Postmasters warned time is running out for compensation claims
Despite widespread publicity and a number of recent high-profile settlements in the Post Office Horizon scandal, a leading lawyer is urging postmasters who have yet to lodge or appeal a claim to take action, as the deadlines rapidly approach.
Sir Alan Bates, who led the campaign for justice, and the oldest victim, Betty Brown, have both recently accepted their compensation offers after lengthy negotiations. But Stephen Lewis, Partner at Yorkshire-based law firm Schofield Sweeney, who has represented almost 100 victims, believes there are still significant numbers of postmasters and sub-postmasters who have not made a claim, or received fair compensation under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS).
HSS aimed to compensate postmasters who believed they were affected by shortfalls which relate to the previous versions of Horizon. Postmasters could apply for a £75,000 fixed sum award or have their application fully assessed by the scheme – but many who did the online assessment without legal support ended up with far lower compensation levels.
Once the Government Department for Business and Trade took over the running of the scheme, the Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals was launched to enable people who believed their financial settlement was too low, to have their claim reassessed and seek higher levels of financial redress. The deadlines for both schemes are in January 2026.
Stephen Lewis, who has more than 25 years of experience in dispute resolution, has helped to overturn convictions and secured several millions of pounds in compensation for many Sub-Postmasters who were victims of the scandal.
He said: “The Post Office Horizon scandal has had a devastating impact on the livelihoods of so many postmasters and their families. People have not only lost income and employment, but also faced issues in relation to mental health, impact on their families and in some cases have taken their own lives.
“It is hard to put an exact number on it, but we believe up to 90% of people who initially lodged claims through HSS did so without legal support, because the form was positioned as ‘user-friendly’. As a result, many received minimal compensation, perhaps only covering the ‘shortfall’ that had originally been recorded. These settlements did not take into account the full impact, which is why the HSSA is so important.
“Everyone who received a settlement under HSS received a letter in October detailing the appeal process, but they were given only three months to act, and we believe many have not yet actioned it.
“We urge anyone who feels they have not been fairly compensated and wishes to appeal, or anyone who has not yet started a claim, to seek legal advice before time runs out. For the Horizon Shortfall Scheme appeals, this will be at no cost to them, as the Government has agreed to pay the legal costs of postmasters under the scheme, if they use one of the approved law firms, including Schofield Sweeney, on the Gov.uk website.
“The Post Office Horizon scandal is one of the biggest injustices of recent times and is likely to be in the news for years to come, with the next stage of the inquiry findings expected to be published next year and the potential for criminal cases. It is imperative that victims are fairly compensated for everything they and their families went through.”
Claimants who wish to appeal against their assessed Horizon Shortfall Scheme compensation must register by 9th January 2026. Those who have not yet applied to the Horizon Shortfall Scheme, will need to do so by 31st January 2026, when the scheme closes.