Post Office Horizon scandal: fast and fair redress

Business and Trade Committee Closed Non-inquiry session
Opened: 29 Oct 2024 Closed: 16 Dec 2025 Parliament page
We are running a short inquiry on financial redress in the Post Office Horizon scandal, focused on “fast and fair redress” for victims of what has been described as the biggest miscarriage of justice in UK history. In a scandal reaching back over two decades, postmasters who run individual post … Read more
17 Recommendations
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
16 Letters
2 Events
Activity timeline 23 events
15 Oct
2025
Correspondence
23 Jul
2025
Correspondence
15 Jul
2025
Correspondence
8 Jul
2025
Correspondence
12 Jun
2025
Report published
12 Jun
2025
Correspondence
6 May
2025
Correspondence
22 Apr
2025
Correspondence
10 Apr
2025
Correspondence
25 Mar
2025
Report published
25 Feb
2025
Correspondence
7 Jan
2025
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
19 Nov 2024
View on parliament.uk
BTC questions Government ministers on redress failures in “biggest miscarriage of justice in UK history”
Alan Watts · Herbert Smith Freehills Carl Creswell · Department for Business and Trade Ed Lidington · Ministry of Justice Gareth Thomas MP · Department for Business and Trade Heidi Alexander · Ministry of Justice Mark Chesher · Addleshaw Goddard Nigel Railton · Post Office Ltd Rob Francis · Dentons Simon Recaldin · Post Office
5 Nov 2024
View on parliament.uk
David Enright · Howe & Co Solicitors Dewi Lewis Dr Neil Hudgell · Hudgell Solicitors James Hartley · Freeths Jill Donnison Sir Alan Bates · Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance The Rt. Hon. Sir Gary Hickinbottom PC · Post Office Overturned Convictions Independent Pecuniary Assessment Panel
Title HC No. Published Items Response
1st Report - Post Office and Horizon scandal redress: Unfinished… HC 341 1 Jan 2025 17 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
17 results
1 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Remove Post Office Ltd entirely from administering the Horizon Shortfall Scheme.
Despite repeated criticism from this Committee, Post Office Ltd is still in charge of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. While the Committee welcomes that the appeals process will be administered by the Department for Business and Trade, swift action must be … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted, confirming the Department for Business and Trade will take over the Overturned Convictions scheme from 3 June. For the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS), they will decide on taking over administration in Spring 2025 but will ensure the Post Office takes swift action on fixed sum offers and provides updates in the interim.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
2 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Transfer complex Horizon Shortfall Scheme claims to the Department for Business and Trade.
If the Government is not able to do this for all claims in a timely way, Post Office Ltd must in the first instance transfer complex cases—that is, cases that are going through full assessment—for the Department to administer. For … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted, confirming the Department for Business and Trade will take over the Overturned Convictions scheme from 3 June. For the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS), they will decide on taking over complex cases in Spring 2025 but will ensure the Post Office takes swift action on fixed sum offers, automating processing, and provides regular updates.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
3 Recommendation Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Provide Horizon Shortfall Scheme claimants with access to no-cost legal advice.
Horizon Shortfall Scheme claimants currently receive no legal advice to help complete the complex questionnaire that acts as the gateway to the scheme. This acts against them receiving the full redress they are due. We recommend HSS claimants be given … Read more
Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation, stating the HSS was designed for claimants to apply without legal input, though funding is available for advice on offers and future appeals. They acknowledge original complexity and are considering further initial support.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
4 Recommendation Accepted
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Instruct Post Office Ltd and Herbert Smith Freehills to simplify and accelerate claims settlement.
The gold-plated legalistic process of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme is not best value for the public purse. The Government should therefore ensure that Herbert Smith Freehills and Post Office Ltd are instructed to use best endeavours to simplify and accelerate … Read more
Government Response
The government agreed with the recommendation, stating they have already advised the Post Office and HSF to simplify and accelerate claims and continue to reiterate this importance through governance.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
5 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Resource the Horizon Shortfall Scheme Independent Panel to meet full-time.
The Committee has learned that it will take around 18 months for the Independent Panel to assess outstanding claims on the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. We have also learned that the Post Office are expecting thousands 24 of new cases to … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted the recommendation, stating the Post Office is increasing Independent Panel resources to reflect the workload and streamlining all parts of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme process, including increasing operational resources, to accelerate redress.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
6 Recommendation Accepted
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Establish an empowered case facilitator role for Horizon Shortfall Scheme claimants.
Claimants under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme lack the same access to authoritative facilitation and case management direction available to claimants in other schemes. This can be remedied by introducing an empowered case facilitator similar to the role played by the … Read more
Government Response
The government accepted the recommendation, stating the Post Office is committed to exploring the appointment of a case manager for the HSS, and the government will appoint one for the HSS Appeals process and remaining HSS Dispute Resolution Process cases.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
7 Recommendation Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Establish an independent case facilitator and set 20-day limit for information requests.
The Department should work with Post Office Ltd and claimants’ representatives to establish an independent case facilitator with a defined role in assessing whether it is reasonable to subject a claim’s basis of calculation to further scrutiny through requests for … Read more
Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation, stating that setting deadlines for RFIs is not in claimants' best interest and a case facilitator would add unacceptable time and cost. They will, however, reinforce timely RFI delivery in reviews.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
8 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Establish independent facilitator to assess reasonableness of Horizon Shortfall Scheme information requests.
Requests for information under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme should only be made where it is deemed reasonable to increase the offer value to claimants, or in the rare instance where there may be reasonable concern about a claim’s basis of … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted the recommendation, agreeing that requests for information (RFIs) aim to increase compensation and will work with the Post Office to ensure they are necessary and handled sensitively, accommodating evidential difficulties. They did not commit to making offers at or above the top-end of indicative limits, but states DBT ensures a fair and consistent approach, and an appeals process is being established.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
9 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Direct disputed Horizon Shortfall Scheme first offers to external mediation, bypassing the Panel.
The Independent Panel on the Horizon Shortfall Scheme is already backlogged. To keep cases moving, disputed first offers to claimants must not be reassessed by the Independent Panel but instead move straight into external mediation. (Recommendation, Paragraph 36) Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, agreeing to internal reassessment by the Post Office where possible, aiming for bilateral settlements, with claimants retaining the option for independent mediation if no agreement is reached.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
10 Recommendation Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Introduce binding timeframes for each stage of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme process.
Sub-postmasters should not be left in limbo, waiting years for the redress that they are due with no light at the end of the tunnel. Ongoing delays are unacceptable and action must be taken to rectify this. The Committee reiterates … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation for binding timeframes, stating that the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board believes they would not speed up claims, and instead outlines various practical actions it is taking to make the scheme more efficient.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
11 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Introduce binding timeframes for Group Litigation Order claims, with financial penalties for delays.
The Committee welcomes that the majority of first offers for the Group Litigation Order Scheme will be complete by March 2025. This, however, does not address the time it takes between first offer and final payment. Sub-postmasters have waited long … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, committing to make redress offers for 90% of completed claims within 40 working days and aiming to pay substantial redress to the majority of GLO members by 31 March, but does not commit to binding timeframes with financial penalties.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
12 Recommendation Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Grant Independent Reviewer greater powers to case manage Group Litigation Order claims.
It is disappointing that the Department does not believe the Independent Reviewer should be given a greater role in the Group Litigation Order Scheme, despite the former Post Office Minister confessing that it was a mistake not to do so. … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation, stating that Dentons already provide case management for the GLO scheme and Sir Ross Cranston's distinct role as Reviewer is focused on scheme principles and fairness, with limited time commitment due to other responsibilities.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
13 Recommendation Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Ensure Group Litigation Order claimant offers are at or above top-end redress bands.
The Department should ensure that offers to claimants are delivered at or above the top-end of the illustrative redress bands and guidance established under the guidance and principles of the Group Litigation Order scheme. Further requests for information should only … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation, arguing that adding an additional layer of governance for information requests would exacerbate delays, though it acknowledges RFIs should aim to increase offers and be made early.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
14 Recommendation Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Require plan to notify all eligible postmasters and provide monthly Horizon redress scheme data.
While it is reassuring that the Government have put a timeframe on completing eligibility checks, we are concerned that some individuals may never know of their right to redress. The lack of data published means it is difficult for the … Read more
Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation. They stated that individuals have already been notified since July 2024, and monthly data for England and Wales is already published online. Notification and data publication for Scotland and Northern Ireland are responsibilities of the respective devolved governments.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
15 Recommendation Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Ensure Horizon Conviction Redress Scheme full assessments never offer less than fixed-sum.
The Department should act swiftly to remove the fear factor from the Horizon Conviction Redress Scheme, ensuring that the redress offered under a full assessment settlement is never valued at below the optional fixed- sum redress which was initially available … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation, detailing its current approach which includes funding legal advice and preliminary payments, and encourages claimants to pursue detailed assessments if their losses exceed the £600k fixed sum.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
16 Recommendation Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Introduce binding timeframes and financial penalties for Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme administrators.
The Government must introduce binding timeframes for administrators at each stage of the process under the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme, with financial penalties awarded to the claimant if these deadlines are not met. As with the Horizon Shortfall Scheme and … Read more
Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation to introduce binding timeframes with financial penalties for administrators in the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme, referencing reasons provided in their response to recommendation 11.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
17 Recommendation Accepted
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Publish clear, regular transparency report detailing external legal costs across all redress schemes.
The Department should publish a regular transparency report detailing external legal costs incurred under all schemes. It is important that the report is produced in a manner that minimises the potential for wider confusion about the basis under which legal … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to publishing a quarterly transparency report detailing external legal costs on gov.uk, building on previous updates provided to the Committee.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 17 of 17 classified
Accepted 3
Accepted in Part 6
Rejected 8
Total 17 recs
Correspondence 16 letters
15 Oct 2025 To committee Letter from Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation relating to the Department's response to Vol.1 of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Report, 9 October 2025
Parliament page
23 Jul 2025 To committee Letter from the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to the performance of the Horizon redress schemes, 21 July 2025
Parliament page
15 Jul 2025 To committee Letter from the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to the publication of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Report, 8 July 2025
Parliament page
8 Jul 2025 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State relating to publication of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry’s final report volume one, 8 July 2025
Parliament page
12 Jun 2025 From committee Letter to the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to improving the Post Office Horizon redress process, 10 June 2025
Parliament page
6 May 2025 To committee Letter from the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to an update on correspondence, 22 April 2025
Parliament page
22 Apr 2025 To committee Letter from the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to HSS appeals process update, 8 April 2025
Parliament page
10 Apr 2025 From committee Letter to the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to Post Office Horizon redress schemes, 10 April 2025
Parliament page
25 Feb 2025 To committee Letter from the Post Office relating to the Committee's first report of session on the Post Office and Horizon Scandal Redress, 11 February 2025
Parliament page
7 Jan 2025 To committee Letter from the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to and update on Post Office Horizon redress and costs, 19 December 2024
Parliament page
7 Jan 2025 To committee Letter from the Director of the Courts, Criminal and Family Justice Directorate relating to data correction from Post Office evidence session, 20 December 2024
Parliament page
7 Jan 2025 To committee Letter from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP relating to Post Office redress, 17 December 2024
Parliament page
10 Dec 2024 To committee Letter from the Remediation Unit Director at the Post Office relating to issues raised in Committee session, 2 December 2024
Parliament page
19 Nov 2024 To committee Letter from the Interim Chair of the Post Office relating to the future of the Post Office, 13 November 2024
Parliament page
30 Oct 2024 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State relating to the launch of the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme, 30 July 2024
Parliament page
30 Oct 2024 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State relating to Post Office Horizon compensation, 9 September 2024
Parliament page