Government fully funds national police investigation into Post Office Horizon scandal
The Home Office has agreed to fully fund Operation Olympos, the Met Police-led national investigation into criminality behind the Post Office Horizon scandal, after police warned that charging files could be delayed for years without more money.
The UK government has agreed to fully fund the police investigation into criminality behind the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, ending months of funding uncertainty.
Former subpostmaster Lee Castleton told Computer Weekly he had been informed of £8.5m this year and £11.8m next year; a Home Office spokesperson later confirmed £8.5m for 2026–27 and up to £11.8m for 2027–28.
The Met Police-led operation had previously received just £6m from the Home Office to cover the period between 2023 and 2027. In May, Commander Stephen Clayman said a £2.8m special grant fell short, with the force needing up to £19.3m for 2026/27 and sustained funding beyond.
A freedom of information response puts the cost at around £10m a year until completion in 2030 — over £50m in total. Following the funding commitment, Clayman said: “We are very pleased that the Home Office has provided additional funding which will now enable us to scale up the Op Olympos investigation appropriately moving forward.”
The contrast with lawyers’ fees remains stark. The government has signed off more than £330m in payments to law firms working for the Post Office in relation to the scandal, with Herbert Smith Freehills receiving just over £200m — five law firms have taken more from taxpayers than the Met Police had for Operation Olympos.
Detectives have interviewed 13 suspects under caution and identified at least 53 “persons of interest” at the Post Office and Fujitsu, with charges including perjury and perverting the course of justice under consideration.
Sources
- Computer Weekly — “Met Police finally get full funding for national Post Office investigation” — https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366651166/Met-Police-finally-get-full-funding-for-national-Post-Office-investigation
- Computer Weekly — “Law firm paid £200m to support Post Office, while police investigating scandal are forced to beg” — https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366650861/Law-firm-paid-200m-to-support-Post-Office-while-police-investigating-scandal-are-forced-to-beg
- The Times — “Why Post Office victims may not see justice until 2033” — https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/post-office-horizon-fujitsu-sub-postmasters-funding-j2kmztj0z
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