UK Post Office Horizon Inquiry Volume 2 Report

What this countdown tracks

Target publication of Volume 2 of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry final report, expected by 31 October 2026. Sir Wyn Williams's second volume covers redress schemes, governance, the conduct of Post Office Ltd and Fujitsu, and the human impact on sub-postmasters wrongly pursued over Horizon accounting shortfalls.

Background

The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry was converted from a non-statutory review into a statutory public inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 in June 2021, chaired by Sir Wyn Williams. It examined how Post Office Ltd used the Fujitsu-built Horizon accounting system, deployed from 1999, to pursue thousands of sub-postmasters for shortfalls that were in many cases caused by software defects. Between 1999 and 2015, more than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted, with hundreds convicted; the Court of Appeal overturned the first tranche of convictions in April 2021 in Hamilton & Others, describing the prosecutions as "an affront to the conscience of the court." Parliament passed the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024, quashing most remaining Horizon-related convictions in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland en masse.

Volume 1 of Sir Wyn's final report was published on 8 July 2025 and focused on the human impact and the initial redress picture. Volume 2 turns to the operational conduct of Post Office Ltd, the Department for Business and Trade (and predecessor departments) as shareholder, Fujitsu as supplier, and the individual directors, senior managers, and lawyers whose decisions shaped prosecutions. The report is expected to address evidence given by more than 300 witnesses including former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells, former Fujitsu engineers, current Post Office management, and government officials. Key documentary exhibits included the Second Sight investigation reports of 2013–2015, internal Post Office legal advice on its "robustness of Horizon" stance, and the Fujitsu "known error log" disclosures that featured in the landmark Bates v Post Office civil judgment handed down by Mr Justice Fraser in December 2019 — a judgment that triggered the criminal-law reopening of Horizon prosecutions. ITV's 2024 dramatisation "Mr Bates vs The Post Office" accelerated public and political pressure, culminating in the 2024 Act that quashed convictions en masse and in the additional £600 million earmarked in the 2024 Autumn Budget for redress.

Why the date matters

Volume 2 is the Inquiry's definitive accountability document. It is likely to inform the Metropolitan Police's Operation Olympos criminal investigation, which is examining potential perjury and perverting-the-course-of-justice offences by individuals involved in historical Horizon prosecutions. It will also shape the ongoing Horizon Shortfall Scheme, Group Litigation Order redress, and Overturned Convictions redress — schemes which by 2025 had paid out around £1 billion but faced persistent complaints about delay and quantum.

What to watch for

• Named findings on senior Post Office and Fujitsu individuals.
• Recommendations on a permanent statutory compensation body.
• Treatment of Fujitsu's contractual and disclosure conduct.
• Commentary on shareholder governance by UK Government Investments.
• Quantified proposals on future redress payment standards.
• Cross-reference with the Metropolitan Police Operation Olympos.
• Implications for the Post Office's future operating model.

Related events to track

The UK Covid Inquiry Module 5 report countdown and final Covid report countdown are parallel statutory-inquiry outputs. The UK Undercover Policing final report countdown examines another long-running institutional-failure inquiry.

FAQ

When exactly is Volume 2? Targeted for publication by 31 October 2026; Sir Wyn Williams has indicated late 2026 without fixing a firm date.

Is Volume 2 confirmed or expected? Expected — the Inquiry retains scheduling discretion, and the date remains indicative.

Who is responsible for Volume 2? Sir Wyn Williams as Chair, supported by Counsel to the Inquiry Jason Beer KC.

Where can I read the official announcement? The Inquiry's publication schedule is at https://www.postofficehorizoninquiry.org.uk/.