Sir Alan Bates criticises Post Office compensation schemes after 'take it or leave it' offer
Sir Alan Bates has criticised the Government's handling of compensation for victims of the Horizon IT scandal, describing the process as resembling 'quasi-kangaroo courts.'
The former subpostmaster and justice campaigner said he was recently offered a compensation amount that he claims is less than half of what he initially requested.
Writing in the Sunday Times, the 70-year-old said: 'The sub-postmaster compensation schemes have been turned in
to quasi-kangaroo courts in which the Department for Business and Trade sits in judgement of the claims and alters the goal posts as and when it chooses.
"Claims are, and have been, knocked back on the basis that legally you would not be able to make them, or that the parameters of the scheme do not extend to certain items."
Between 1999 and 2015, over 900 subpostmasters were wrongly prosecuted due to errors in the Horizon IT system, which falsely suggested financial shortfalls in their accounts.
Many are still awaiting full compensation, despite the previous government announcing payouts of up to £600,000 for those with overturned convictions.
A specific scheme—the Group Litigation Order (GLO)—was created for the 555 claimants who had sued the Post Office in the High Court from 2017 to 2019.
Under this scheme, claimants can either accept a fixed £75,000 payment or negotiate a bespoke settlement. Disputed claims are reviewed by an independent panel, with a final appeal option to former High Court judge Sir Ross Cranston.
Sir Alan, whose story featured in ITV's Mr Bates vs The Post Office, said earlier promises that the compensation process would be 'non-legalistic' have proven 'worthless.'
He is now calling for an independent body to oversee compensation not only for this case but for future public sector scandals.
Knighted last year for his justice efforts, Sir Alan founded the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance (JFSA).
It's believed that around 80% of claimants in Sir Alan's group have either accepted their full settlement or received the majority of it.
A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade responded: 'We deeply respect all those affected by this scandal, including Sir Alan, for his determined advocacy.
Since taking office, we've quadrupled total payouts to postmasters. We understand that evidence may be limited due to the passage of time, so we strive to give postmasters the benefit of the doubt.
Those dissatisfied with their offer can request an independent panel review, entirely separate from government influence.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Government makes driveway law change set to affect millions
No more planning applications are needed for EV charging point installations as the government cuts red tape. Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, announced drivers and businesses will no longer need to submit a planning application to install public or private EV sockets. EV owners will be able to unlock savings of up to £1,100 a year compared to running a petrol or diesel car. 🇬🇧 Great to visit @astonmartin yesterday — where British engineering meets world-class innovation. 🚗 Took the DBX707 for a spin 🌍 UK trade deals with 🇺🇸 🇪🇺 🇮🇳 to safeguard 150,000 jobs in auto & steel 🔋 £2.3bn Govt boost to power the switch to EVs The planning changes also apply to workplace and public chargepoints, meaning businesses will be able to install new sockets faster and for less money, increasing the number of public chargepoints. Ms Greenwood said: "We're cutting down on paperwork to power up the EV revolution, so that drivers, businesses and those looking to make the switch will have more chargepoints to power from, and less red tape to deal with." Vicky Edmonds, chief executive of EVA England, said: "Making it easier to install both public and private charging infrastructure is essential to helping more drivers switch to electric." She warned "further action is needed" as "drivers without driveways still face barriers to affordable, convenient charging". Recommended reading: She added: "We urge the Government to increase its support of the rollout of cross-pavement charging and extend legal rights to tenants and leaseholders, so all drivers can access and benefit from cheaper and more convenient charging." Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for The AA, believes "removing the planning rules" will help "accelerate installations". He further added: "The crucial element is ensuring grid connection in a timely manner. This is especially important in rural locations and areas where there is no dedicated off-street parking." Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at consumer group Which? said it is "an important step in the right direction".
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
State Pension's future under review amid retirement shake-up
The State Pension is facing a dramatic overhaul under a Government shake-up of retirement rules. The changes could see millions of future retirees having to wait longer to claim and receiving different levels of payment. Ministers have launched a wide-ranging review of the entire pension framework – looking at when people should be entitled to receive the state pension, how much they should get, and whether the current system is financially sustainable for the long term. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed that the second phase of its Pensions Review will examine 'the balance of all three pillars of the UK system – state, occupational and personal wealth'. It is expected to ask fundamental questions about how these components should work together to ensure a financially secure retirement for everyone. Full details and the panel leading the review are yet to be published. The review comes at a time of growing concern that the triple-lock guarantee – which ensures the state pension rises every year in line with wages, inflation or 2.5%, whichever is highest – is pushing up pension payments at an unsustainable rate. Rachel Vahey, head of public policy at AJ Bell, said: 'Pensions minister Torsten Bell recently ruled out scrapping the triple-lock guarantee, but as the state pension grows ever closer to the frozen personal allowance threshold it could be that the Government is finally forced to address the question of how much the state pension should really offer, at what age, and how it can increase payments sustainably each year.' The announcement comes hot on the heels of a new Pension Schemes Bill, which lays the groundwork for major changes, including the creation of massive collective investment funds – dubbed 'megafunds' – to deliver better returns for savers. Ms Vahey said the review could be the most significant shake-up since the Turner Review 20 years ago, which brought in automatic workplace pension enrolment and transformed saving habits in the UK. 'It's now 20 years since the Turner Review was published,' she said. 'That comprehensive look at the UK's retirement system ushered in a new regime for pensions, resulting in the introduction of landmark automatic enrolment reforms which changed pension saving in the UK forever.' Those reforms have seen more than 11 million people newly enrolled in workplace pensions since 2012, bringing the total number of active savers to around 20 million. But experts warn that while the number of savers has surged, many still aren't putting enough aside for a comfortable retirement. Ms Vahey said: 'Not enough people are saving enough money for their later life, and although automatic enrolment has gone a long way to create millions of new pension savers, instead of resting on our laurels we now need to take a good look at whether they are saving a sufficient amount of money to realise their retirement ambitions.' The review is also expected to probe the interaction between the state pension and private savings – including personal assets – raising questions about whether those with higher wealth might ultimately be expected to rely less on the state. Ms Vahey added: 'While details of this new Pension Review are thin on the ground at this stage, it has the potential to be as significant and could have far-reaching implications for people saving for their retirement.' Campaigners are urging the Government to set out full terms of the review as soon as possible to give millions of savers clarity on what's coming. Ms Vahey said: 'The Government now needs to clearly set out the terms of this review as soon as possible to give savers and the industry certainty over its plans.'
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Thousands gather for anti-austerity demonstration in London
Thousands of people have gathered to 'send a message' to the Government with a demonstration over spending cuts and welfare reform. Campaign group The People's Assembly said it expected trade unionists, campaigners and activists to attend the event in central London on Saturday. MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott are among those expected to give speeches at a rally in Whitehall. The organisers accused the Government of making spending cuts that target the poorest in society. Representatives from the National Education Union, Revolutionary Communist Party, Green Party and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union could all be seen at the march's start point in Portland Place. The large crowd then set off towards Whitehall shortly before 1pm. Many of the protesters were holding placards that read 'Tax the rich, stop the cuts – welfare not warfare'. Other signs being held aloft said 'Nurses not nukes' and 'Cut war, not welfare'. A People's Assembly spokesperson said: 'The adherence to 'fiscal rules' traps us in a public service funding crisis, increasing poverty, worsening mental health and freezing public sector pay. 'Scrapping winter fuel payments, keeping the Tory two-child benefit cap, abandoning Waspi women, cutting £5 billion of welfare by limiting Pip and universal credit eligibility, and slashing UK foreign aid from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP, while increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, are presented as 'tough choices'. 'Real tough choices would be for a Labour government to tax the rich and their hidden wealth, to fund public services, fair pay, investment in communities and the NHS.' The People's Assembly said it is bringing together trade unionists, health, disability, housing, and welfare campaigners with community organisations under the slogan: No to Austerity2.0. There will be also be speeches from trade union leaders, disability rights activists, anti-poverty campaigners and groups calling for more investment in the NHS and other public services. The spokesperson added: 'We face a growing threat from the far right, fuelled by racism, division and failed politics. We need to see people's lives improve, we need to see the vulnerable cared for and an end to child poverty. 'On June 7, we march for education, for our NHS, for welfare, for refugees, against hate, and for a society in which our children can flourish.'
