Key facts
- Compensation claims by 275 survivors of alleged sexual abuse by Mohamed Al Fayed could reach between £100m and £150m.
- KP Law, representing over half of known survivors, calculated the claims' value.
- Harrods has set aside £51.8m for abuse payouts after reducing its provision.
- Harrods has settled with 113 women through its redress scheme, with an average payout estimated at £82,000.
- More than 400 allegations have been made against Al Fayed, who died three years ago.
Compensation claims from 275 survivors alleging sexual abuse by the late Mohamed Al Fayed could collectively reach between £100 million and £150 million, according to KP Law, a firm representing the women. This estimate is two to three times the amount Harrods has allocated for abuse payouts, suggesting a potential combined compensation bill exceeding £200 million for the department store and Al Fayed's estate.
Harrods' latest annual report indicated it had paid out £4.1 million from its £57 million compensation fund in 2025, reducing the remaining pot to £51.8 million by January 2026. Lucy Traynor, a senior associate at KP Law, criticized Harrods' compensation scheme, which closed to new claims on March 31, as inadequate, stating it underestimated the impact on survivors.
Traynor noted that the average claim value being pursued by her firm is significantly higher than the apparent average payment under the Harrods scheme, with some individual clients seeking millions for lost earnings. Harrods has settled with 113 women through its scheme, with an estimated average payout of approximately £82,000, considerably less than the scheme's maximum of £385,000.
More than 400 allegations, including rape and human trafficking, have been made against Al Fayed. Clients like Carrie Lazell, Sarah Savogi, and sisters Holly Johnson and Heidi Givens shared their experiences of alleged abuse and the ongoing distress caused by delays in settlements. KP Law has begun issuing formal settlement offers, but negotiations with Harrods and the estate have faced delays, which Harrods denies are related to compensation access.
Survivors also criticized Harrods for closing its redress scheme before recent developments in the police investigation, which have suggested a broader and more complex scandal. These developments include women being recognized as trafficking victims and police interviewing suspects. Harrods maintains its scheme is one route to redress and supports survivors' pursuit of justice, working closely with the Met police.