POST OFFICE PAYOUTS SLUMP DESPITE ‘CATASTROPHIC’ BACKLOG
Compensation payouts for victims of the Post Office scandal have slumped to their lowest monthly total this year despite a backlog of thousands of claimants.
More than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongfully prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Fujitsu Horizon software incorrectly recorded shortfalls on their branch accounts.
Several schemes have been set up to financially redress the victims of the scandal, some of whom were jailed for thefts and false accounting offences they did not commit.
However, the schemes – of which all but one are now administered by the Government – have been criticised by former sub-postmasters, including the campaigner Sir Alan Bates.
The figures come ahead of the publication of the first part of a report by the chairman of a public inquiry investigating the Horizon scandal.
Sir Wyn Williams is expected to focus on how effective the compensation schemes have been, as well as the human impact of the scandal.
He will then give findings on other issues, such as governance at both Fujitsu and the Post Office, in the coming months.
However, Telegraph analysis has found that just 514 payouts were awarded to applicants between June 2 and June 30.
This was significantly lower than the previous month – a 16 per cent drop from 612 – and the lowest total recorded so far this year, during which an average of 685 claimants have received compensation each month.
The Government statistics also show there are currently 2,590 eligible claimants awaiting financial redress.
Chris Head, one of many sub-postmasters who has rejected offers because of the size of the sums put forward, said the latest figures showed the schemes had been “catastrophically poor”.
Speaking to The Telegraph on Monday evening, Mr Head, 37, said: “It’s completely unacceptable that people have had to wait so long for redress.”
Mr Head, who was falsely accused of stealing more than £80,000 in 2006 before his criminal case was dropped, says he has so far been offered just 36 per cent of what he believes he is entitled to.
“I’ve always said there are two things that need to be tackled – accountability and redress – and the former will take longer because the wheels of justice take some time,” he added. “This is something that just needs to be addressed at a faster rate.”
Those unhappy with their offers can have their cases reviewed by an independent panel of experts.
At least 350 Horizon victims have reportedly died before receiving their final compensation payouts.
A Government spokesman said: “We are grateful for the inquiry’s work, which has revealed the immeasurable suffering that victims of the scandal have endured.
“This Government has quadrupled the total amount paid to affected postmasters to provide them with full and fair redress, with more than £1 billion having now been paid to over 7,900 claimants.”
2025-07-08T05:01:00Z