Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Accepted in Part
Establish independent facilitator to assess reasonableness of Horizon Shortfall Scheme information requests.
Recommendation
Requests for information under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme should only be made where it is deemed reasonable to increase the offer value to claimants, or in the rare instance where there may be reasonable concern about a claim’s basis of calculation. Where redress offers are calculated in-line with indicative bands or redress guidelines, we recommend that offers should be made at or above the top-end of such indicative limits. An independent case facilitator should be established with a role—on appeal by claimant representatives—in swiftly considering whether a request for information is reasonable for the above purposes. (Recommendation, Paragraph 33)
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepted the recommendation, agreeing that requests for information (RFIs) aim to increase compensation and will work with the Post Office to ensure they are necessary and handled sensitively, accommodating evidential difficulties. They did not commit to making offers at or above the top-end of indicative limits, but states DBT ensures a fair and consistent approach, and an appeals process is being established.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
• The Government partially accepts this recommendation. • Requests for information are issued in the HSS to help substantiate heads of loss that have been claimed by the postmaster and are therefore always aimed at increasing the potential offer of compensation. However, the Government recognises that these requests can be overwhelming, particularly given the trauma that many postmasters experienced due to Horizon and the challenges that may come with recalling these events. It also recognises that due to the passage of time, it can be very difficult to produce documentary evidence to support claims. The scheme is designed to accommodate these evidential difficulties as far as possible. • While claims which are supported by evidence are more likely to be successful, where the postmaster is unable to evidence a claim, their claim will nonetheless be accepted in whole or in part if it is considered to be fair in all the circumstances (for example, if it is reasonable to not expect the postmaster to have that evidence). • The Government will work with the Post Office to ensure that requests for information are only issued where necessary to support awards being made and that the communication of these requests is handled sensitively and in the interests of claimants. • Where redress offers are calculated in line with indicative bands or redress guidelines, DBT works with Post Office to ensure the approach is fair and consistent. Again, those who are unhappy with a settlement which they have previously agreed with the Post Office will be entitled to apply to the DBT-run HSS Appeals Process, when this is established in the next few months.