizon scandal. The NAO’s subsequent report found that there is no central coordinated approach when government sets up new compensation schemes, which has resulted in a relatively slow, ad-hoc approach. There have been mistakes and inefficiencies in the design of schemes, and delays in getting money to claimants. It also highlighted the importance of work to minimise any re-traumatising effects of the compensation process on claimants. In 2026, the National Audit Office (NAO) publishes its latest report tracking progress on the case study schemes. Proceeding from the NAO’s findings in both of its reports, the PAC will take evidence from senior responsible government officials. The PAC’s inquiry will explore the challenges in planning and designing schemes across government, and how to address them to ensure such schemes are effective, timely, proportionate for those making a claim, and fair. If you have evidence on these issues, please submit here by 23:59 on Monday 16 March 2026. Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere. The Committee decides what information to publish and how. You can request anonymity or confidentiality when you send evidence, but it is for the Committee to say whether it will agree. It may treat submissions confidentially, even where you have not requested this. Please note that the Committee’s inquiry cannot assist with individual cases. If you need help with an individual problem you are having, you may wish to read the information on Parliament’s website about who you can contact with different issues. This inquiry will not look in detail at issues relating to individual compensation schemes. For further advice and guidance on such matters you may wish to contact: - Infected Blood Compensation Authority - Windrush Compensation Scheme - LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme - Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme - Information on Horizon compensation schemes - Your Member of Parliament Show less

1 Recommendation

28 Conclusions

1 Report

2 Oral sessions

8 Letters

2 Events

Activity timeline 11 events

10 Sep
2026

Correspondence

Open letter to the respondents of the Committee’s inquiry into ‘Government compensation schemes’, 9 September 2026

10 Sep
2026

Correspondence

Letter to the Minister for Veterans and People relating to Closure of the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme to new applications, 4 Septembe…

9 Sep
2026

Report published

12th Report - Government compensation schemes

6 Jul
2026

Correspondence

Letter from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority relating to Infected blood compensation scheme oral evidence session, 29 June 2027

29 Jun
2026

Correspondence

Letter from the Chief Operating Officer of the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary at the Cabinet Office relating to Compensation scheme …

29 Jun
2026

Correspondence

Letter from the Director, Post Office Policy at the Department for Business and Trade relating to Government compensation schemes: update o…

29 Jun
2026

Correspondence

Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business and Trade relating to further detail on outreach across the redress sche…

22 Jun
2026

Correspondence

Letter from the Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and Cabinet Office Permeant Secretary relating to Government compensation schemes evi…

4 Jun
2026

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

1 Jun
2026

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

1 Jun
2026

Correspondence

Letter from the Chief Executive Officer of Fighting With Pride relating to LGBT+ Financial Recognition Scheme, 20 May 2026

Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions

4 Jun 2026

View on parliament.uk

Carl Cresswell · Department for Business and Trade Carl Creswell · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Cat Little CB · Cabinet Office David Foley · Infected Blood Compensation Authority Gareth Davies CB · Department for Business and Trade Jeremy Pocklington CB · Ministry of Defence

1 Jun 2026

View on parliament.uk

Kate Burt · The Haemophilia Society Peter Gibson · Fighting with Pride Professor Jonathan Montgomery · University College London Professor Sir John Montgomery · University College London (UCL) Rev Clive Foster MBE · The Windrush Commissioner Rev Clive Foster MBE · The Windrush Commissioner Shaila Pal · Kings College London, Legal Clinic Shalia Pal · Kings College London, Legal Clinic Sir Alan Bates · Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
12th Report - Government compensation schemes	HC 88	9 Sep 2026	29	No response document linked

Recommendations & Conclusions

29 results

1 Conclusion

12th Report - Government compensat…

On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took oral...

On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took oral evidence from several public bodies administering compensation schemes – the Cabinet Office, the Home Office, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Department of Business & … Read more

HM Treasury

Government compensation schemes: update

Activity timeline 11 events

Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Recommendations & Conclusions

On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took oral...

Government compensation schemes are expected to provide people who have experienced harm, either directly or...

We also received written submissions from a range of different sources including voluntary sector organisations,...

By February 2026, the government had paid around £3.5 billion in total across the seven...

Some compensation schemes, such as the Windrush and some of the Horizon IT schemes, experienced...

There remains substantial variation across schemes in how long claims take to conclude, capacity for...

Most respondents to our survey reported feeling the scheme they had experience of felt unfair,...

We asked the departments whether they agreed that having the body that caused the original...

The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry led by Sir Wyn Williams recommended that the government...

We asked the Cabinet Office why there is still no permanent central body to oversee...

Officials from compensation schemes across government attend eight- weekly meetings of a cross-Whitehall network to...

We asked the Departments how they had learned lessons from what went wrong with earlier...

Sir Alan Bates told us of the importance of establishing an organisation that learns lessons...

We asked the Cabinet Office whether there should be a permanent body within government that...

The departments have not always launched schemes before gaining a clear understanding of issues facing...

Kate Burt, Chief Executive of the Haemophilia Society, told us that Government could have avoided...

We asked the departments whether they agree that there needs to be more co-design with...

The NAO’s report found that three schemes extended the time periods over which they are...

Peter Gibson, Chief Executive Officer of Fighting With Pride, expressed serious concern that government has...

We asked MoD why it has not written to all potentially eligible veterans through the...

Representatives of victims told us that prolonged delays in settling claims were unacceptable and had...

We asked the Departments why there is such substantial variation in the time taken to...

Compensation schemes often require claimants to provide extensive evidence to demonstrate their eligibility for the...

Sir Alan Bates told us that the Horizon schemes had become complex and legalistic in...

We also asked about differences between schemes in access to legal support.

Representatives of victims have expressed a need for greater transparency and clarity about how long...

Peter Gibson from Fighting With Pride told us that the MoD initially promised victims regular...

Our survey of individuals with experience of government compensation schemes found that two-thirds of people...

We asked the Departments what feedback they had received from victims about transparency during the...

Correspondence 8 letters