Post Office has a 360-year history of public service and we want to secure that service for the future by learning from past mistakes and moving forward for the benefit of all postmasters. This is not about quick wins or easy fixes, but lasting change across the business.
Since 2019, we have undertaken a programme of wholesale reform including changes to improve culture, practices and operating procedures.
This includes strengthening the postmaster voice through regional forums and listening groups as well as embedding postmasters in leadership positions across the organisation. For example, there are now two serving postmasters who are Non-Executive Directors on the Post Office Board. Elections were run for the second time in 2024, and Brian Smith and Sara Barlow were elected to serve on the Board. We also have a serving postmaster as our Postmaster Experience Director to ensure that decisions taken at the top of the organisation are grounded in reality for postmasters.
In addition, we have reviewed and updated the communication and support we offer postmasters on a range of topics. These improvements remain ongoing but have included the launch of Branch Hub, a self-service interactive portal for postmasters that is available 24/7 and supplements the Branch Support Centre for initial support. Branch Hub also allows postmasters to access information about issues with Horizon if they arise, complete some tasks that were previously only available over the phone (e.g. stock ordering), and gain insight on the performance of their branch through the Branch Insight Tool. Importantly, we have reviewed and updated the support for postmasters if they identify a discrepancy in branch. This process is summarised in the graphic below.
In May 2024, our Chair Nigel Railton joined the organisation with the remit to carry out a strategic review of Post Office. In November 2024, he set out a five-year Transformation Plan to deliver a ‘New Deal for Postmasters’ that significantly increases their total annual income through revenue sharing and strengthens their role in the direction of the organisation. You can read more about the ‘New Deal for Postmasters’ here.