Post Office scandal victims are bracing themselves for another long wait as it appears improvements to the compensation scheme won't materialize until the end of 2024. If significant progress hasn’t been achieved by then, the situation may be taken back to court based on recent communications from Sir Alan Bates, one of the leaders of the Group Litigation Order (GLO) scheme.
The GLO scheme emerged after former sub-postmasters took on the Post Office and won their landmark High Court battle back in 2019. This legal victory came as hundreds of people were falsely accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting, after faulty Horizon software led to significant financial discrepancies between 1999 and 2015.
A newsletter circulated by Sir Alan Bates recently informed fellow victims of these timelines and the grim outlook they must now navigate. He pointed out, “if nothing has greatly improved” with the current compensation arrangements, the group might need to find alternative legal channels by engaging specialist law firms to push their claims forward more effectively.
This news has stirred considerable anxiety within the community of over 150 victims who attended the recent meeting, as many are still awaiting their final settlements, with some not yet having accepted compensation offers. Bates stressed the importance of establishing a clear deadline for compensation redress before another meeting set for mid-January takes place. “At which time, we may need to organize fundraising efforts once more, but this time I’m confident we can raise the amount needed to facilitate this transition back to the courts,” he indicated.
Also highlighted was the correspondence Bates has had with the Prime Minister, where he called for a deadline to be set for all compensation claims associated with the GLO scheme. His attempts have resulted only in generic responses from Sir Keir Starmer, which stated the government plans to continue operating as usual. Bates noted, “There may have been a change of political party in power, but the civil service never changes, and we all know who is really in charge of government.”
The desire for accountability and timely resolution resonates deeply within this affected community. Recently, similar sentiments were echoed when the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) reported on the Windrush compensation scheme, mirror findings indicate negative impacts on claimants.
Victims of the Post Office scandal, like Alan Bates, have indicated they may have strong grounds to file new complaints against the Department for Business and Trade, based on poor decision-making by the government agencies handling their redress claims. Meanwhile, the government has attempted to quell rising frustrations by claiming it has taken notable steps to expedite redress payments.
A spokesperson mentioned, “This government has taken significant steps to increase the speed of redress payments and will continue to listen to sub-postmasters about what they need from the schemes.” They went on to note improvements since July, which included the launch of the new Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme and the introduction of new appeals processes.
Through the end of October, the government reported distributing approximately £438 million to over 3,100 claimants via four different schemes, marking an impressive increase of 85% since late June. They assert they are now making initial GLO offers within 40 working days of receiving completed claims. Despite these claims of progress, many believe the government is not acting swiftly enough.
The frustration cascades from past experiences where incorrect blame was placed upon individuals who were unfairly prosecuted and found their lives turned upside down due to the operational failures of the Horizon system. The Horizon computer system from Fujitsu was intended to provide accurate accounting for the Post Office’s financial workings, but instead, it caused untold chaos and injustice for many former sub-postmasters.
Moving forward, there remains a strong desire for transparency and accountability from both the government and the Post Office itself. With the recent failure to address urgent needs and grievances adequately, time is ticking for these victims to receive the compensation they rightly deserve. While many are holding their breath for the end of 2024 to bring new changes to the compensation scheme, the future of their claims hangs precariously on the hope of governmental goodwill and decisive action.
Amid this turmoil, the Post Office has been under scrutiny, facing allegations of negligence and mishandling the claims of those affected. Critics have argued the unjustly accused were effectively left to navigate the legal system on their own without solid support from the very institutions responsible for their distress.
