Set deadline for HSS claims with guidance on late applications
No claims for financial redress under HSS shall be entertained after midnight 27 November 2025.
How was this assessed?
Response
Accepted in Part
Response
Accepted in PartDepartment for Business and Trade broadly accepts this recommendation. HSS closes to new claims on 31 January 2026. Post Office is sending reminder letters to outstanding claimants. DBT will publish guidance on exceptional cases that may miss the deadline, with specified criteria for consideration of late applications.
Progress Timeline
DBT broadly accepted this recommendation and agreed with the need for finality. The HSS was closed to new applications on 31 January 2026, with notice provided in advance of this date. The Post Office sent a reminder letter to claimants who had yet to respond, to reiterate the closure date. There may be some exceptional cases where claimants may have missed the deadline of 31 January for good reasons. DBT have worked with the Post Office to agree how to respond to applications received after the deadline. Guidance will be published shortly on the Post Office website for claimants.
Verification: Government published formal response to Volume 1 recommendations on 13 October 2025, accepting 17 of 18 recommendations. Total compensation paid across all schemes: £1.38 billion as of December 2025. Volume 2 of Final Report expected 2026.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of implementation progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Check the source type badge to see whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
Business and Trade Select Committee heard the HSS would close to new claims on 31 January 2026, a later date than specified in this recommendation. Over 4,000 claimants were still awaiting final settlement across all schemes as of January 2026.
View detailed findings
Business and Trade Committee held an evidence session on 6 January 2026 with witnesses from Fujitsu, the CCRC, DBT and MoJ. The CCRC revealed Horizon software may have been installed earlier than previously believed, potentially expanding the pool of eligible convictions. Over 4,000 claimants were still awaiting final settlement across all schemes at that date. Government accepted only 3 of 17 committee recommendations in full.