Postmasters will be able to claim compensation if they used faulty Capture accounting software, the precursor to blighted Horizon IT system, under new redress scheme
The government has launched the Capture Redress Scheme for Post Office postmasters.
The Capture software was used by some postmasters during the 1990s and was developed by an in-house team at the Post Office Ltd, but this software was dogged by errors which created financial shortfalls at branches. At the time many postmasters were using traditional ledgers for reporting takings, so a smaller number moved to Capture, and there were an estimated 2,500 users.
The compensation scheme will provide immediate initial payments of £10,000 for eligible claimants before full assessment of their claims by an independent panel. It will be tested with first 150 claimants before a full rollout.
The compensation will be based on banding model ranging from £10,000 up to £300,000. All awards will be tax-exempt and disregarded for means-tested benefits.
