Post Office scandal: operators in the North West urged to share their experiences to support inquiry

Up to 16,000 people from across the UK - including all current sub-postmasters and Horizon Shortfall scheme applicants – have been asked to complete a survey about their experience of the Post Office and Horizon or of claiming compensation.  

The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry is an independent public inquiry which is investigating failings surrounding the Horizon IT system which led to the wrongful prosecution and conviction of sub-postmasters across the country. UK Parliamentary data shows that there were around 1,121 Post offices in the North West of England as of March 2023. 

Some of these are crown post offices, however the vast majority are owned by sub-postmasters who will receive the survey.  

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In yesterday’s hearing, Sir Wyn Williams, Chair of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, and Jason Beer KC, Lead Counsel to the Inquiry, urged any contacted by the Inquiry to complete the survey.  

Sir Wyn Williams, Chair of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, said: “It is crucial that I get as full a response as possible to these surveys, because we have looked long at the past, but now... I want to know about the present.”  

Jason Beer KC, Lead Counsel to the Inquiry added: “I would like to end by encouraging those, everyone who has received a link to the surveys, to complete them. 

“It's vital from the Inquiry's perspective that we enter Phase 7 with as full a body of evidence about the current position as is possible.” 

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Those contacted have until Friday, August 9, (23:59pm) to complete the survey.