Restorative justice

The Restorative Justice Council started the Horizon Project in September 2025, a restorative justice programme for people affected by the Horizon IT Scandal. The project is jointly commissioned and funded by Post Office, Fujitsu and the Department for Business and Trade, but the Restorative Justice Council is an independent organisation with over 25 years of experience.

Restorative justice is separate to financial redress and seeks to address the emotional impact of the scandal to facilitate healing and accountability. It is an entirely voluntary process and the Restorative Justice Council can provide further information and support for anyone who is interested in taking part in the Horizon Project. It is open to postmasters, their children and families and is available to those who were impacted by Horizon or Capture software.

As part of its initial phase, Restorative Justice Council engaged 250 people through a series of sessions around the UK and online to ask their thoughts about what a full, national restorative justice programme should include. Their responses highlighted:

• the need for public acknowledgement and memorialisation of the injustices suffered and recognition of individuals’ unjust suffering
• demand for personalised and meaningful apologies – whether public or private  
• opportunities for those affected to come together to share experiences and collectively seek national recognition
• practical actions – for instance mental health support, family counselling, and opportunities for communal healing through leisure and therapeutic activities.

Informed by the wishes of those who have been harmed, the Restorative Justice Council has published its plan for a long-term, independent national restorative justice programme which will begin in April 2026 and run initially for five-years. Full details of the programme can be can be found here, Rebuilding Trust: Designing a Restorative Justice Programme with Those Harmed.

There are several options for those who wish to take part in restorative justice, including meetings with representatives from the Department of Business and Trade, Fujitsu or Post Office. These meetings would be facilitated by the Restorative Justice Council to ensure they were safe and suitable for the participants.

Alternatively, for those people who do not want a face-to-face meeting, other options include wellbeing support, listening sessions, or indirect, shuttle communication with the organisations who harmed them, for example through letters.

This builds on and formalises work already undertaken at Post Office in this area. Our Chief Executive, Neil Brocklehurst, and other senior colleagues continue to meet with people affected across the country to apologise directly and to hear, first hand, their personal experiences. To date, over 70 of these meetings have taken place. Neil and his team have an open direct offer to meet any victim who wishes to do so, now with the support of the Restorative Justice Council. To get in touch with the Restorative Justice Council about this process, please see here.