The UK Department of Business and Trade has announced a new compensation scheme for sub-postmasters who had their convictions overturned. Approximately 900 people are expected to qualify for the scheme, which offers two routes. The first offers a £600,000 final settlement, while the second is for sub-postmasters who think they are owed more. Regardless of the route taken, those who qualify for compensation will receive an immediate £200,000 payout.
The scheme was launched on Tuesday and is available to everyone exonerated by a law introduced in May, which cleared the names of the hundreds of sub-postmasters who were wrongly convicted in the Post Office scandal. It provides the same financial compensation offered to those who had their convictions overturned by the courts before the legislation was introduced.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “Postmasters have suffered immeasurably so I hope today’s new redress scheme brings some relief to postmasters who have waited far too long to get back the money that is rightfully theirs.” He urged any postmaster who thinks they are eligible for the scheme to register their interest.
Under the scheme, those who reject the £600,000 final settlement will have their application assessed by experts at the Department for Business and Trade. If the application is unsuccessful, compensation will be limited to £450,000. Due to this risk, the government is recommending people take legal advice
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