Post Office: County Tyrone sub-postmistress ‘nonetheless combating’ for reimbursement

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PA Media Fiona Elliott has short, blonde hair and has a neutral expression on her face as she walks outside the Clayton Hotel in Belfast. She is wearing a necklace with circular charms on it, as well as a beige suit jacket and a black v-neck top. — Fiona Elliott says she paid hundreds of kilos out of her personal pocket to hide a shortfall recorded in her Post Office’s IT machine

Fiona Elliott purchased a Post Office and store within the rural village of Clady in County Tyrone together with her husband in 2005.

She mentioned that she was once placing hundreds of kilos of her personal cash to hide shortfalls logged within the machine.

“Now I’m still fighting to get it back,” she instructed BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme.

Postmasters ‘left to beg’

Mrs Elliott mentioned she first implemented for reimbursement because of the scandal 5 years in the past, however added that she has most effective been presented 5% of what she believes she is entitled to.

She prior to now instructed the Post Office Inquiry in 2022 that her losses, together with wages and the repossession of buy-to-let homes, was once about £1m.

“It feels like we have to beg to get it back,” she mentioned.

“I lost the shop, the Post Office and then I lost buy-to-let properties as well.”

She added that complicated circumstances, like hers continuously, face delays with regards to reimbursement being paid out.

Justice for Sub-postmasters Alliance discovered, Sir Alan Bates, accused the federal government of placing ahead a “take it or leave it” be offering of reimbursement

PA Media Sir Alan Bates holds his medal in a red case after he is made a knight at Windsor Castle. Sir Bates is balding with grey hair and has a short beard. He is wearing a navy suit, with a white collared tie and a blue and brown circular tie. He is looking just beyond the camera with a neutral expression on his face. — Justice for Sub-postmasters Alliance discovered, Sir Alan Bates, accused the federal government of placing ahead a “take it or leave it” be offering of reimbursement

Mrs Elliott mentioned she has appealed her reimbursement general thrice, and has now been recommended to use for the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS).

This scheme is for sub-postmasters who weren’t convicted or a part of the Group Litigation Order court docket motion, however who imagine they skilled shortfalls on account of Horizon.

This workforce will probably be presented a set cost of £75,000 or may have an utility assessed by means of the scheme.

Mrs Elliott mentioned she feels she has wasted “five years on a scheme that wasn’t going to pay me out anyway”.

“It’s just like starting over again.

“You’re continuously begging with them and continuously interesting and it is simply occurring too lengthy.”

Full compensation ‘a long road’

Mrs Elliott said she is not sure of how much faith she has in the scheme, and that many sub-postmasters are still waiting to be paid.

“I don’t believe there is very many that have were given their complete and truthful redress and I’m most effective sitting at a 5% be offering on the minute and to get it to 100% it is usually a lengthy highway,” she said.

She added that she believes many will take a lower offer than what they’re entitled to because they don’t want to fight anymore.

“I’m going to stay going till the tip,” she added.

Government data shows that as of January, £128m had been paid under the Group Litigation Order (GLO) scheme

In a statement a spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade said: “We pay tribute to all of the postmasters who have suffered from this scandal, together with Sir Alan for his tireless marketing campaign for justice.

“We have quadrupled the total amount paid to postmasters since entering government.”

The commentary added that it recognises there will probably be an “absence of evidence given the length of time which has passed” and subsequently will give the advantage of the doubt to postmasters.

“Anyone unhappy with their offer can have their case reviewed by a panel of experts, which is independent of the government,” it added.

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