Guidance

Compensation scheme for Group Litigation Order case postmasters

Information and outline of the compensation scheme for postmasters in the Group Litigation Order.

From:
Department for Business and Trade and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
Published
7 December 2022
Last updated
1023 FebruaryMarch 2023 — See all updates

Documents

AdditionalGLO compensationCompensation forscheme GLOguidance Members:and principles (replaces scheme process document), 23 March 2023

PDF, 324460 KB, 3219 pages

LetterThe to GLO postmastersCompensation aboutScheme: thequestions compensationand scheme,answers

HTML

GLO 7Compensation Decemberscheme 2022application form

PDFMS Word Document, 14850.6 KB,

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Letter from Parliamentary Under Secretary of State to lawyersGLO Postmasters, 23 March 2023

PDF, 114152 KB, 31 pagespage

HMRC Request for Information form

MS Word Document, 35.2 KB

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GLO Compensation Scheme: DBT registration form

MS Word Document, 39.8 KB

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GLO Compensation Scheme:scheme: tariff of reasonable legal costs

PDF, 195 KB, 4 pages

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Letter to GLO postmasters about the compensation scheme, 7 December 2022

PDF, 148 KB, 2 pages

Letter to lawyers, 7 December 2022

PDF, 114 KB, 3 pages

Compensation scheme for Group Litigation Order case postmasters: privacy notice

HTML

Details

UpdateUpdate: 23 March 2023

The GLO Compensation Scheme is now open to applications (see details below). We have published:

  • application form
  • the guidance and principles (which replace the scheme process document)
  • a Q&A
  • a letter to GLO members

Registration

On 10 February 20232023, the Department for Business and Trade opened registration for the GLO Compensation Scheme. Claimants’ legal advisors are invited to fill out the Registration Form available here and return it to glocompensation@beis.gov.uk as soon as possible.

Application form and guidance

The GLO Compensation Scheme is now open to applications. Claimants’ legal advisors are invited to upload claims onto the Dentons Direct platform. We have published supporting documentation including guidance, principles and a RegistrationQ&A Form,with Privacymore Noticedetails on the scheme.

If you are a GLO claimant and Costsare Tariff.not currently legally represented, you are urged to engage lawyers now.

Three firms of lawyers – Freeths, Howe & Co and Hudgells Solicitors – have agreed not to make any charges to claimants for work on this scheme: they will be paid by government at rates which we have agreed with them, which are set out in the Tariff of reasonable costs available on this page. Other firms can access the same rates.

You should not engage any firm which asks you for money now or later, or which offers a ‘no-win, no-fee’, conditional fee or litigation funding agreement.

If you do choose to represent yourself you will receive a link to the Dentons Direct platform to upload your claim. A postal address is available if you do not have access to the internet.

Background

In 2019 a number of postmasters who had taken the first legal action against the Post Office over Horizon received £43 million plus legal costs in a settlement.

However, much of this money was swallowed up by the associated costs of funding their case, and they were ineligible for the Historical Shortfall Scheme (HSS) that was subsequently set up to compensate other affected postmasters.

As a result the government confirmed in March 2022 that it would create a new scheme to ensure the GLO group has access to similar levels of compensation to their non-GLO peers.

In September 2022, the Minister for Small Business asked the GLO postmasters for their views on the options for delivering additional compensation: we have published a summary of their responses.

In December 2022, the Secretary of State for Business announced the intended process for compensating GLO postmasters.

Registration

On 10 February 2023, the Department for Business and Trade opened registration for the GLO Compensation Scheme.Scheme Claimants’Advisory legal advisors are invited to fill out the Registration Form published on this site and return to glocompensation@beis.gov.uk as soon as possible.

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