Post Office Victims Still Waiting as Government Drags Its Feet

More than 20 years after hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters were falsely accused of theft and fraud, many are still waiting for justice, and now, a group of MPs is sounding the alarm. In a powerful new report, the Business and Trade Committee has said the UK government simply hasn’t done enough to compensate the victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal. These were ordinary people, mothers, fathers, small business owners, whose lives were turned upside down by a faulty computer system that wrongly made them look like criminals.

The scandal led to over 800 wrongful convictions, and while the government has pledged to make things right, the process has been slow and painful. Of the £1.8 billion set aside for compensation, less than a third has reached the people who deserve it. Many victims are still tangled in red tape, struggling to understand the complex claims system or waiting years for their cases to be resolved. Some have even passed away before receiving a single penny.

The committee didn’t hold back in its criticism. It said the Post Office should no longer be in charge of handling the payouts, calling it “not fit for purpose.” Victims have described the process as deeply frustrating and even traumatising, like being put on trial all over again. And while they wait, legal firms have already claimed more than £136 million in fees. MPs say this is unacceptable: victims are suffering while lawyers make millions.

Liam Byrne MP, who led the committee, called the situation a “national disgrace” and said the government must act urgently. The report recommends handing over the compensation process to an independent body, one that can handle claims quickly and fairly, with proper support for those still waiting. It also calls for deadlines to be set and enforced, so no one is left hanging in uncertainty for years.

Campaigners like Sir Alan Bates, himself a former postmaster wrongly accused, continue to push for real change. For him and many others, this is about more than money; it’s about dignity, closure, and finally being able to move on. The message from Parliament is clear: the government must stop dragging its feet and deliver the justice these people have already waited far too long for.