The Post Office is closing its largest compensation scheme for operators affected by the Horizon IT scandal this weekend. The Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) will stop accepting new applications at 11.59pm on Saturday. Experts warn that this could leave thousands of claimants without compensation for losses caused by the faulty system. The HSS has received more than 9,500 submissions as of 19 December. Successful applicants can choose a fixed payout of £75,000 or seek a higher amount based on their losses. Despite the looming deadline, hundreds of applications continue to arrive each month, with 357 submitted between 28 November and 19 December alone. Stephen Lewis, a partner at law firm Schofield Sweeney, said the closure could leave many former postmasters without compensation. “There remains a significant concern that many will be denied redress due to a cutoff date they may not even know exists,” he said. The Horizon scandal, which has been investigated for years, involved the Post Office pursuing sub-postmasters for alleged theft, fraud, and false accounting based on the Horizon IT system installed in the late 1990s. About 3,500 branch operators were wrongly accused, and more than 900 were prosecuted. As of December 19, £812 million has been paid out in fully settled claims and interim payments under the HSS schemes. The original scheme launched in May 2020 and was supposed to close later that year. It was extended several times because many postmasters were unaware of the scheme or feared they would not receive fair compensation. HSS reopened in October 2022. In total, the two HSS schemes have received 13,379 submissions. This represents 89% of all applications across Post Office and government compensation programs. Of the 7,294 claims fully settled under HSS, 92% chose the fixed £75,000 payout. Matthew Haddow, partner at Menzies LLP, said many applicants are choosing the fixed payout for certainty. “While it provides immediate compensation, it may not fully reflect the true losses they suffered,” he said. “The wider impact on families, trust, and careers is harder to quantify.” Sir Wyn Williams, chair of the public inquiry into the Horizon scandal, recommended closing the scheme last November. The Post Office extended the deadline to 31 January to account for the Christmas period. The company says it has promoted the closure widely, including paid ads in national and regional media and posts on social media. The Post Office is also working with the government on exceptions for people who miss the deadline. Nigel Railton, Post Office chair, said they may give a short grace period for late applications. “We are looking at exceptions and how we deal with them for people who cannot meet the deadline,” he told MPs. The UK government has paid out an estimated £1.33 billion to more than 10,000 victims of the Horizon scandal so far. Legal experts and campaigners say that without careful handling, the closure of the HSS could leave some postmasters uncompensated, despite their losses being directly caused by the Post Office’s faulty IT system. The Horizon scandal remains one of the largest miscarriages of justice in UK business history. The Post Office says it aims to close the scheme fairly, but critics warn that thousands of claimants could miss out if deadlines are enforced too rigidly. Former postmasters are urged to submit applications before the deadline. Those who believe they may miss the cutoff are encouraged to contact legal advisors or the Post Office to explore possible exceptions.