Conclusion 24

Sir Alan Bates told us that the Horizon schemes had become complex and legalistic in nature, increasing both the time taken to resolve cases and the cost of administering schemes60. He acknowledged that the Horizon schemes were intended to be nonlegalistic but had “got bogged down in lawyers”, which he said added complexity and increased costs.61 He told us that claimants have had to rely on legal representation to engage effectively with the process.62 The Horizon schemes place significant emphasis on formal evidence and structured assessment processes, meaning claimants often rely on legal representation to support their applications.63 Shaila Pal also told us that, without legal support, claimants may recover significantly less compensation; she cited evidence that awards of around £11,000 without legal representation can increase to around £80,000 where claimants have legal support.64