Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what guidance has been issued to officials assessing eligibility for the Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals process on cases involving contributions by Post Office Ltd towards claimants' legal costs.

The Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals (HSSA) process was introduced in response to concerns raised by the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board (HCAB) that many applicants to the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) may not have received comprehensive legal advice when settling their claims. The eligibility criteria therefore exclude individuals who settled with the benefit of fully funded legal advice provided by the Post Office. These criteria were developed in consultation with the HCAB, claimants’ legal representatives and postmaster organisations.

This means that a small number of individuals have not been eligible to access HSSA. However, the appeals process was specifically designed to provide funded legal support from the outset, helping applicants to fully understand and pursue their claims.