Harrods could face £150m bill over Al Fayed abuse claims, lawyers say
KP Law, which represents over 275 survivors, claims that the “true value” of its clients’ claims is expected to be double or triple the amount that the department store company has put aside for its redress scheme.
The compensation claims for over 200 survivors of alleged abuse by former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed could amount to as much as £150 million, according to a law firm representing the women.
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KP Law, which represents over 275 survivors, claims that the “true value” of its clients’ claims is expected to be double or triple the amount that the department store company has put aside for its redress scheme.
The law firm says that the amount – which will include survivors who did not apply to the scheme – is in “stark contrast” to the £4.1 million Harrods paid out in compensation up to the end of January this year, and the £51.8 million it has put aside for future compensation claims from then, according to its financial statements.
The luxury department store launched a redress scheme to offer compensation to survivors, and it was open from March 31 2025 to the same date this year.
According to a Companies House document of its full accounts made up to January 31 this year, published last month: “On 31 March 2026, the Harrods legal redress scheme was closed to new applications.
Read more: Police send Mohamed Al Fayed case file to prosecutors
“Based on information available at the reporting date, the expected financial impact of claims arising under the scheme has been appropriately reflected in the provisions recognised as at January 31 2026.
“The total provision recognised as at January 31 2026 was £51.8 million.”
A lead partner at KP Law said the firm’s calculations of what Harrods could owe “lays to waste” the claims that it has put survivors first.
Kingsley Hayes said: “Today, for the first time, the true value of the compensation claim against Harrods and the Estate is exposed and lays to waste the claims that Harrods has continued to put survivors and their need for justice first.
“It also clearly demonstrates that the redress scheme, which Harrods closed on March 31 2026, was not worth the paper it was written on.
“Despite the desire for closure, the fact that almost all of our clients elected not to enter into the Harrods redress scheme reflects the widely published negative issues and concerns about the scheme, all of which were raised when it was first launched and which continued until it closed.
“The redress scheme was simply not fit for purpose, and the total amount Harrods has set aside to settle all claims is not based on reality, with the true cost likely to be double or triple the amount.
“In short, Harrods has used its own managed redress scheme to put its own commercial concerns ahead of survivor needs, seeking to minimise the commercial impact on the business while enabling it to falsely claim it had survivors’ interests at heart.”
Harrods has been contacted for comment.
When the redress scheme was still open, a spokesperson for the company said Harrods “supports the bravery of all survivors in coming forward”.
They encouraged women to continue making claims to the scheme and added: “We also encourage survivors to look at every avenue open to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be the police or the Fayed family and estate.”
More than 400 allegations of sexual misconduct have been made against Al Fayed and other perpetrators linked to him, dating between 1977 and 2014, including sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
The Metropolitan Police is dealing with at least 159 victims who contacted them directly, including 21 who came forward before Al Fayed died in 2023 at the age of 94.
The investigation, known as Operation Cornpoppy, was launched in November 2024 and is looking at people who may have facilitated or enabled Al Fayed’s crimes.