Horizon Shortfall Scheme: information and data

The Horizon Shortfall Scheme is for current and former postmasters who believe they experienced shortfalls related to previous versions of the Horizon system. Information on how to apply is available on the scheme website. This page provides background information and progress data on payments that have been made.   
Total payments of more than £245m have been made through the Scheme as at 29 November 2024. You can access the latest redress figures here.

£75,000 Fixed Sum Awards
The Government announced on 13 March 2024 that a £75,000 Fixed Sum Award would be available, as a voluntary option, to individuals in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. Individuals can choose to accept the £75,000 Fixed Sum Award and bypass the full assessment process. Those who don’t wish to choose this option can opt for a full assessment by an independent panel.  
 
Those who have previously settled their claims for less than the Fixed Sum Award have had their redress topped up to £75,000. We are now administering the Fixed Sum Award more broadly for those postmasters with live applications within the Scheme. 
 
We will continue to keep the Scheme’s website updated: The Horizon Shortfall Scheme. Please also see the tables below for information on progress of these payments.  

Postmasters who have not yet applied  
We are writing to current and former postmasters who have not yet applied to the Scheme. 
 
This invites postmasters to apply if they wish to but haven’t yet done so, as there will be a closing date for the Scheme in future. It also explains the new option to apply for a £75,000 Fixed Sum Award (see above) instead of applying for full assessment by the Scheme, which includes assessment by an Independent Advisory Panel, if the postmaster prefers. 
 
Both options are included in the application form for the postmaster to choose their preference. We will continue to keep the Scheme’s website updated with information. 
 
Eligible late applications  
In addition to claimants who are currently part of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme, or who have already accepted offers, we are aware there are people who, for a variety of reasons and circumstances, were unable to apply to the Scheme while it was open in 2020. 
 
To recognise this, eligible late applications are accepted into the Scheme. Post Office is tracking the progress of claims accepted into the Scheme after October 2022. Please see table below. 

Human costs  
We are acutely aware that in some cases shortfalls caused severe impacts on postmasters’ lives. The Scheme provides redress for the human costs, such as personal injury, distress and inconvenience, harassment, loss of reputation and bankruptcy costs where these are directly related to shortfalls.  
 
An Independent Advisory Panel of Experts assesses Scheme claims and recommends fair outcomes. The Panel has a discretion of fairness and may take into account any matters they consider will produce a fair result. Claimants who are unhappy with their offer can rightly dispute it, with independent legal advice 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. 

There are separate redress arrangements for people with Horizon-related convictions that have been overturned. Those who had their convictions overturned by the courts are eligible for Overturned Convictions arrangements, which is administered by Post Office. Those who had their convictions quashed by the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act in May 2024, or by the legislation in Scotland, are eligible for the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS), which is being administered by the Department for Business and Trade. Further details can be found here.  
 
Specific information about progress of redress for postmasters subject to bankruptcy orders can be found from the Insolvency Service.  
 
Tax Top-Up payments  
Following a Government announcement on 19 June 2023, postmasters who have settled their claims in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) receive individual Tax Top-Up payments to ensure the amount of redress they have been paid is not unduly reduced by tax. There is further information on the Scheme website here and please see the tables below for information on these payments. 
 
Independent appeals process  
On 9 September 2024 the Government announced a new independent appeals process for the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. Their news release can be found here.   
 
This welcome announcement further supports our shared commitment to ensuring full and fair redress. It will mean postmasters who feel their financial settlement did not reflect the true extent of their losses and trauma will be able to apply for the new independent process, which will be overseen by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). 
 
We will keep this website updated with further information and details from DBT when these are available. 

We update the information below on a monthly basis. The data shown below is correct as at 29 November 2024. 

Progress of eligible claims made before October 2022

** Includes 8 paused outcomes where the claimant did not respond to Post Office’s requests for further information and has been advised no further follow-up reminders will be sent.

Progress of late applications

The table below represents amounts offered for both pre-October 2022 and late applications post October 2022 by main heads of loss claimed, as at 29 November 2024.

Note 1: The above amounts include compensatory interest.

Note 2: The above amounts exclude top ups paid in respect of tax and the £75k fixed sum.