UK: Post Office legal fees of £256m close to victim payouts
The Post Office has paid lawyers a quarter of a billion pounds in legal fees over the Horizon scandal, close to the amount given to victims.
The state body paid out £256.9 million to 15 law firms and two barristers’ chambers between September 2014 and March 2024, according a freedom of information request.
Government figures show that £261m has been paid out so far to 2,800 claimants.
The Post Office said that it was “focused on paying redress to those affected as quickly as possible and supporting the inquiry to establish the truth”.
A spokesperson said: “The Post Office and the government have so far paid £260m to 2,800 postmasters. We are truly sorry for the suffering caused by the Post Office’s past actions and the amount of money spent with legal firms reflects the huge scale of the scandal.”
The spokesperson added: “Fees are in relation to the group litigation, the subsequent establishment of the compensation schemes, legal advice relating to compliance with the Horizon issues judgment and Post Office representation at the Horizon IT inquiry.”