The Department of Business & Trade announced this week that the redress scheme for postmasters who won the Horizon court battle in 2019 is to close.
The Post Office’s Group Litigation Order (GLO) Compensation Scheme will close to new applications on 31 July, with a view to the scheme concluding on 31 December 2026.
The news follows commitment by ministers to resolve all group cases in 2026, and the announcement comes alongside closure of scheme for financial losses not caused by faulty Horizon software.
The GLO scheme, which launched in March 2023, provides redress to unconvicted subpostmasters who were part of the Group Litigation Order against the Post Office, which took place between 2017 and 2019 following the Horizon IT scandal. As of 31 March 2026, almost 90% of claimants have received final redress, with £223m paid out to claimants to date, the department said.
Late last year, ministers made a commitment to the Business & Trade Select Committee to bring closure to GLO victims by the end of 2026. “The closure date has been set in consultation with claimants’ lawyers, in expectation that it will help resolve the remaining claims faster,”the department said.
Claimants’ lawyers and officials will continue to work closely with those affected to provide any additional support necessary, including providing more time to those who need it.
Post Office Minister, Blair McDougall (left), said: “The postmasters in the GLO group were the first to lead the charge for justice, and they deserve to see this chapter closed with the full and fair redress they are owed.
“Setting these deadlines is about making sure that happens. We’re 90% of the way there, and I’m determined that the remaining claims are resolved quickly and fairly, with proper support for anyone who needs it.”
Since the summer of 2024, the Government has paid out more than £1.5bn in redress to over 12,000 claimants affected by the Horizon scandal - more than six times the amount paid before then.
The Post Office Process Review (PPR) scheme will also close to new applications on 30 September 2026. Unlike the Horizon-related schemes, PPR provides redress to postmasters who suffered financial losses caused by other Post Office products, policies or processes.
The department added that financial losses being dealt with as part of the PPR scheme are on average “significantly lower” than in other schemes such as the GLO.
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