Post Office review still without reviewer one year on
A year after the government announced a review into Post Office prosecutions, no reviewer has been appointed, leaving victims frustrated.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A year has passed since the government announced an independent review into how the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) handled prosecutions of Post Office staff, but no reviewer has been appointed. The delay has been called a "scandal within a scandal" by those representing the victims.
The review was promised after the Horizon computer system was found to be faulty, leading to hundreds of wrongful convictions. While many convictions have been quashed, around 100 cases related to benefit fraud have not been overturned. The DWP has said those prosecutions relied on evidence such as surveillance footage, witness statements, and handwriting analysis, and that Horizon data did not play an essential role.
Despite this, the DWP committed to an independent review of how it reassessed each case. A year on, that review has not even begun. Nav, whose father Lakbir was a Post Office hub postmaster jailed for 10 months for fraud, said his father has lost his spark and feels shame. "I want him in his lifetime to see this overturned and see justice," he said.
The DWP said it "remains committed to an independent review" and will update on the appointment of a reviewer "in due course". But for the victims, the delay is another blow. As one representative put it, "These people are no further on. 12 months after a review was announced, that's a great source of upset and worry."
The review would only be the first step, with each case then reexamined individually. For those affected, the fight continues for justice, closure, and acknowledgement.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 |
|---|---|
| A review announced a year ago has not had a reviewer appointed. | |
| Around 100 benefit fraud convictions related to the Post Office scandal have not been overturned. | |
| The DWP said Horizon data did not play an essential role in those court cases. | |
| Victims' representatives called the delay a scandal within a scandal. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This brief segment focuses on the fact that a year has passed with no action, highlighting the delay as a scandal. It sets the context of the review announcement and immediately notes that nothing has happened, using strong language from victims' representatives.
- “It's exactly one year on since the government announced a review into the handling of prosecutions of post office staff, but nothing has happened.”
- “describing the delay as a scandal within a scandal”
This report provides a detailed, human-interest angle, focusing on the personal impact on one family. It explains the distinction between the overturned convictions and the remaining benefit fraud cases, includes the DWP's defence, and stresses the lack of progress despite the promise of a review.
- “This is a scandal within a scandal. These people are no further on. 12 months after a review was announced, that's a great source of upset and worry for people.”
- “The Department for Work and Pensions says we remain committed to an independent review of the department's approach and will update on the appointment of a reviewer in due course.”
- “I want him in his lifetime to see this overturned and see justice.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.