One of the victims of the UK’s infamous Post Office Horizon scandal, Christopher Head OBE, has called on the government to urgently address issues with the redress schemes set up to compensate those affected.
In a letter dated today (7), Head has called on to Minister Gareth Thomas and Secretary of State Jonathan Reynolds to take concrete corrective actions at the earliest, detailing the "unfairness" and inconsistencies plaguing the schemes administered by the Post Office and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).
This marks a follow-up to a previous letter sent in November 2024, which, according to Head, remains unacknowledged. His latest correspondence highlights delays, adversarial processes, and the mental toll on victims.
In the letter shared on X, Head expressed grave concerns about the "Fixed Sum Awards" system, which offers £75,000 or £600,000 compensation, depending on the scheme. He revealed that some claimants are opting to accept these amounts despite evidence suggesting their claims could be valued much higher.
He writes, "Only yesterday I received yet another email from a claimant I have been assisting for many months in the HSS scheme, who due to anxiety, stress and mental health problems is opting to accept the Fixed Sum Award of £75,000 even though I have advised it is likely from a legal perspective her claim is valued at a much higher level."
Head also warned that the rigid nature of these awards risks undermining the government’s promise of "full and fair redress." Inquiry Chair Sir Wyn Williams had previously raised concerns that fixed awards might be "lost forever" if claimants pursued a full assessment route.
Head criticized the absence of accessible legal support for claimants, many of whom cannot afford the necessary advice. He argued that victims should not bear the financial burden of a scandal caused by institutional failings.
He writes, "Post Office may have caused the original harm, but the harm is being further exasperated by the redress processes. If someone can clearly demonstrate they have a claim that exceeds £75,000, they should be able to receive this amount immediately under the current guidance and then advance a claim for the outstanding balance, which relieves the financial worries they may have and making the remaining process more tolerable."
Head highlighted disparities in how interest calculations on losses are handled across different redress schemes, describing the process as inconsistent and unfair. Using his own case as an example, he noted a significant difference between what he was offered and what he should have received under the methodology applied in other schemes.
“The approach is not consistent, which means we have further unfairness,” he wrote, adding that an independent oversight committee could help ensure fairness and consistency.
Head proposed specific reforms, including removing the “legally binding” stipulation on second-panel assessments in the Group Litigation Order (GLO) scheme. He also urged the government to give final reviewer Sir Ross Cranston a broader remit to resolve disputes earlier in the process.
He concluded by criticizing what he described as a "damage limitation and PR exercise" by Whitehall, rather than a genuine effort to deliver full redress.
Head urged ministers to act swiftly to prevent further harm to victims and ensure the redress process meets its promises.
"The overarching aim of every scheme should be fairness, consistency and benefit of doubt towards the Sub-Postmaster, Postmistress, employees or family members," he states.
Head recently received OBE for services to justice alongside fellow Post Office scandal victims Lee Castleton, Seema Misra and Jo Hamilton. Head stated that despite the OBE being a "huge honour", it was a "double-edged sword" as he, with many others, had not received full redress.
He was falsely accused of stealing more than £80,000 from his branch in West Boldon in 2006 before the criminal case against him was dropped. Head, who became the youngest sub postmaster at the age of 18 when he took over the West Boldon Branch, was then pursued by the Post Office through the civil courts.
The Post Office Horizon scandal saw more than 900 sub postmasters being prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it appear that money was missing from their accounts.
Hundreds are still awaiting compensation despite the previous Conservative government announcing that those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for £600,000 payouts.
Tanwar Hussain
