Committee publication · Correspondence · 29 June 2026
Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business and Trade relating to further detail on outreach across the redress schemes, 23 June 2026
Summary
The Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business and Trade outlines outreach efforts across four Post Office redress schemes: the GLO Scheme (482 of 492 claims received as of 22 May 2026), the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (balancing contact with respect for trauma), the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (14,086 applications received following extensive mailouts totalling over 49,000 letters), and the Capture Redress Scheme (communication via MPs, media, and legal networks to reach unknown cohort affected by 1990s software).
Key findings
- GLO Scheme: 482 of 492 eligible claimants have submitted full claims as of 22 May 2026; the department remains in contact with all outstanding claimants or their legal representatives.
- HCRS: The department sent 142 letters to individuals whose convictions had been quashed but had not applied, resulting in 29 further registrations by end of December 2025; Ministry of Justice is preparing for further outreach.
- HSS: Post Office sent over 49,000 letters since introducing the fixed sum offer; 14,086 eligible applications received (2,417 original plus 11,669 late applications) as of 22 May 2026; appeals process launching later in 2026.
- HSS Appeals: Small cohort of potential claimants missed in initial mailout; Post Office identifying extent of issue and will contact missed individuals.
- Capture Scheme: Software installed in only 13.5% of branches in 1990s; outreach conducted via MPs, media, specialist networks, direct communication, and legal representatives; number of affected users unknown.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Department for Business and Trade, Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance (JFSA), Ministry of Justice, Post Office Limited, National Federation of SubPostmasters, Horizon Compensation Advisory Board, Arkline UK, National Audit Office (NAO)
Notable line
“The Government considers the Post Office has taken reasonable steps to reach the eligible cohort and is confident that the overwhelming majority have now come forward.”
Key Quotes
“As of 22 May 2026, the department has received full claims from 482 of the 492 eligible claimants and remains in contact with all claimants or their legal representatives where claims are outstanding.”
“There is, however, a balance to be found between concerted efforts to contact those who may not be aware of their entitlement to redress and respecting the wishes of those who have chosen not to reopen a traumatic and difficult chapter of their lives.”
“Post Office Limited conducted a successful outreach campaign to potential claimants between October and December 2024, which resulted in an increase in claims.”
“The Government considers the Post Office has taken reasonable steps to reach the eligible cohort and is confident that the overwhelming majority have now come forward.”
“The number of Capture users is unknown, as the software was installed in only a small proportion of branches (around 13.5%) in the 1990s.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗