£13M government grant saves troubled Post Office from suboptimal IT

£13M government grant saves troubled Post Office from suboptimal IT

The UK government has approved a significant £136 million grant to modernise the Post Office’s failing IT system, which has faced extensive criticism for its Horizon accounting programme. Without this financial assistance, the Post Office would struggle with outdated technology and increased operational risks.

Key Points

• The £136 million grant is aimed at replacing the problematic Horizon system with a more efficient platform.
• The Horizon system has a history of inaccuracies, which caused severe consequences for subpostmasters, including wrongful prosecutions.
• This grant will be part of a £277 million package to support subpostmasters affected by the Horizon scandal.
• The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is seeking more evidence on why the funding is necessary from the government instead of the Post Office itself.
• The Post Office plans to transition to a new system called New Branch IT (NBIT) and has already extended its contract with Fujitsu for support.

Why should I read this?

If you’ve kept an eye on the Post Office saga, this article spills the tea on the latest developments. This could be a game-changer for the beleaguered service and anyone affected by the Horizon crisis. Plus, it highlights not just the impact on tech but also on people’s lives. So, if you want to stay informed about major changes in public sector technology, this piece is a must-read.