Horizon Family Member Redress Scheme open for pre-registrations

Pre-registration for the Horizon Family Member Redress Scheme is now open.

Family members affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal can now pre-register for the scheme, helping to ensure their claim is prioritised once applications formally open.

Full eligibility criteria and scheme details are still being finalised by the Government, with a full launch expected this autumn.

Please note: pre-registration must be completed by the individual making the claim and cannot be submitted on their behalf.

Once registered, it may be beneficial to seek independent, Horizon Family Member Redress Scheme legal advice to ensure any future claim is fully assessed and maximised. Legal costs will be covered by the Government.

For more information, please contact us.

Progress being made on the Family Member Redress Scheme

Lost Chances has worked alongside Hudgell Solicitors to campaign for the introduction of this scheme.

The Government has indicated that eligibility is expected to include close relatives of existing Horizon claimants to provide redress for those who experienced personal injury, including psychological distress, linked to the impact the scandal had on their family member.

Further information on eligibility, compensation and the claims process is expected in due course, and updates will be shared as they become available.

In summary

• The Government has now opened pre-registration for eligible family members

• Each family member must register separately and complete and submit their own form

• Pre-registered applicants can ensure their claims are prioritised

• The scheme is expected to launch in the autumn

• Legal costs will be covered by the Government; you will keep 100% of any compensation

• Once pre-registered, we recommend seeking independent legal advice to ensure any claim is fully assessed and compensation maximised

FAQ’s

• When will the Family Member Redress Scheme open?

  The Family Member Redress Scheme is expected to launch later this year, with November currently anticipated as the likely opening date.

• Is there a registration deadline?

  No.  This is a pre-registration process only.

• Do I need to have a UK address?

  Applicants are currently required to provide a UK address when applying to the Family Member Redress Scheme.

  Some individuals living overseas are using the address of a trusted UK-based family member or friend for correspondence purposes.

  Clarification is being sought from the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) on whether alternative arrangements may be available, and further guidance is expected in due course.

• Can someone register on my behalf?

  The Department of Business and Trade say "no".

  The applicant must register directly. It is a simple process which should take no more than 5 or 10 minutes.

• Does the sub-postmaster need to be involved?

  No, the sub-postmaster themselves does not have to be directly involved in your application.

  As part of the eligibility process, the Department of Business and Trade will check their database for details of the sub-postmaster connected with your application.

• Do I need to provide evidence for my application?

  No. This is simply a registration process.

  Eligibility will be established once the scheme opens and evidence may be required at that point.

• Can I list all affected family members on one application?

  No, each family member must make their own separate application.

• Can I apply on behalf of my deceased relative?

  No, the scheme does not allow for applications to be made on behalf of deceased relatives.

• What are the eligibility criteria?

  To be eligible for the Family Member Redress Scheme, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Be a close relative of an existing Horizon claimant. This includes a spouse or former spouse, partner or former partner, parent, sibling, child, adopted child or stepchild; and

  • Have lived with the affected postmaster for at least one year during the relevant period or within the following five years (except in cases involving a Horizon-related death); and

  • Either:

    • Be connected to a postmaster who received compensation for a qualifying event, such as bankruptcy, imprisonment or a Horizon-related death; or

    • Have experienced personal injury, including mental or physical health impacts, as a result of the Horizon scandal's effect on your family member.

  As the scheme develops, further guidance may be published on how these criteria will be assessed and what evidence applicants will need to provide.

• How much will the eventual payment be?

  The Government has not yet confirmed figures or how compensation awards will be calculated under the Family Member Redress Scheme.

  However, it is expected that compensation will be assessed using a banding system, with awards linked to the severity of the impact experienced by each applicant. This would be similar to the approach used in other redress schemes, where levels of compensation are based on the extent of the harm suffered.

  Further details on how claims will be assessed, what evidence may be required and the level of compensation available are expected to be announced as the scheme develops.

  Given the evolving nature of the scheme, obtaining expert legal advice can provide valuable support throughout the claims process.

• Can I apply if I loaned money to a sub-postmaster who was my close relative, but we did not live together?

  No. To qualify for the Family Member Redress Scheme, there must have been a period during which the family member lived with the affected sub-postmaster.

  If you did not live together, you would not meet the scheme's eligibility criteria on that basis alone.

  However, if you loaned money to a sub-postmaster who was affected by the Horizon scandal, those losses may still be recoverable through the sub-postmaster's own compensation claim.

  In certain circumstances, financial support provided by family members can be included as a third-party loss under one of the existing Post Office redress schemes.

• Can a family member apply if they loaned money to the sub-postmaster, but there is no injury claim?

  Yes, but only in specific circumstances.

  A family member may be able to make a claim without an injury claim where their case falls within a particular category of the scheme.

  This applies where the connected sub-postmaster was declared bankrupt, imprisoned, or died as a result of issues linked to Horizon.

  If those circumstances do not apply, simply loaning money to a sub-postmaster is unlikely to give rise to a claim under the Family Member Redress Scheme.

  However, the financial support provided may still be recoverable as a third-party loss within the sub-postmaster's own compensation claim under one of the existing Post Office redress schemes.

• My parents were directors of a limited company, which has been compensated through the Horizon Shortfall Scheme – can I still apply?

  Our understanding is that the close family relatives can still make an application in these circumstances.

• Can I still apply if the sub-postmaster has not been affected by bankruptcy, imprisonment or a Horizon-related death?

  Yes. You may still be eligible to apply if you have suffered a recognised psychiatric injury as a result of the impact the Horizon scandal had on your family member.

  Whether a claim qualifies will be assessed once a full application has been submitted and considered alongside any supporting medical evidence.

  Further guidance on the assessment process is expected when the scheme formally opens.

• Can multiple family members who may be eligible apply in relation to the same sub-postmaster?

  Yes. There is no limit as to how many family members can apply, subject to the relevant qualifying criteria being met.

• I was a sub-postmaster and have already received compensation under a scheme. I am a relative of another sub-postmaster. Can I apply?

  No. If you have already received compensation as a sub-postmaster under an existing Horizon redress scheme, you will not be eligible to make a claim under the Horizon Family Member Redress Scheme.

  However, there may be exceptions for business partners, who could still be eligible to apply even if they have previously received compensation through another Post Office redress scheme.

  As the scheme continues to develop, further guidance on eligibility and any exceptions is expected to be published by the Government.

• Both my parents were sub-postmasters. Should I complete one application relating to each sub-postmaster?

  At this stage, we suggest you register a claim in relation to each sub-postmaster.   We are seeking further clarification on this matter.

• If I have been compensated for financial losses through my partner's claim, can I still claim for injury?

  Yes, you can make a separate claim under the Horizon Family Members Redress Scheme.

• Can I expect the same level of compensation as the sub-postmaster received?

  No – this is a recognition payment rather than a compensation scheme.

• Can I be a test case for the scheme?

  Yes. It may be possible to be considered as a test case for the Family Member Redress Scheme.

  At this stage, however, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has not indicated how many test cases will be selected or how the process will operate.

  Further information is expected to be provided as the scheme develops and additional details become available.

• Do I need to instruct a solicitor?

  No. You do not have to instruct a solicitor to make a claim under the Family Member Redress Scheme.

  However, seeking independent legal advice can be beneficial, particularly given the complex legal and evidential issues that may arise. Professional guidance can help ensure your claim is presented as fully as possible and that any compensation offer is carefully reviewed to confirm it has been calculated correctly.

  Importantly, legal representation should not reduce the compensation you receive, meaning you can still retain 100% of your award.

• Who pays for my legal advice?

  The Department of Business and Trade will cover all legal fees.