We receive a large number of requests for information about the Horizon IT Scandal. This FAQ addresses the most common questions.
Last updated: 20 September 2024
Sections:
Criminal prosecutions and appeals
Important note: The convictions of hundreds of postmasters were quashed on 24 May 2024 when the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act passed into law. On 14 June 2024, convictions in Scotland were also quashed by legislation.
On 30 July 2024, the Government published an updated open letter to postmasters, with further details, including of the new redress scheme (HCRS). This can be found here.
The HCRS scheme is UK-wide and is being administered by the Department for Business and Trade. Details of registering for the scheme can be found on the Government’s website here.
Does Post Office still have the power to bring private prosecutions?
Post Office has no special authority to bring private prosecutions. The right to bring a private criminal prosecution is available to both companies and individuals in England and Wales as a result of section 6(1) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.
Post Office has not undertaken any private prosecutions related to Horizon since 2015 and has no intention of doing so in the future. In cases of suspected criminal activity, evidence is referred to the relevant law enforcement agency.
When did Post Office start and stop prosecutions related to Horizon?
Post Office has not undertaken private prosecutions related to Horizon since 2015.
There were Horizon ‘pilots’ in some Post Office branches from 1996, before the system was rolled out to all branches from 1999. Therefore, some Post Office prosecutions since 1996 may have related to Horizon. The Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act – see above – covers certain types of alleged offences since 23 September 1996.
Were there also prosecutions in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal’s Service (COPFS) is responsible for prosecutions in Scotland and undertook all prosecutions of Post Office cases. In Northern Ireland, Post Office cases were undertaken by its principal prosecution authority, the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPSNI).
Post Office has continued to help other prosecuting authorities to ensure that they have every assistance in taking their work forward. This includes sharing all the information we have in relation to prosecutions which have been brought by other prosecutors.
Other prosecuting bodies include the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and, as above, COPFS in Scotland and PPSNI in Northern Ireland. The relevant prosecuting authority in each case is responsible for continuing post-conviction duties, including the handling of appeals.
Please note – the Ministry of Justice is identifying convictions which are within scope of the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act which became law in May, and which are therefore quashed.
The Act includes cases in Northern Ireland and cases prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service. The legislation can be found here.
On 14 June 2024, convictions in Scotland were also quashed by legislation which can be found here.
Have any cases prosecuted by bodies other than Post Office been appealed?
Yes, there have been a number of Court appeals of cases prosecuted by other bodies, not Post Office. Questions relating to prosecutions and/ or appeals relating to other prosecutors should be directed to them.
How many prosecutions and convictions were there?
Post Office has identified a total of 700 convictions in cases it prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 in which Horizon evidence may have featured.
Post Office also identified 283 cases which potentially featured Horizon evidence and which were prosecuted during the relevant time (1999 – 2015) by other bodies, not Post Office.
Other prosecuting bodies include the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPSF) in Scotland and the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPSNI).
The UK Government’s Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act which became law in May 2024 includes cases in Northern Ireland and cases prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service. The legislation can be found here.
The Ministry of Justice is identifying convictions which are within scope of the Act and which are therefore quashed.
On 14 June 2024, convictions in Scotland were also quashed by legislation.
Can people who were prosecuted by other bodies, not Post Office, seek financial redress if their convictions are overturned?
Yes. Please see information about financial redress for convictions which have been overturned by the Courts here.
On 30 July 2024, the Government announced that its new Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) for people whose convictions are quashed by legislation, is open. The scheme is UK-wide and is being administered by the Department for Business and Trade. Details of registering for the scheme can be found on the Government’s website here.
Has Post Office contacted people with convictions in the cases it prosecuted?
Yes, we have previously contacted people. However, the work of Post Office and Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) which was taking place to encourage Court appeals has now been superseded by the Government’s Post Office (Horizon System) Act which became law in May 2024.
Before the Act, Post Office carried out extensive efforts - we contacted the vast majority of people with convictions in Post Office prosecutions which may have involved Horizon evidence, although there remained a small number (25) we were unable to trace. We were very much aware that people affected might feel traumatised and daunted by contact from Post Office, so we asked the CCRC, as an independent body, to also make contact, which they did. We also engaged Citizens Advice to provide a service providing confidential support and information.
Why has Post Office opposed some appeal cases in the Courts?
Post Office’s legal duties and, independently, those of its barristers, are to the Court.
It is solely for the Court to determine the safety of convictions based on the specific facts and circumstances of each case.
The Court makes its determination irrespective of whether or not an appeal is conceded by the prosecuting authority ensuring its decision is entirely independent.
The Court of Appeal judgments to date are:
Josephine Hamilton & others (23 April 2021)
Robert Ambrose & others (7 October 2021)
Roger Allen & others (10 December 2021)
Margaret White & David Cameron (31 March 2022)
Hawkes R & others (1 September 2022)
Sheila Coultas & anor (27 April 2023)
O’Donnell v Post Office Ltd (15 August 2023)
Financial Redress
When will people affected receive redress?
We understand that it is imperative that people should receive financial redress as quickly as possible. That is why, across all Schemes, interim payments are made ahead of final settlements.
We continue to work alongside Government to do all that we can to get payments to those affected as quickly as possible: There are four main Schemes providing financial redress:
- Group Litigation Order (GLO) Scheme: The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is administering the GLO scheme, which provides ex-gratia redress for postmasters who were claimants in the Group Litigation and part of its settlement in 2019.
- Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS): DBT is also administering the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme which was recently opened to provide redress for people whose criminal convictions are overturned by legislation passed into law by the UK and Scottish Governments earlier this year.
- Overturned Convictions Scheme: Post Office is also, separately, administering redress for people whose Horizon-related criminal convictions have been overturned by the Courts, following appeals.
- Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS): Post Office is administering the Horizon Shortfall Scheme, established in 2020 to provide redress for postmasters who were not claimants in the Group Litigation.
What is done to ensure independence in assessing financial redress payments?
Both Post Office and Government are committed to full and fair redress for people. Each scheme incorporates assessments by independent experts.
There is no exhaustive list of the types of individual losses being compensated, nor are there ‘caps’ on amounts.
You can find more information about the Schemes on the links below:
Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme
Why are public funds being used to provide redress to postmasters?
It is a priority for us to provide full, fair and final financial redress as quickly as possible and we have made substantial progress. Post Office does not have the financial resources to pay meaningful redress and we welcome funding support from Government to help enable this.
Has the Horizon Scandal made Post Office insolvent?
No. Government, our shareholder, is providing funding support for payments to people affected by the scandal. Details of Post Office’s financial position can be found in our Report and Accounts.
Why did the name of the Historical Shortfall Scheme change to Horizon Shortfall Scheme?
Following feedback received, the name of the Scheme changed on 7 July 2023 to Horizon Shortfall Scheme. It is the same Scheme and there are no other changes. Therefore, current or former applicants do not need to do anything further, or re-apply.
The feedback received was that the word ‘historical’, included in the name of the previous Scheme, was considered offensive to some postmasters because the impact of the Horizon Scandal has continued to affect their lives and was very much not historical. No offence was ever intended and the word historical was used solely to clarify that the Scheme offers redress for past shortfalls, related to previous versions of Horizon (pre-2017). Post Office is sorry for any offence caused.
How much is the average payment in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme?
There is no pre-defined amount for individual payments to Postmasters in the Scheme as these are assessed by the Scheme’s independent advisory panel who recommend fair outcomes for claims.
Details of payments made to date can be found here including information about average payments for various ‘heads of loss’.
Has the cost of establishing and running the Horizon Shortfall Scheme affected amounts paid to postmasters?
No. The costs of establishing and running the scheme have no impact on individual payments to Postmasters as there is an independent advisory panel assessing claims. There is no pre-defined amount for individual payments. Government funding support for redress payments to postmasters is separate from the funding they provide for the operation of the scheme itself.
How did Post Office let postmasters know they could claim redress through the Horizon Shortfall Scheme?
When the Scheme opened, individual letters were sent to over 7,000 current postmasters and nearly 20,000 former postmasters. A paid-for media campaign was also undertaken with extensive press advertising, including a total of two weeks of advertising in four national papers and four weeks in large regional daily and weekly local papers. The Scheme remains open for late applications.
In the Horizon Shortfall Scheme are there ‘caps’ on amounts of redress for losses postmasters suffered?
No. Post Office is acutely aware of the severity of the impacts on postmasters’ lives caused by our past failings, which is why we are making sure each case is carefully considered by an independent advisory panel, sensitive to the individual’s circumstances. There is no exhaustive list of the types of individual losses being redressed through the Scheme; nor are there ‘caps’ on amounts.
Unlike in civil litigation, the Scheme’s independent advisory panel assessing applications is not limited to the confines of legal principles and evidence as a court would be. The panel, drawn from the relevant areas of law, retail and forensic accountancy, assesses individual claims and uses a fairness discretion to take into account all matters they consider will produce a fair result in all the circumstances, including the testimony of individual postmasters of their experiences. As the scheme has progressed, we have listened, responded to feedback and we will continue to ensure consistency and fairness for applicants.
Why does Post Office not provide legal costs for claimants until they receive offers from the Scheme?
Post Office provides the costs of independent legal advice once claimants receive their offers because it is at that point that they receive the recommendation of the Scheme’s Independent Advisory Panel and information about how this was decided. Claimants who are unhappy with their offer can rightly dispute it, with independent legal advice continuing to be reimbursed by Post Office and an interim payment of up to 100% of the proposed settlement. The dispute process also provides for free, independent mediation.
What is the position on tax of redress provided by the Scheme?
Post Office welcomed the announcement by Government on 19 June 2023 that enabled us to address tax treatment of redress for postmasters in the Scheme. Government announced that it would fund top-up payments to ensure redress received is not unduly reduced by tax.
More detail can be found on the Scheme’s website here.
Horizon & Inquiry
Has Post Office apologised?
We are deeply sorry for the pain which has been suffered by so many people, their families and friends throughout the Horizon IT Scandal. Our Chief Executive, Nick Read, has publicly apologised on behalf of Post Office to all victims, and you can view this apology here.
Nick Read and other senior colleagues also continue to meet with people affected across the country to apologise directly and to hear, first hand, their personal experiences.
Nick Read and his team have made an open direct offer to meet any victim who wishes to do so.
Is Horizon still being used?
Yes. There have been several versions of Horizon since its introduction in 1999 and we’ve continued to make improvements, working with our postmasters, whilst we plan to move to a new system that is being developed. With a nationwide network of 11,500 Post Offices, handling millions of transactions a day, moving to a new system is a very large exercise and roll-out will only take place after significant testing and assurances. We are investing in existing technology to ensure there is stability and continuity for our postmasters and customers.
We have also made significant changes to the support we provide to postmasters and the ways in which we work together. In the past there was an assumption that postmasters were wholly responsible for unexplained losses. That was wrong and today the presumption is that they are not. Support provided to today’s postmasters includes a number of forums where they can raise issues.
They can instigate a review or investigation of any discrepancy directly through Horizon or by phone to our support centre – or raise concerns directly to their area manager. We also launched Branch Hub, a 24/7 self-service interactive portal for postmasters that supplements the support centre for initial support and which additionally provides information on known issues with Horizon.
Have any customers been impacted by the past Horizon issues?
No, the issues involved related to potential impacts on postmasters’ branch accounting. Our services to customers were not affected.
What are you doing to ensure this doesn’t happen again?
We have undertaken a programme of wholesale reform, and we continue to enact changes across the business to ensure this cannot happen again. Together with our postmasters, we have done vital work to improve our culture, practices and operating procedures throughout every part of the business. You can read about the details on our dedicated ‘changing our culture’ and ‘improving our systems and processes’ pages and watch an apology from our Chief Executive Nick Read here.
We have increased postmaster remuneration and improved the support we provide. There are now two serving postmasters who are Non-Executive Directors on the Post Office Board and we have a serving postmaster as our Postmaster Experience Director within the management team to ensure that decisions taken at the very top of the organisation are grounded in reality for postmasters. Whilst we have made progress, we acknowledge that there is still work to do.
Why hasn’t anyone at Post Office been held to account for the Horizon Scandal?
There is a public Inquiry, led by a retired Judge, Sir Wyn Williams, that is examining the events of the past and we share fully its aims to establish what went wrong and accountability. It is for Sir Wyn to independently provide his Inquiry’s conclusions in due course.
Separately, there is a continuing investigation led by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and Post Office is assisting this. The MPS is also a core participant in the Inquiry.
How is Post Office supporting the Inquiry and sharing all required information?
We are fully committed to supporting the Inquiry to establish the truth and we have disclosed around 500,000 documents as of 9 September 2024, reflecting both the unprecedented scale of the issues in the scandal and our commitment to transparency. We are working with the Inquiry to provide all necessary documents prior to the upcoming hearings.
The Inquiry is examining issues that spanned more than two decades, including a lengthy period when Post Office was part of Royal Mail Group. Disclosure is therefore highly complex and we continue to do all we can to deliver continuous improvements and incorporate past learnings into the disclosure process to avoid the risk of delays to the Inquiry’s timetable.
Why is Post Office unable to answer some questions about past events?
It is fair and right that Post Office, as a business, continues to be publicly scrutinised as we right the wrongs of the past and participate in the ongoing independent Inquiry. Transparency and openness are an important part of demonstrating that the organisation has learned lessons from the scandal.
Our duty is first and foremost to the ongoing statutory Inquiry and victims of the Horizon IT Scandal, who need answers. The Inquiry is the best forum to establish answers to many of the difficult questions which are being asked about complex issues that spanned more than two decades and periods of substantial changes. Our focus remains on facilitating this process through the final oral evidence hearings over the coming months.
Capture System
What actions is Post Office taking to address the problems caused to postmasters by the pre-Horizon system, Capture?
We have, and will continue to, fully support the independent investigation, established by the Government, into the Capture software used in the 1990s. On 30 September 2024, the Government published an independent report by Kroll forensic accountants.
We have been very concerned from the outset about the reported problems relating to the use of the Capture software and are sincerely sorry for past failings that have caused suffering to postmasters. We remain determined that wrongs must be put right as far as that can be possible.
Government has stated that it will set out next steps in December.