The Put up Workplace Horizon scandal has been referred to as the UK’s most widespread miscarriage of justice, after tons of of individuals had been prosecuted on the premise of information from defective software program.
The scandal led to widespread public anger, partly because of successful TV drama, and has been the topic of a prolonged inquiry.
The primary a part of the report from the official inquiry into what occurred is because of be revealed on Tuesday 8 July.
What occurred and the way many individuals had been affected?
Greater than 900 sub-postmasters had been prosecuted due to incorrect data from the Horizon pc system.
Many sub-postmasters went to jail for false accounting and theft, and others had been financially ruined.
The Put up Workplace itself took many instances to court docket, prosecuting 700 individuals between 1999 and 2015. One other 283 instances had been introduced by different our bodies, together with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
In 2017, a bunch of 555 sub-postmasters – led by campaigner Alan Bates, who has since been knighted – took authorized motion in a landmark court docket case in opposition to the Put up Workplace.
In 2019, the Put up Workplace agreed to pay the group £58m in compensation, however a lot of the cash went on authorized charges.
Nonetheless, the motion paved the way in which for dozens of sub-postmasters to have their convictions quashed in 2021.
The episode got here to wider public consideration final 12 months after it was depicted in an ITV drama, Mr Bates vs The Put up Workplace.
The outcry triggered by the drama led to laws being rushed via Parliament to herald a regulation quashing convictions from the Horizon scandal.
There at the moment are a variety of compensation schemes beneath manner, and as of two June 2025, greater than £1bn has been awarded to 1000’s of sub-postmasters throughout all schemes.
What was the impact on Put up Workplace employees?
Many former sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses say the scandal ruined their lives.
Some used their very own cash to cowl non-existent shortfalls as a result of their contracts mentioned they had been accountable for unexplained losses. Many confronted chapter or misplaced their livelihoods.
Marriages broke down, and a few households imagine the stress led to critical well being circumstances, habit and even untimely loss of life.
What compensation schemes are in place?
There is not a single compensation scheme for sub-postmasters to use to, and particular person eligibility will depend on the actual circumstances of every case.
The 4 major schemes are aimed toward teams of victims who had completely different experiences of the scandal.
As of two June 2025, about £1.039bn has been awarded to only over 7,300 sub-postmasters throughout all 4 redress schemes. That complete breaks down as:
- Horizon Shortfall Scheme – £559m
- Group Litigation Order Scheme – £167m
- Overturned Convictions Scheme – £68m
- Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme – £245m
Prof Chris Hodges, chair of the the unbiased Horizon Compensation Advisory Board, instructed the BBC that some particular person compensation claims had been “nicely over £1m”.
What’s Fujitsu’s Horizon system?
Horizon was developed by the Japanese firm Fujitsu, for duties akin to accounting and stocktaking.
It was launched by the Put up Workplace in 1999.
Sub-postmasters shortly complained about bugs within the system after it falsely reported shortfalls, usually for a lot of 1000’s of kilos, however their issues had been dismissed.
The Horizon system is nonetheless utilized by the Put up Workplace and maintained by Fujitsu. The Put up Workplace says it has continued to make enhancements to the system whereas it plans “to maneuver to a brand new system that’s being developed”.
What’s the Put up Workplace Horizon public inquiry?
A public inquiry started in 2022 and heard proof from Put up Workplace and Fujitsu workers.
Final 12 months, Sir Alan Bates appeared on the inquiry, telling it that the Put up Workplace had spent 23 years attempting to “discredit and silence” him.
Paula Vennells, who was Put up Workplace chief govt between 2012 and 2019, gave proof in Could 2024. She was quizzed for 3 days and at instances broke down in tears. She apologised to the sub-postmasters and their households “who’ve suffered because of all that the inquiry has been wanting into for thus lengthy”.
The primary a part of the inquiry’s report is because of be revealed on Tuesday.
The inquiry turned nearly field workplace viewing – racking up greater than 20 million views on YouTube.
Individuals with no connection to the Put up Workplace instructed the BBC how they turned engrossed watching.
