Data from the final day of the scheme reveals that a total of 12,463 eligible claims were submitted between 2020 when the scheme opened and when it closed on 31^st January this year.

It was also noted there was a sharp increase in applications in the weeks before the closing deadline, which is still being processed by the Post Office, meaning the number of ‘claims received’ is expected to rise.

The Horizon Shortfall Scheme is operated by the Post Office and is for current and former postmasters who experienced shortfalls related to previous versions of the Horizon system. The closing date was set at 31^st January 2026 in response to a recommendation made by Public Inquiry Chair Sir Wyn Williams in his Volume 1 report.

The latest figures from 31^st January show that of the 12,463 eligible claims, offers have been made to 10,940 people; 88% of eligible claims have received an offer. To date, £863 million has been paid through the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. Of this, nearly £548 million was paid out in 2025 alone (over 63%).

The rate at which claims are being completed has improved, with an eightfold increase in the number of Horizon Shortfall Scheme claims resolved in 2025 compared with 2024.

Last year saw a number of important changes made to the scheme in order to improve efficiency and provide greater support to help people with their applications. For example, those who have applied now have a dedicated person to contact with queries or concerns about their application as it progresses through the scheme, so they can stay updated while the Post Office’s Remediation Contact Centre is also available by phone or email.

Remediation Director at Post Office, Joanne Hanley said she was glad that people had taken the opportunity to submit their applications to the scheme.

“Our specialist teams are fully committed to processing applications as quickly as possible to bring resolution for those who have applied, and we are aiming to complete the majority of Fixed Sum Offer claims by summer 2026 and the majority of fully assessed claims by the end of the year,” she said.

Managed by the Department for Business and Trade, the scheme process is also available for applicants who are unhappy with their offer to ensure they have the full opportunity to receive fair redress.

The post Over 12,000 eligible claims made to scheme before closure first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

They confirmed they had interviewed two people under caution, as they investigate potential fraud offences.

Police are investigating possible fraud offences arising from the prosecutions in what has been called the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history.

The force said the potential offences could be related to “monies recovered from sub-postmasters as a result of prosecutions or civil actions”.

“Our investigation is considering the actions of individuals connected with Fujitsu and the Post Office. We are an interested party to the public inquiry and are monitoring and gathering the evidence it hears,” they added.

Meanwhile, UK Government ministers met with senior judges to discuss ways to speed up the justice process. It has been reported that a recent meeting focused on potential solutions for speeding up the process for sub-postmasters who want their convictions overturned.

The scandal of over 700 people wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting, has captured the attention of the nation following the ITV dramatisation ‘Mr Bates vs the Post Office’.

The four-part mini-series is based on the real-life story of postmaster Alan Bates and the legal battle he led and won, leading to several convictions being overturned. Some 19 Post Office workers in Northern Ireland were convicted.

Deirdre Connolly, from Strabane was accused of stealing thousands of pounds from her Post Office and sought assurance from Mr Bates after the accusation.

Ms Connolly attended the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry hearing in Belfast in 2022, where she described how she was told to plead guilty and forced to repay over £15,000 which she did not owe.

In June 2015, a Post Office auditor arrived at her shop to tell her she was facing a discrepancy of around £17,000. During an interview with a fraud investigator, she was asked if she had taken the money for paramilitaries.

She was shaken by the allegations, and she and her husband remortgaged their house, but they were declared bankrupt in 2013 after their debts built up. Ms Connolly developed epilepsy due to the stress and she felt unable to leave home for three years because of the stigma attached to the false allegations.

“I lost everything because the footfall went down because there’s no smoke without fire, the stigma of it all was just awful,” she told BBC News NI’s Talkback programme.

After speaking to Mr Bates, who told her he would look after, Ms Connolly said it was “great to know that there were other people and it wasn’t just me”.

There are two compensation schemes – the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) and the Overturned Convictions Scheme, while the government is responsible for a third scheme.

To date, £3.1 million has been offered to 72 claimants in Northern Ireland through the HSS scheme.

Following the airing of the ITV drama, Post Office Chief Executive, Nick Read issued an apology to those affected.

“We hope that the ITV drama will raise further awareness and encourage anyone affected who has not yet come forward to seek the redress and compensation they deserve,” he said.

“As chief executive, I have met many of the victims and heard first-hand their personal stories. I reiterate and extend an apology on behalf of Post Office to all those affected.

“It’s imperative that we listen and acknowledge these stories, understanding the profound impact this scandal has had on lives.”

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