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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe Post Office said in September 2024 that it had bought HP point-of-sale equipment to keep Horizon branches supplied while a replacement system was being developed. The dispute was over whether the equipment would fit varied branch counters and whether enough units would be available—not proof that a shortage or widespread installation failure had occurred. The concerns came from an unnamed source; the Post Office said it was surveying branches and assessing installation options.
What equipment did the Post Office buy?
Computer Weekly reported on 11 September 2024 that the Post Office had acquired thousands of HP devices for its branch network. The listed equipment comprised monitors with integrated CPUs, keyboards, scanners and printers. The Post Office said the hardware would support branches still using Horizon while a replacement system was in development. Computer Weekly’s report did not identify model numbers, technical specifications, final quantities or independent test results.
Why did the counter fit become a concern?
An unnamed source with knowledge of the procurement told Computer Weekly that the equipment was standard hardware and alleged that little or no research had been done into whether it would suit the branch environment or fit existing counters. The report said the Post Office was considering pole mounts, which could require work in branches. Those were the source’s concerns: the report did not include an independent survey of branch counters or technical tests establishing how many locations would be affected.
The Post Office gave a different account of the planned installation approach. It said the equipment offered different mounting options, including an integrated counter, and that it was surveying branches so installations could be configured for local needs. The company also said the equipment had already been acquired, ergonomic assessments were under way, and it was working with the manufacturer on additional configuration options. These statements describe the Post Office’s response; they do not establish that every fit or ergonomic issue was resolved.
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Was there a confirmed shortage of replacement equipment?
No shortage was established in the 2024 report. The unnamed source warned that replacement units might be in short supply and cited about 24,000 units then in branches, linking the concern to a plan to reduce the unit count. That figure was the source’s estimate of the existing estate, not a verified count of missing or defective equipment and not a measured shortfall.
The Post Office said it had made an initial procurement and that branch surveys would determine the programme’s full requirements. It denied plans to reduce units in “some branches,” while saying it works with branches to remove equipment that is unused. The report did not establish how many units were ultimately needed or deployed, or how many branches—if any—experienced a shortage.
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How did timing and the wider replacement programme affect the issue?
Computer Weekly reported that the Post Office was still working on a deployment plan and might use new counters as an interim replacement when existing hardware failed. A source attributed pressure on timelines to approaching support deadlines for existing hardware and software, and said political pressure was affecting the schedule. These points were reported as source assessments, not as a published deployment timetable or confirmed account of what happened in branches.
The broader plan to replace Horizon later changed direction. In October 2024, chairman Nigel Railton told the public inquiry that, in hindsight, two original decisions were fundamentally wrong: prioritising getting off Horizon rather than building a system for the future, and choosing to build a system in-house. Computer Weekly reported that the Post Office was reassessing its approach. Those comments concerned the programme’s strategy, not the specific purchase of monitors, scanners, printers or counter equipment. Computer Weekly reported Railton’s evidence.
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By 14 August 2026, Computer Weekly reported that the Post Office had moved toward buying an off-the-shelf EPOS replacement and that losing bidder Escher had challenged the contract award to OneView Commerce. That later development shows the replacement procurement remained in motion; the report does not establish the challenge’s outcome or whether the hardware refresh described in 2024 was completed. Read the later report on the supplier challenge.
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What the reporting does—and does not—show
- Established: the Post Office said it had acquired HP point-of-sale equipment intended to support Horizon branches during the transition.
- Reported concern, not confirmed outcome: an unnamed source questioned counter fit and warned of possible replacement-unit shortages.
- Post Office response: the company said it was surveying branches, assessing ergonomics and considering configuration options.
- Not established: the number of branches with fit problems, a shortage rate, the final quantity of equipment needed, or how many units were installed.
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