Victims impacted by the Post Office Horizon scandal are expressing dissatisfaction with the compensation procedures, deeming them as “worse than the initial injustice,” according to a leaked letter.
Baroness Newlove, the Victims Commissioner, conveyed in a memo to Post Office minister Blair McDougall her shock at the feedback received from mistreated postmasters. These individuals felt that the compensation offers presented to them were significantly undervalued.
The commissioner highlighted that some postmasters found the compensation process to be confrontational, akin to battling against an insurance company. The leaked letter to Sky News revealed that the compensation process failed to provide closure, with victims perceiving it to be as distressing, if not more so, than the initial ordeal of investigation and prosecution.
Baroness Newlove urged the Government to refrain from employing “commercial tactics” such as proposing low initial settlements, emphasizing that this approach is unsuitable for dealing with traumatized victims. She suggested that requesting further information would be more appropriate than risking offending the victims with inadequate offers.
The Victims Commissioner also raised concerns about the pressure faced by serving subpostmasters to refrain from seeking compensation. Victims expressed dismay at the Government’s continued collaboration with Fujitsu, the provider of the faulty software, as highlighted in the letter dated October 3.
Following the leak, the Government announced its acceptance of most recommendations, including those related to compensation, put forth by Horizon Inquiry chairman Sir Wyn Williams. The inquiry disclosed that around 1,000 postmasters were wrongly prosecuted due to the IT system’s errors, leading to significant emotional distress and tragic outcomes.
Sir Wyn’s report revealed the devastating impact on those affected, with several individuals contemplating or succumbing to suicide as a direct consequence of the scandal. The flawed compensation schemes were criticized for pushing victims into accepting lower settlements due to the Post Office’s contentious approach.
The public outcry heightened after the release of the ITV drama “Mr Bates Vs The Post Office,” shedding light on the victims’ struggle for justice. In response to the leaked letter, a Post Office spokesperson assured active support for affected postmasters in submitting claims through the Horizon Shortfall Scheme.
Moreover, Fujitsu affirmed its commitment to cooperating with the government and complying with voluntary restrictions during the ongoing Post Office Inquiry. The Mirror has reached out to the Department for Business and Trade for further comments.
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