Oldest Post Office Scandal Victim Offered Less Than a Third of Claim

A 91-year-old former sub-postmistress, recognized as the oldest individual affected by the Post Office IT scandal, has received a compensation offer amounting to less than a third of her original claim. Betty Brown and her husband had previously expended over £50,000 of their personal savings to cover unexpected financial shortfalls that commenced immediately upon the installation of the Horizon computer system at her branch. She was compelled to leave her employment and sell her post office at a significantly reduced price in 2003. Mrs Brown conveyed to the BBC, “We’re just treated like dung.” Concurrently, the government stated its efforts to resolve claims were progressing at an unprecedented pace. Mrs Brown’s legal representatives, with the assistance of forensic accountants, dedicated nearly three years to preparing her compensation claim. When her offer was presented, it constituted 29% of the amount she had sought. She remarked, “I’m totally disgusted. It simply adds insult to injury.” Mrs Brown rejected the offer and informed the BBC of her intention to submit her case to an independent panel for assessment, a process that will require additional time. She stated, “Next year I’m 92 and I struggle to keep going, to keep the mobility.” Prior to the Horizon era, Mrs Brown was considered one of the Post Office’s top performers, with her branch being among the most successful in her region. However, as financial losses accumulated, a Post Office manager, who deemed her “too old” and desired “new blood,” forced her out of her business. She had never wished to retire. She finally broke her silence at the start of this year, recounting to the BBC how the stress had severely impacted her, leading to sleepless nights where she would place a sheet between her teeth to prevent them from chattering. Mrs Brown was among the initial 555 victims who participated in the landmark group legal action led by Alan Bates against the Post Office. They achieved victory in their legal battle five years ago this month but never received adequate compensation, as the funds awarded were largely absorbed by the substantial costs incurred to finance their case. They now have their own compensation scheme, but to date, only 221 victims have received their final redress. From County Durham, Mrs Brown commented, “You talk about the Christmas and goodwill. Where’s the goodwill towards the sub-postmasters here.” She explained that, with the help of her government-paid advisors, multiple reports were prepared to substantiate her detailed claim. Subsequently, further information was requested by lawyers acting on behalf of the government, which oversees the GLO scheme. In Mrs Brown’s offer letter, she was not awarded anything for loss of future earnings and was offered only a third of the amount she claimed for past loss of earnings. She was also not awarded the full amount she claimed for harassment, even though the Department for Business and Trade acknowledged she had suffered harassment linked to issues with Horizon. Mrs Brown expressed her incomprehension as to why one group of lawyers was compensated to meticulously analyze and present her case, only for another group of lawyers to then reduce her claim to a “paltry” 29%. Last month, legal professionals representing the firms involved in administering compensation were questioned by the Business and Trade Select Committee, amid complaints regarding the slow progress and complexity of the various schemes. Mark Chesher, a partner from Addleshaw Goddard, the law firm responsible for assessing claims for GLO payouts, informed MPs, “We do try to maximise the offers. We do try to give the benefit of the doubt. We assess that and we are looking at fairness across the board.” Mrs Brown voiced her disagreement, stating, “What they say and what they do are two different things.” A government spokesperson commented, “We recognise the immeasurable suffering that victims of the Horizon scandal like Betty have endured and we are working tirelessly across government to provide them with full and fair redress.“This government is settling claims at a faster rate than ever before. At the end of October, approximately £438m has been paid to over 3,100 claimants across four schemes, up 85% since the end of June.”