Public Inquiry Recommendations

P2-36 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Provide firefighters with digital radios

That all fire and rescue services give consideration to providing all firefighters with digital radios. (113.60)

- NFCC accepted this recommendation on behalf of all fire and rescue services in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, …

P2-37 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Train firefighters on communications loss response

Since radio communications are inherently unreliable in certain environments, we recommend that firefighters be trained to respond appropriately to the loss of communications and to understand how to restore them. …

- NFCC accepted this recommendation on behalf of all fire and rescue services in February 2025, having reviewed national operational guidance content (Government Response to …

P2-38 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Provide water supply system training to all firefighters

That basic training on the structure and operation of the water supply system, including the different types of hydrants in use and their functions, be given to all firefighters. Training …

- NFCC accepted this recommendation on behalf of all fire and rescue services in February 2025, having reviewed national operational guidance on water supply training …

P2-39 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Establish water undertaker communication protocols

That all fire and rescue services establish and periodically review an agreed protocol with the statutory water undertakers in their areas to enable effective communication between them in relation to …

- NFCC accepted this recommendation on behalf of all fire and rescue services in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, …

P2-40 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Amend BS 750 for flow coefficient measurement

That the British Standards Institution amend BS 750 to include a description of the circumstances under which the flow coefficient to which it refers in paragraph 10.2 is to be …

- The British Standards Institution accepted this recommendation in February 2025, committing to amend BS 750 to include circumstances for flow coefficient measurement (Government Response …

P2-41 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Consider guidance on firefighter initiative deviations

That National Fire Chiefs Council consider whether, and if so in what circumstances, firefighters should be discouraged from departing from their instructions on their own initiative and provide appropriate training …

- NFCC accepted this recommendation in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, MHCLG, February 2025). - The government's annual report …

P2-42 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Review Civil Contingencies Act intervention powers

That the [Civil Contingencies] Act [2004] be reviewed and consideration be given to granting a designated Secretary of State the power to carry out the functions of a Category 1 …

- The government accepted this recommendation in February 2025, with the Cabinet Office committed to reviewing statutory intervention powers under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 …

P2-43 Accepted in Part

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Require voluntary sector partnerships in contingency planning

Regulation 23 of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Contingency Planning) Regulations 2005 requires a Category 1 responder to have regard when making its plans to the activities of relevant voluntary …

- The government accepted this recommendation in principle in February 2025, acknowledging the vital role of the voluntary, community and faith sector in resilience (Government …

P2-44 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Consolidate and update emergency preparedness guidance

The current guidance on preparing for emergencies is contained in several documents, all of which are unduly long and in some respects out of date. We recommend that the guidance …

- The government accepted this recommendation in February 2025, committing to factor it into the outcomes of the resilience review (Government Response to Grenfell Tower …

P2-45 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Add humanitarian considerations as ninth response principle

That regard for humanitarian considerations be expressly recognised by making it the ninth principle of effective response and recovery. (113.69)

- The government accepted this recommendation in February 2025, committing to factor it into the resilience review outcomes (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase …

P2-46 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Revise London Gold arrangements guidance

Events demonstrated, however, that there is a need for a clearer understanding of the nature of the London Gold arrangements, in particular in situations in which a single borough is …

- The government expressed support for this recommendation directed at London local authorities in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, …

P2-47 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Local resilience forums to adopt national standards

That local resilience forums adopt national standards to ensure effective training, preparation and planning for emergencies and adopt independent auditing schemes to identify deficiencies and secure compliance. (113.71)

- The government accepted this recommendation in February 2025, committing to refine National Resilience Standards for Local Resilience Forums (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry …

P2-48 Accepted in Part

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Verify training quality of Category 1 responders

That a mechanism be introduced for independently verifying the frequency and quality of training provided by local authorities and other Category 1 responders. (113.71)

- The government accepted this recommendation in principle in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, MHCLG, February 2025). - The …

P2-49 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Train all local authority employees on resilience

That local authorities train all their employees, including chief executives, to regard resilience as an integral part of their responsibilities. (113.73)

- The government expressed support for this recommendation directed at local authorities in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, MHCLG, …

P2-50 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Devise displaced person information recording methods

RBKC had no effective means of collecting and recording information about those who had been displaced from the tower and surrounding buildings, including those who were missing. Compiling reliable information …

- The government expressed support for this recommendation directed at local authorities in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, MHCLG, …

P2-51 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Arrange emergency temporary accommodation provision

That all local authorities make such arrangements as are reasonably practicable for enabling them to place people in temporary accommodation at short notice and in ways that meet their personal, …

- The government expressed support for this recommendation directed at local authorities in February 2025, noting existing legal obligations under the Housing Act 1996 (Government …

P2-52 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Include financial assistance in contingency plans

That all local authorities include in their contingency plans arrangements for providing immediate financial assistance to people affected by an emergency. (113.76)

- The government expressed support for this recommendation directed at local authorities in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, MHCLG, …

P2-53 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Plan for key worker availability in emergencies

That as part of their planning for emergencies local authorities give detailed consideration to the availability of key workers and the role they are expected to play so that suitable …

- The government expressed support for this recommendation directed at local authorities in February 2025, noting it refers to social workers (Government Response to Grenfell …

P2-54 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Establish effective emergency communication methods

That as part of their emergency planning local authorities make effective arrangements for continuing communication with those who need assistance using the most suitable technology and a range of languages …

- The government expressed support for this recommendation directed at local authorities in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, MHCLG, …

P2-55 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Use modern communication for public emergency information

That all local authorities include in their plans for responding to emergencies arrangements for providing information to the public by whatever combination of modern methods of communication are likely to …

- The government expressed support for this recommendation directed at local authorities in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, MHCLG, …

P2-56 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Clarify casualty bureau purpose and limitations

That what in the past has been called by the police a 'casualty bureau' be described in a way that makes it clear that it does not provide information to …

- The National Police Chiefs' Council accepted this recommendation in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, MHCLG, February 2025). - …

P2-57 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Reconsider Phase 1 recommendations in light of Phase 2

That further consideration be given to the recommendations made in the Phase 1 report in the light of our findings in this report. (113.82)

- The government accepted this recommendation in February 2025, stating it had addressed Phase 1 recommendations in the EEIS+ consultation response published on 2 December …

P2-58 Accepted

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2024)

Reconsider LGA Guide paragraph 79.11 advice

That the advice contained in paragraph 79.11 of the LGA Guide be reconsidered. (113.83)

- The government accepted this recommendation in February 2025 (Government Response to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, MHCLG, February 2025). - Residential PEEPs: Guidance …

POH-1 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Respond to recommendations by 10 October 2025

HM Government and/or the Department and where appropriate the Post Office and Fujitsu shall provide written responses to my recommendations by 10 October 2025.

- The recommendation required HM Government, the Department, the Post Office and Fujitsu to provide written responses by 10 October 2025. - The Department for …

POH-2 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Define and publish meaning of full and fair financial redress

The Minister and/or the Department in conjunction with the Post Office shall make a public announcement explaining what is meant by the phrase "full and fair financial redress". Such an …

- The recommendation required the Department to make a public announcement explaining the meaning of "full and fair financial redress". - The Department for Business …

POH-3 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Apply full and fair meaning consistently across all schemes

The Post Office, the Department and the Minister shall ensure that all decision makers in HSS, GLOS and OCS/HCRS apply the meaning to be given to the words "full and …

- The recommendation required all decision makers in HSS, GLOS and OCS/HCRS to apply the "full and fair" definition when assessing awards. - The Department …

POH-4 Accepted in Part

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Fund legal advice for HSS claimants before scheme choice

All claimants in HSS shall be entitled to obtain legal advice funded by the Department prior to choosing between accepting the Fixed Sum Offer or seeking financial redress which is …

- The recommendation required all HSS claimants to be entitled to funded legal advice prior to choosing between the Fixed Sum Offer and assessed redress. …

POH-5 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Allow 3-month window to accept Fixed Sum Offer after assessment

Any claimant who opts to have a claim assessed when the claim is submitted to the Post Office or the Department may decide to accept the Fixed Sum Offer at …

- The recommendation required claimants who opt for assessed claims to retain the ability to accept the Fixed Sum Offer for up to three months …

POH-6 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Appoint senior lawyer to ensure HSS offers are full and fair

A suitably qualified senior lawyer shall be appointed to HSS as soon as is practicable with the aim that any such appointee will take appropriate action to ensure that first …

- The recommendation required the appointment of a suitably qualified senior lawyer to HSS to ensure fair first offers. - The Department for Business and …

POH-7 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Grant appropriate powers to HSS senior lawyer

The appointed person shall be given appropriate powers to ensure that these tasks can be performed and carried into effect. If it is considered necessary by the appointing authority, it …

- The recommendation required the appointed senior lawyer to be given appropriate powers, following consultation with stakeholders. - The Department for Business and Trade accepted …

POH-8 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Require HSS first offers match Independent Advisory Panel recommendation

In HSS the Post Office shall be obliged to make, and the Department shall be obliged to approve (when necessary) a first offer to a claimant which is no less …

- The recommendation required the Post Office to make, and the Department to approve, first offers no less than the sum recommended by the Independent …

POH-9 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Allow HSS Fixed Sum acceptors to appeal with independent permission

The Department following consultation with the Advisory Board, claimants' representatives and any other persons or bodies it thinks appropriate, shall give urgent consideration to whether claimants who have accepted the …

- The recommendation required the Department to consider whether Fixed Sum Offer acceptors in HSS should be given a right to seek a review or …

POH-10 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Clarify best offer principle in HSSA guidance with examples

The Department shall issue a supplementary document/announcement clarifying the meaning and intent of the "best offer" principle in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeal (''HSSA'') process demonstrating how it is intended …

- The recommendation required the Department to issue a supplementary document clarifying the "best offer" principle in the HSSA process. - The Department for Business …

POH-11 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Apply best offer principle equally in GLOS

The "best offer" principle which will apply in HSSA, as explained in response to Recommendation 10, shall be equally applicable in GLOS.

- The recommendation required the "best offer" principle to apply equally in GLOS as in HSSA. - The Department for Business and Trade accepted this …

POH-12 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Amend GLOS to allow claimants oral submissions at panel hearings

The scheme documents governing GLOS should be amended so that a right is conferred upon claimants (exercisable by the claimants themselves or their recognised legal representatives) to make oral submissions …

- The recommendation required GLOS scheme documents to be amended to confer a right on claimants to make oral submissions at panel hearings. - The …

POH-13 Not Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Close HSS Dispute Resolution Procedure when HSSA opens

The current Dispute Resolution Procedure in HSS should be closed once all claimants currently within the Procedure have either (a) settled their claims or (b) transferred to HSSA. No claimant …

- The recommendation called for the HSS Dispute Resolution Procedure to be closed once current claimants had settled or transferred to HSSA. - The Department …

POH-14 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Post Office to engage in negotiations during HSSA appeal period

During the nine-month period afforded to claimants to submit an appeal to the Department in HSSA, the Post Office shall engage in negotiations and/or mediation with any claimants who notify …

- The recommendation required the Post Office to engage in negotiations and/or mediation with claimants during the appeal submission period. - The Department for Business …

POH-15 Accepted in Part

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

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.

- The recommendation called for HSS to be closed to new claims after 27 November 2025. - The Department for Business and Trade broadly accepted …

POH-16 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Clarify whether HCRS and OCS assessment processes differ

The Department shall make a public announcement in which (a) it clarifies whether there will be any differences in the process for assessing financial redress, between the merged HCRS and …

- The recommendation required the Department to clarify whether there would be differences in process between the merged HCRS and OCS. - The Department for …

POH-17 Under Consideration

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Establish standing public body to administer future redress schemes

As soon as is reasonably practicable, HM Government shall establish a standing public body which shall, when called upon to do so, devise, administer and deliver schemes for providing financial …

- The recommendation called for HM Government to establish a standing public body to devise, administer and deliver financial redress schemes. - The Department for …

POH-18 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Devise redress process for affected family members

The Department shall devise a process for providing financial redress to close family members of those most adversely affected by Horizon. Such family members shall qualify for such redress only …

- The recommendation required the Department to devise a process for providing financial redress to close family members of those most adversely affected by the …

POH-19 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2025)

Publish restorative justice programme by 31 October 2025

By 31 October 2025, the Department, Fujitsu and the Post Office shall publish, either separately or together, a report outlining any agreed programme of restorative justice and/or any actions taken …

- The recommendation required the Department, Fujitsu and the Post Office to publish a report outlining an agreed restorative justice programme by 31 October 2025. …

POH-IR1-1 Accepted in Part

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2023)

Allow Advisory Board to monitor individual compensation cases

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 …

- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation in part on 21 September 2023, confirming the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board would consider whether …

POH-IR1-2 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2023)

Publish Advisory Board meeting reports within 21 days

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 …

- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation on 21 September 2023, confirming written reports were already being published and would be issued …

POH-IR1-3 Accepted in Part

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2023)

Make monitoring full and fair compensation a core Board duty

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

- 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 …

POH-IR1-4 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2023)

Increase Advisory Board membership if needed for capacity

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 …

- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation on 21 September 2023, committing to keep under review the case for expanding the Board …

POH-IR1-5 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2023)

Seek court directions for GLO compensation in bankruptcy cases

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 …

- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation on 21 September 2023, instructing counsel to submit a court application under section 306 of …

POH-IR1-6 Accepted

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2023)

Publish proposals for equal tax treatment of compensation payments

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 …

- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation on 21 September 2023, confirming that payments under the GLO scheme and overturned convictions were …

POH-IR1-7 Accepted in Part

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2023)

Amend Limitation Act to extend GLO deadline if needed

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 …

- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation in principle on 21 September 2023, stating it was determined to deliver the GLO scheme …

POH-IR1-8 Accepted in Part

Post Office Horizon Inquiry (2023)

Set agreed closing date for Horizon Shortfall Scheme applications

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 …

- The Department for Business and Trade accepted this recommendation in part on 21 September 2023, committing to discuss and agree a closing date with …