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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The first reported £600,000 payment under the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) went to an unnamed former Teesside subpostmistress, according to Computer Weekly on 19 September 2024. The payment followed her overturned conviction and came just over a month after she applied, but that was her individual timeline—not a published processing standard for other claimants.
Who received the first reported £600,000 payment?
Computer Weekly reported that the first completed HCRS payment went to a former subpostmistress from Teesside. She asked to remain anonymous, so her name has not been publicly identified in that report.
According to Computer Weekly, she was prosecuted in 2003 after an unexplained £7,000 shortfall appeared in her branch accounts. She borrowed money from family and friends to repay the shortfall, but was still convicted of theft. The Ministry of Justice later confirmed in a letter that her conviction had been quashed in August 2024.
The recipient said: “No matter what you do in life, and no matter how many happy times you have, a conviction against your name always casts a shadow over your life.”
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How does the £600,000 HCRS payment work?
The fixed £600,000 option is a settlement route under the HCRS, not a universal cap on compensation. Current GOV.UK guidance describes it as two payments:
- £200,000 preliminary payment
- £400,000 second and final payment
Relevant payments a claimant has already received may be deducted from the fixed total under the scheme guidance. Claimants may instead choose detailed assessment, which assesses their losses individually; the £600,000 fixed option should not be mistaken for the maximum available through that route.
Who is the scheme for, and what are the payment choices?
The HCRS was announced on 30 July 2024 for postmasters whose Horizon-related convictions had been overturned under the relevant legislation. The government described the choice as a fixed £600,000 settlement or detailed assessment in its announcement.
| Route | What it means | Relevant qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed-total settlement | £200,000 preliminary payment followed by £400,000 final payment, according to current GOV.UK guidance. | Relevant payments already received may reduce the fixed total. |
| Detailed assessment | Individual assessment of losses rather than the fixed-total option. | The sources do not establish which route is preferable for a particular claimant. |
How long did the first payment take?
Computer Weekly reported that the former subpostmistress received the payment just over a month after applying. Her solicitor, Neil Hudgell, said the process was completed just over a month after confirmation by Ministry of Justice letter that her conviction had been overturned. This is the reported timing for one case; it does not establish how long other HCRS applications take.
Is this the same scheme announced for family members in 2026?
No. The first £600,000 payment was reported in September 2024 under the HCRS for postmasters with overturned convictions. A separate scheme for close family members of the most severely affected postmasters was announced on 19 March 2026, with an expected opening in summer 2026. The announcement is distinct from the HCRS; the sources cited here do not confirm whether that separate scheme had opened by 8 October 2026.
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