The oldest living victim of the Post Office Horizon scandal, Betty Brown, has rejected an increased compensation offer, declaring it remains far below what she believes she is owed.
At 92, Betty had initially been offered less than a third of the amount she sought in her claim. While a revised offer has now brought that figure up to 60%, she remains dissatisfied, stating that justice is still being denied after nearly three decades of waiting.
Forced out of her County Durham post office branch in 2003, Betty and her late husband used over £50,000 of their own savings to cover accounting shortfalls that were later found to be the result of faults in the Horizon computer system. At the time, the software falsely indicated money was missing, leading to financial and reputational ruin for hundreds of sub-postmasters across the UK.
Betty’s branch had previously been one of the region’s most successful, but she was ultimately forced to sell it at a loss. Now, 26 years later, she continues to fight for what she considers fair and full compensation.
The Horizon system led to the wrongful accusations of over 900 sub-postmasters, with many prosecuted and even jailed. It has since been recognized as one of the gravest miscarriages of justice in UK legal history. Betty was among the original 555 sub-postmasters who joined the landmark legal battle against the Post Office.
Despite thanking the Post Office minister for intervening in her case, Betty remains frustrated. “It absolutely destroyed my whole life,” she said, adding that while progress has been made, “there is still a long way to go to get the justice that we were promised.”
She expressed concern that victims are being misled or short-changed, saying, “We’re just getting fobbed off. The evidence is all there.”
To date, the government has paid out over £892 million to more than 6,200 claimants through four different compensation schemes. However, a parliamentary group earlier this year criticized the pace of redress, urging reforms to improve the speed and fairness of payments.
Betty’s case, filed through the Group Litigation Order (GLO) scheme established over three years ago, has become emblematic of the broader struggles faced by victims seeking adequate compensation. While her offer was revised from 29% to 60% of her claim, she maintains that experts have told her she should expect significantly more.
This situation is likely to concern others still locked in disputes over what constitutes full and fair redress.
The Post Office minister expressed sympathy over the frustrations faced by victims, particularly when legal representatives cannot reach agreement on claims. He emphasized that the government’s goal is always to provide the highest possible redress and that, in some instances, more than the claimed amount has been offered.
He assured that efforts are ongoing to resolve remaining disputes quickly and fairly.
Meanwhile, the chair of the Business and Trade Committee raised alarms over some victims being faced with substantial reductions in their claims during early stages of negotiation. He has written to the minister seeking clarity on the fairness, transparency, and delays affecting the compensation process.
Despite the setbacks, Betty Brown remains determined to continue her fight for full justice, standing firm as a symbol of resilience in a scandal that continues to cast a long shadow.
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