Committee publication · Correspondence · 24 February 2026

Letter from the Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation relating to HSS unsettled claimants, 11 February 2026

Inquiry: Post Office Horizon scandal: Justice for sub-postmasters

Summary

Minister Blair McDougall clarifies testimony given to the Business and Trade Committee on 6 January 2026 regarding Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) claimants transferring to the appeals mechanism (HSSA). He corrects the figures cited in the hearing transcript, explaining that 228 transfers included previously settled cases re-appealing. As of 31 January 2026, 261 HSS original cohort claimants had transferred to HSSA (173 unsettled, 88 previously settled), with 242 remaining unsettled overall.

Key findings

The figure of 228 claimant transfers cited in the 6 January hearing was based on data from different dates (5 January vs 19 December) and included previously settled cases now appealing under HSSA.
As of 31 January 2026, 261 original HSS cohort claimants had transferred to HSSA: 173 unsettled and 88 previously settled cases under re-examination.
242 claimants from the HSS original cohort remained unsettled as of 31 January, progressing claims either with Post Office Ltd (POL) or Department for Business and Trade (DBT).
Unsettled claimants continue to transfer to HSSA while others are settling via the HSS Dispute Resolution Process or Fixed Sum Offer.
The department will continue publishing monthly updates on claimant status alongside POL to resolve outstanding cases.

Tone

Procedural

Topics

public-financepost-office-horizonappeals-mechanismcompensation-claims

Key actors

Blair McDougall MP, Liam Byrne MP, Post Office Ltd (POL), Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Business and Trade Committee

Notable line

“As of 31 January, 261 claimants from the original HSS cohort had transferred to the HSSA. Of these …”

Key Quotes

“This volume of 228 claims was given as of 5 January, whereas the volume to which it was being compared, 286 outstanding claims, was given as of 19 December.”
— Blair McDougall MP · Explaining the discrepancy in figures from the 6 January hearing testimony

“Of these, 173 were confirmed as-yet unsettled and 88 were confirmed as previously settled cases that are being re-examined under the HSSA.”
— Blair McDougall MP · Breaking down the 261 claimants transferred to HSSA as of 31 January

“We are working with POL to resolve outstanding cases.”
— Blair McDougall MP · Concluding statement on departmental action on unsettled claims

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗