Because the Put up Workplace sought to reclaim discrepancies in its funds, subpostmasters have been pressured to pay 1000’s out of their very own pockets to stability their books. Others have been jailed, misplaced their properties, and needed to pay hefty authorized charges.
The 2024 ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Put up Workplace introduced this scandal again into the highlight, resulting in mounting public requires accountability and compensation for the households impacted.
Regardless of current efforts to compensate these impacted, the harm has been long-lasting and life-changing for a lot of of these affected by the scandal.
In response, the UK authorities has stated it “will present redress for shut members of the family of these postmasters most adversely affected by the scandal.”
Gareth Thomas, Put up Workplace Minister, stated: “We mustn’t ever lose sight of the Horizon Scandal’s human impression on postmasters and their households, which the Inquiry has highlighted so properly.”
Right here’s the whole lot you must know concerning the ongoing compensation progress.
Former subpostmaster Alan Bates (centre) outdoors the Excessive Courtroom in London in March 2019
PA Archive
What number of convictions have been there?
Between 1999 and 2015, the Put up Workplace convicted 700 subpostmasters who it believed might be linked to Horizon techniques. There have been 983 instances, together with these not prosecuted by the Put up Workplace.
Since 2021, 101 of these convictions had been overturned by the appeals courtroom, and an additional 77 instances have been referred to the courts, pending the potential of being overturned. Fifty-five convictions have been upheld.
Then, in 2024, following outcry over the ITV drama, a legislation was launched to quash the tons of of excellent convictions brought on by the Put up Workplace Scandal. In keeping with the UK authorities web site, 594 individuals have had not less than one conviction quashed as of March 2025.
Mr Bates vs The Put up Workplace was broadcast on ITV1 on 4 consecutive days from January 1, 2024
ITV
How many individuals wrongfully convicted have acquired compensation?
Greater than £1 billion has been paid out to wrongly convicted subpostmasters and people affected by the scandal to date, in keeping with a UK authorities announcement launched in June 2025.
The announcement claims that this payout was divided amongst greater than 7,300 claimants, though the current inquiry estimated that round 10,000 individuals have been eligible for compensation.
For the time being, there isn’t one common scheme that’s working in direction of this compensation.
In 2019, 555 subpostmasters took the Put up Workplace to the Excessive Courtroom and have been awarded virtually £57m. Authorized charges swallowed a big proportion of this, and every particular person was awarded solely £20,000. A subsequent Group litigation order scheme (GLOS) was arrange to make sure the subpostmasters have been pretty compensated.
The Horizon Shortfall Scheme was equally arrange for individuals who weren’t convicted however suffered appreciable monetary losses as a result of Horizon IT system, in addition to the Overturned Convictions Scheme (OCS) and the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS).
This week, Sir Wyn Williams concluded that some claimants hadn’t acquired honest and full compensation over the ordeal.
“I’m persuaded that within the tough and substantial claims, on too many events, the Put up Workplace and its advisors have adopted an unnecessarily adversarial perspective in direction of making preliminary gives which have had the impact of miserable the extent at which settlements have been achieved,” Sir Wyn wrote in his report.
Between 1999 and 2015, the Put up Workplace convicted 700 subpostmasters who it now believes might be linked to Horizon techniques
PA Wire
Did Mr Bates obtain compensation?
Mr Bates was among the many 555 claimants who took the Put up Workplace to the Excessive Courtroom, which means he was additionally eligible for round a £20,000 payout.
In January 2024, Mr Bates rejected an additional compensation supply proposed by the Authorities, calling it “offensive.”
He advised the Telegraph: “I’ll completely be turning this supply for monetary redress down.
“It’s only a horrible option to deal with human beings — and I’ve heard from a number of subpostmasters who’ve acquired equally derisory gives, whereas others are nonetheless ready.
“Allowing for my solicitors engaged forensic accountants to arrange my declare in accordance with established authorized rules, it now appears we now have to spend hours and hours over weeks and months with Authorities-appointed attorneys at who is aware of what price, simply to level out these authorized rules to them. However to them, it’d simply be a superb earner.”
In Might 2025, Mr Bates was provided a “take it or go away it” payout that was lower than 50% of his unique declare. He slammed the present compensation schemes as “quasi-kangaroo courts by which the Division for Enterprise and Commerce sits in judgment of the claims and alters the goalposts as and when it chooses.”
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