The Post Office’s Neglect of Subpostmaster’s Pleas for Help with ECCO+ System
Despite facing accounting shortfalls while using the Post Office’s ECCO+ system, a subpostmaster’s calls for assistance were ignored by the organization.
During the 1990s, the ECCO+ software was utilized in both Crown branches and numerous sub-Post Offices. However, the system had inherent flaws that led to unexplained losses, for which users were unfairly held accountable.
Janette Armour, a former subpostmaster, recently met with the Post Office to discuss ECCO+. It was revealed that copies of letters she sent in the early 1990s, highlighting her struggles to reconcile branch accounts using the software, were on record. At that time, her Scottish branch was losing significant amounts of money on a weekly basis.
The National Federation of Subpostmasters (NFSP) raised concerns about ECCO+ in October 2024, following revelations from the Post Office Horizon scandal and emerging issues related to the Capture system.
Armour’s experience with ECCO+ dates back to when she and her husband took over a Crown branch in East Kilbride in 1994. The software’s deficiencies led to substantial financial losses, forcing them to sell both their smaller Post Office branch and the Crown branch.
Armour’s story underscores the detrimental impact of ECCO+ on subpostmasters, prompting calls for a thorough review of the system by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).
Former Post Office employee Rupert Lloyd Thomas, a staunch advocate for subpostmasters, emphasized the urgent need for accountability regarding ECCO+’s shortcomings. Lloyd Thomas, along with Armour and NFSP CEO Calum Greenhow, will engage with the DBT and the Post Office to delve deeper into the issues surrounding the defective software.
As investigations continue, affected individuals are encouraged to come forward and share their experiences with ECCO+ to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the system’s ramifications.
