New redress scheme announced for Horizon scandal family members

New redress scheme announced for relatives of postmasters affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal.

• Scheme designed with family members’ input to ensure delivery of redress as swiftly as possible, including in cases with limited or lost evidence.

• Family group Lost Chances, who have long campaigned for justice, updated in person by the Post Office Minister on the scheme today

• Personal, face-to-face apologies from organisations to begin as part of restorative justice programme for postmasters and their families

The Government has today announced details of a new redress scheme for close family members of postmasters most severely affected by the Horizon scandal, which is expected to open in summer 2026.

This will extend support beyond the almost £1.5 billion of payments already made to postmasters themselves, directly recognising that the scandal’s devastating consequences were experienced not just by those running post offices, but also by those closest to them.

In many cases, family members suffered serious harm to their mental health and wellbeing as a direct result of their loved ones’ experiences.

The scheme has been designed to be as accessible and straightforward as possible — minimising bureaucratic barriers so that families receive redress without delay. It also fulfils a key commitment made by the Government following the publication of Volume 1 of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry final report.

Post Office Minister, Blair McDougall will meet representatives from campaign group Lost Chances today to discuss the scheme. They have been involved in the design of the scheme alongside other postmasters and interested groups.

Minister for Postal Affairs, Blair McDougall, said:

“The Horizon scandal caused immeasurable harm — not just to the postmasters wrongly accused of crimes, but to their families who stood beside and suffered alongside them.

“Today’s scheme recognises that harm and will make sure those families receive the support they deserve, as quickly and simply as possible.

“We have listened carefully to those affected and designed this scheme to reach as many people as we can without putting unnecessary barriers in their way.”

Recognising that many family members will face real difficulty in obtaining formal evidence of harm suffered years ago, the Government has developed two routes to redress.

Family members who can provide contemporaneous evidence of personal injury, or who have an ongoing medical condition arising from Horizon, can apply for a full assessed personal injury claim.

For those who cannot provide this level of evidence, a new events-based route has been created. Where a postmaster relative experienced one of the most serious consequences of the scandal — such as criminal prosecution or bankruptcy — the Government will offer fixed rate recognition payments without requiring further evidence of personal harm.

This approach ensures that family members are not left without any recourse simply because records decades ago are no longer available.

Alongside the new scheme, the Government today gives its support for a postmaster-led restorative justice programme which it is funding jointly with the Post Office and Fujitsu. The Restorative Justice Council (RJC) is today publishing a report setting out how the project will be delivered.

This will include the opportunity for postmasters and their families to join facilitated meetings with staff from Post Office, Fujitsu and the Department for Business and Trade to receive personal, face-to-face apologies from organisations involved in the scandal – to add to the public apologies already given.

The Department for Business and Trade, the Post Office and Fujitsu have agreed to jointly fund and support the programme over a five-year period.

The programme was developed in close collaboration with postmasters themselves and follows a pilot phase whose findings were published by the RJC in October 2025.

Lord Arbuthnot, of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board, said:

“I welcome the Government’s proposals to provide redress to the family members of Horizon postmasters, many of whom suffered immeasurable harm because of this dreadful saga.

“The Horizon Compensation Advisory Board has helped to shape the scheme’s design and will continue to monitor closely the development of the scheme and to provide its experience and expertise where helpful.

“Whilst the wrongs of the Horizon scandal cannot be undone, this scheme will help to give family members the recognition that they deserve.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

• The scheme for families of Horizon Scandal postmasters follows the Government’s acceptance of recommendation 18 of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Volume 1 report, and recommendations from the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board. The restorative justice programme detailed also follows the Government’s acceptance of recommendation 19 of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Volume 1 report.

• The Government has today written to the Lost Chances group setting out the details of the scheme. A copy of the letter has been published online : Horizon Family Members Redress Scheme: letters from the Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation - GOV.UK

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-redress-scheme-announced-for-horizon-scandal-family-members