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Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry

Ongoing

Post Office Horizon Inquiry

Chair Sir Wyn Williams Judge / Judiciary
Established 01 Jun 2021
Commissioned by Department for Business and Trade Originally established under Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)

Public inquiry into the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, examining how more than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted based on faulty Fujitsu software between 1999 and 2015.

5 years Duration (ongoing)
£74.7m Total Cost
114 Witnesses
96 Hearing Days
303 Statements
Inquiry Website Terms of Reference
Government Response
Accepted 19
Accepted in Part 6
Not Accepted 1
Under Review 1
Total Recommendations 27
Data last updated: 2 Mar 2026 · Source
Data verified: 26 May 2026 (import)
How to read this

Government Response tracks what the government said it would do (accepted, rejected, etc.).

Full methodology

2 debates 26 questions since Jan 2022
Written Question Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry
Dr Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat)
11 Nov 2025
Written Question Fujitsu: Contracts
John Milne (Liberal Democrat)
13 Oct 2025
Written Question Fujitsu: Contracts
John Milne (Liberal Democrat)
13 Oct 2025
Hansard Debate Post Office Horizon Inquiry: Volume 1
17 Jul 2025
Written Question Procurement: Standards
Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour)
14 Jul 2025
View all 34 mentions →
All Activity (34)
Title Volume Publication Date Tracked recs Links
First Interim Report: Compensation - 17 Jul 2023 8
Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry: Final Report 1 08 Jul 2025 19
19 Feb 2020
Inquiry Established

Initially non-statutory inquiry established.

Source
01 Sep 2020
Chair Appointed

Sir Wyn Williams appointed as Chair.

01 Jun 2021
Converted to Statutory

Inquiry converted to statutory public inquiry with power to compel witnesses.

14 Feb 2022
Hearings Begin

Human impact hearings commenced.

15 May 2023
Phase 4 Hearings

Phase 4 examining Fujitsu's role began.

08 Jan 2024
Phase 6 Hearings

Phase 6 examining Post Office Ltd began.

13 May 2024
Phase 7 Hearings

Phase 7 examining Government, UKGI and Royal Mail Group.

30 Jun 2025
Final Report Expected

Chair Sir Wyn Williams expected to publish final report.

Source
Total Inquiry Cost (Cumulative) £74,726,556
to Mar 2025 Cumulative Total FY20-21 to FY24-25
Cost Breakdown (to Mar 2025)
Inquiry Legal Costs £24,455,048 Panel remuneration & Counsel to the Inquiry
Core Participant Legal Costs £15,904,255 Legal funding for core participants
Staff £4,915,306
Accommodation £8,851,979
Technology £4,092,512
Other £16,507,456
Total inquiry cost £74.73 million (to March 2025). Inquiry ongoing - report expected 2025. Category breakdown: inquiry_legal_costs = Chairman/Chair + Legal team + Counsel; staff_costs = Secretariat; accommodation_costs = Venue hire; technology_costs = Audio visual + Software/IT; other_costs = External document review lawyers + Expert witnesses + Other operational expenses.
Cost History
Period Total Inquiry Legal CP Legal Source
Mar 2025 £26,017,032 £8,738,949 £5,202,243
Mar 2025 (cum.) £74,726,556 £24,455,048 £15,904,255
Mar 2024 £26,770,510 £8,373,766 £6,150,587
Mar 2023 £18,491,383 £5,717,654 £3,905,857
Mar 2022 £3,087,287 £1,492,280 £645,569
Mar 2021 £360,345 £132,399 -
Clear

Recommendations (8)

POH-IR1-1
Accepted in Part
Allow Advisory Board to monitor individual compensation cases
Recommendation

The Horizon Compensation Advisory Board should not be prevented from monitoring individual cases in which compensation has been or is to be determined by paragraph 4 of its Terms of Reference.

Published evidence summary
- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation in part on 21 September 2023, confirming the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board would consider whether "full and fair compensation is being paid out to applicants" (Government response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry interim report, DBT, September 2023).
- The Horizon Compensation Advisory Board has published quarterly reports on its monitoring activities, including monitoring individual cases (Horizon Compensation Advisory Board published reports, ongoing).
- The Business and Trade Select Committee heard evidence confirming the Advisory Board was performing this monitoring function (Business and Trade Select Committee evidence session, January 2026).
Department for Business and Trade (Primary)
View Details
POH-IR1-2
Accepted
Publish Advisory Board meeting reports within 21 days
Recommendation

The Horizon Compensation Advisory Board shall produce written reports in respect of each of their meetings in relation to each of the 3 schemes and publish the same within 21 days of the date of each meeting.

Published evidence summary
- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation on 21 September 2023, confirming written reports were already being published and would be issued within a week of each meeting unless the Board agreed otherwise (Government response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry interim report, DBT, September 2023).
- The Horizon Compensation Advisory Board has published written reports for each of its meetings since this recommendation was made, available on GOV.UK (Horizon Compensation Advisory Board published reports, ongoing).
Department for Business and Trade (Primary)
View Details
POH-IR1-3
Accepted in Part
Make monitoring full and fair compensation a core Board duty
Recommendation

It must be one of the core duties of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board that it monitors whether compensation payments are full and fair.

Published evidence summary
- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation in part on 21 September 2023, endorsing the Board's view that it "would not be possible or advisable for us to intervene in individual cases" but confirming the Board's core duty to monitor whether compensation payments are fair and timely (Government response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry interim report, DBT, September 2023).
- The Horizon Compensation Advisory Board continues to monitor whether compensation payments are fair across all schemes (Horizon Compensation Advisory Board published reports, ongoing).
- The Business and Trade Select Committee heard evidence from the Advisory Board on its monitoring activities (Business and Trade Select Committee evidence session, January 2026).
Department for Business and Trade (Primary)
View Details
POH-IR1-4
Accepted
Increase Advisory Board membership if needed for capacity
Recommendation

If the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board considers it necessary, the number of persons appointed to the Board should be increased so as to ensure that the Board has sufficient capacity to perform the functions set out above.

Published evidence summary
- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation on 21 September 2023, committing to keep under review the case for expanding the Board in discussion with current members (Government response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry interim report, DBT, September 2023).
- The Horizon Compensation Advisory Board had not required expansion as of January 2026, and DBT confirmed it would keep the case under review (Horizon Compensation Advisory Board, January 2026).
Department for Business and Trade (Primary)
View Details
POH-IR1-5
Accepted
Seek court directions for GLO compensation in bankruptcy cases
Recommendation
DBT shall take such steps as are necessary within 28 days of the publication of this report to seek appropriate directions under section 306 of the Insolvency Act 1986 in respect of the dispute between Moore UK and the Department … Read more
Published evidence summary
- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation on 21 September 2023, instructing counsel to submit a court application under section 306 of the Insolvency Act 1986, with an expedited request (Government response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry interim report, DBT, September 2023).
- DBT successfully applied to court for the required direction, enabling GLO scheme claimants to participate in the compensation scheme (Horizon Compensation Advisory Board, January 2026).
Department for Business and Trade (Primary)
View Details
POH-IR1-6
Accepted
Publish proposals for equal tax treatment of compensation payments
Recommendation
DBT shall publish within 28 days of the publication of this report its proposals for ensuring that applicants to all schemes are treated equally and fairly in respect of liability to Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, and Inheritance Tax on … Read more
Published evidence summary
- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation on 21 September 2023, confirming that payments under the GLO scheme and overturned convictions were already exempt from Income Tax, National Insurance contributions and Capital Gains Tax (Government response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry interim report, DBT, September 2023).
- The Post Office Horizon Compensation and Infected Blood Interim Compensation Payment Schemes (Tax Exemptions and Relief) Regulations 2023 (SI 2023/184) provided the statutory basis for tax exemptions (SI 2023/184, 2023).
- The Post Office Horizon Shortfall Scheme and Group Litigation Order Compensation Payments (Inheritance Tax Relief) Regulations 2023 (SI 2023/1009) provided Inheritance Tax relief for compensation payments (SI 2023/1009, 2023).
Department for Business and Trade (Primary)
View Details
POH-IR1-7
Accepted in Part
Amend Limitation Act to extend GLO deadline if needed
Recommendation
HM Government shall bring forward as soon as possible legislation amending section 11(3)(a) of the Limitation Act 1980 to allow payments of compensation under the GLO scheme to be made to applicants after midnight on 7 August 2024 if that … Read more
Published evidence summary
- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation in principle on 21 September 2023, stating it was determined to deliver the GLO scheme by August 2024 and would consider bringing forward legislation if the deadline could not be met (Government response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry interim report, DBT, September 2023).
- The Post Office (Horizon System) Compensation Act 2024 (c. 1) received Royal Assent on 23 January 2024, establishing a statutory framework for the compensation schemes (Post Office (Horizon System) Compensation Act 2024).
- The Business and Trade Select Committee noted the Limitation Act amendment had not been brought forward as a standalone bill as originally recommended (Business and Trade Select Committee evidence session, January 2026).
- The GLO scheme continued operating beyond August 2024 without the specific Limitation Act amendment recommended.
Department for Business and Trade (Primary)
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POH-IR1-8
Accepted in Part
Set agreed closing date for Horizon Shortfall Scheme applications
Recommendation

No applications for compensation to the Horizon Shortfall Scheme shall be entertained after such date as shall be agreed by the Minister, the Department for Business and Trade, the Post Office and the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board.

Published evidence summary
- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation in part on 21 September 2023, committing to discuss and agree a closing date with the Post Office, with the Advisory Board consulted before any date was set (Government response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry interim report, DBT, September 2023).
- The HSS closing date was subsequently set as 31 January 2026, superseding this interim recommendation through the Volume 1 recommendation POH-15 (Government response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry report (volume 1), DBT, 9 October 2025).
- The HSS closed to new claims on 31 January 2026 as confirmed by the Business and Trade Select Committee (Business and Trade Select Committee evidence session, January 2026).
Department for Business and Trade (Primary)
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