Graphic/Photo Credit: Semmi W. x Getty Images

Between 1999 and 2015, a government-run IT system called Horizon led to one of Britain’s most devastating miscarriages of justice. Sub-postmasters across the UK were accused of fraud, theft, and false accounting: all based on Horizon’s flawed data.

Sub-postmasters are self-employed individuals, often small business owners, who operate franchised Post Office branches under contract. Because of their status, they were held personally liable for any accounting shortfalls or misreporting; even when those cash discrepancies were caused by technical errors.

Despite growing evidence that the software had bugs, the Post Office steadily continued to prosecute workers. It wasn’t until December 2019, when the High Court ruled that Horizon was unreliable, that the UK Post Office finally admitted the data used to target workers couldn’t be trusted. About 1,000 people were wrongfully convicted. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called it "one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history."

The data visual below showcases not only those who were wrongfully convicted, but what happened as a result. Out of those convicted, over 200 were sent to prison. Others, were forced to pay restitution, had assets seized, and lost their livelihoods as convicted felons. Many went bankrupt. Some never worked again.

Data Sources: BBC News, FT, The Guardian, ITV News, Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry: Final Report (V1), UK Government Statements on Compensation & RedressGraphic/Photo Credit: Semmi W.

The UK’s official public inquiry report (Volume 1) wasn’t released until this week. The government, the Post Office, and Fujitsu (Horizon’s creator) have until this October to respond. Shockingly, the Metropolitan Police didn’t begin investigating until last year, and a formal law to overturn convictions (started in 1999) wasn’t passed until 2023, finalized in 2024.

Despite this week’s release of a public inquiry, the total amount of assets seized from victims remains undisclosed; as do the exact details of what many were forced to repay. The inquiry confirmed that at least 10,000 people are eligible for compensation, with no cap on payouts. That number is expected to grow.

What’s also unclear is how much each victim has received; some believe payouts have averaged as little as £20,000 ($26,000) for the lifelong damage caused. In total, over 11,000 Post Office branches used Horizon. At least 13 people died by suicide, and another 59 reportedly contemplated it.

Despite its scale, the injustice caused by the scandal remains largely underreported—both inside and outside the UK.

Have you heard of the UK Post Office Scandal? What else should be done for victims?

Drop your comments below!

Thanks for reading. :) More visuals and stats to come on GFW. Subscribe below for more data.— Semmi W.

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