GROWING NUMBER OF PRISONERS HELD BEYOND THEIR RELEASE DATES
Newly published figures show that 773 people in prison were held beyond their release dates over the past ten years, amounting to total compensation payouts of £3.4 million. Over the last twelve months alone, 74 prisoners were held beyond their release date, for which a record £626,605 was paid in compensation. (The sum is normally calculated at £110 for each day someone is wrongly incarcerated.)
Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, believes the problem is caused by the loss of experienced staff in offender management units and by the complexity of the ever-changing early release schemes introduced by successive governments.
Mr Taylor added that a recent inspection of HMP Pentonville revealed that 130 prisoners had been held past their release dates – but that the overwhelming majority of those wrongly detained did not bother to submit claims for compensation.
For further information, click here.
PRISON POPULATION EXPECTED TO REACH 100,600 BY 2030
The Ministry of Justice now projects that the number of people in prison will increase to between 98,000 and 103,600 by March 2030 – with a central estimate of 100,600. (As at 8 December 2025, there were 87,063 people in prison in England and Wales. Howard League for Penal Reform, December 2025)
The projected increase is driven by several factors including: continued growth in police charging and prosecutorial activity; increased flows into the courts; and increases in the numbers of offenders recalled to custody. Policies that have not received royal assent – such as the Sentencing Bill 2025 – are not included in this projection.
Specifically the adult male prison population is projected to increase to 95,400 by September 2029 and the population of older prisoners from 16,163 to around 18,600 in September 2029. The female prison population is projected to increase from 3,527 at the end of September 2025 to 3,900 by September 2029.
As mentioned above, these estimates do not account for future policies that are likely to supress the growth in prison population but are yet to be formally agreed by Parliament, for example the Sentencing Bill 2025 or responses to the Independent Review into Criminal Courts.
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RESEARCHERS CALL FOR NATIONAL STRATEGY TO SUPPORT OLDER PRISONERS
A new report produced by the University of Manchester and the charity Recoop has called for a new national strategy in order to support the growing number of elderly people in custody.
There are now four times as many people over the age of 60 in prison today as there were just over 20 years ago. Nearly a quarter of those incarcerated are over 50.
The report, entitled Finding Meaning Behind Bars, recommends greater staff training on the needs of older prisoners – including an understanding of age-related health issues. It also highlights that old, Victorian prisons are simply ill-designed to meet the needs of older people, many of whom have mobility issues. The report recommends activities for older prisoners in prison such as weekly clubs, animal-assisted schemes, self-catering sessions, shared memory activities and IT training – better enabling older prison leavers to navigate life upon their release.
To read the full report, click here.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR IMPROVED CARE FOR PRISONERS WITH EPILESPY
The new Learning Lessons bulletin, published by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO), summarises key findings from multiple PPO investigations into recent prisoner deaths – either caused by epilepsy or where the prisoner had a diagnosis of epilepsy.
The findings – based on investigations into 125 deaths over the past ten years – reveal that care for prisoners with epilepsy still requires significant improvement.
The report found:
The number of sudden and unexpected deaths in epilepsy (SUDEPs) is higher in prison than in the community.
It is estimated that SUDEPs make up around 0.15% of deaths a year in the outside community in the UK – compared to 0.64% of deaths in prison.
The diagnosis of epilepsy within prisons could be improved.
In 11% of cases where the primary or secondary cause of death was epilepsy, the prisoner had not been diagnosed with epilepsy.
74% of prisoners who died from epilepsy in prison had a mental health condition, most commonly anxiety and depression.
In many cases, the PPO saw a relationship between a prisoner’s poor mental health and a disruption to their epilepsy care. In 75% of the cases reviewed, there was evidence that the prisoner had experienced stress relating to their imprisonment, making seizures and fatalities more likely.
There are higher rates of self-inflicted deaths amongst prisoners with epilepsy.
Of a sample of 88 deaths investigated where the prisoner had a diagnosis of epilepsy, 30 were self-inflicted deaths. In comparison, 26% of all deaths in prison were self-inflicted in the last 10 years, suggesting a higher prevalence of suicide for those diagnosed with epilepsy. Previous external research has also found that people with epilepsy are twice as likely to die by suicide as people without epilepsy.
There is often not appropriate monitoring of seizures.
The PPO found some examples where a prisoner’s seizure frequency increased. Despite this, healthcare teams did not monitor the seizures or consider whether to refer the prisoner for specialist treatment. The PPO found 11 examples where a prisoner’s seizure frequency increased, and the clinical review determined that action could have been taken to address this.
Where cell sharing was mentioned and where the prisoner had an epilepsy diagnosis, the PPO found that in 69% of cases the prisoner was not sharing a cell.
There is a clear benefit in a prisoner with epilepsy sharing a cell as their cell mate can quickly raise an alarm if a prisoner is having a seizure. Indeed, guidelines suggest that sleeping alone without supervision is a risk factor for SUDEPs.
Researchers hope that healthcare teams in prisons will act on these recommendations, many of which can be addressed with minimal resources and at no cost.
To read more, click here.
NEW FACTFILE PUBLISHED ON PRISONS IN WALES
Wales Governance Centre, which forms part of Cardiff University’s School of Law and Politics, has published its latest 2024 Prison Factfile, which draws together Ministry of Justice data as well as previously unseen data obtained via the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Key findings on prisons in Wales include:
• Throughout 2024, there was a 2% increase in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, a 22% increase in assaults on staff and 11% increase in incidents of self-harm across the estate.
• Despite reaching record levels in 2023 (730), the number of Welsh prisoners on remand rose by a further 10% in 2024 to 804. (At HMP Cardiff, 56% of all prisoners in 2024 were on remand)
• The number of prison leavers without a fixed address to return to increased by 34% in 2024 – with 560 such individuals rough sleeping on the first day of their release.
• Throughout 2024, there were a record 21 deaths across the Welsh prison estate – 17 of which were recorded at HMP Parc.
• Throughout 2024, there were 4 self-inflicted deaths recorded – 3 of which were at HMP Parc.
The report concludes by acknowledging ‘another difficult year’ for prisons in Wales, particularly in regard to deteriorating safety levels and rising homelessness upon release from prison. It is hoped that the data presented in this latest Factfile will trigger a renewed or radically different approach to incarceration in Wales.
For further information, click here.
‘DIRE’ PRISON CONDITIONS PUT REHABILITATION AT RISK
A new report highlights that prison overcrowding, staffing shortages and deteriorating infrastructure is having a ‘profound impact on the ability of prisons to deliver rehabilitation’.
The report, published by the Justice Committee and entitled “Ending the cycle of reoffending – part one: rehabilitation in prisons” describes ‘dire’ living conditions in prisons, which are ‘potentially in violation of human rights legislation.’
The report calls on the Government to safeguard rehabilitation in prisons and warns that failures to do so ‘risk undermining the very purpose of imprisonment – to reduce reoffending.’ It recommends that all prisoners have much greater access to meaningful activity – and for time out of cell to be formalised, standardised, and its data to be made publicly available. The report also urges the Government to clarify the rationale behind the planned reduction in prison education budgets, which continues to raise alarm:
I have serious concerns about the impact of real-term education budget cuts on already inadequate provision and about the lack of real appetite and ambition for improvement that this represents. The prison service has a duty to protect the public by making prisoners less likely to reoffend when they are released, but too often it is failing to fulfil this responsibility. There is little doubt that many prisoners already leave jail and return to criminality, creating more victims of crime. These devastating cuts are likely to make this situation worse. HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor
For further information, click here.
NEW REPORT EXPLORES IMPACT OF LONG-TERM IMPRISONMENT ON LOVED ONES
The Prison Reform Trust has today published two new reports on the often overlooked impact of long-term imprisonment on families and loved ones – both in England and Wales and in Scotland.
‘The Long Stretch 2’ examines the emotional impact of long-term imprisonment on loved ones in England and Wales, featuring contributions from families, practitioners and partners.
The report highlights the emotional, financial and social toll of long-term sentences, with loved ones describing feelings of grief and anxiety akin to a ‘living bereavement’, as well as stigma and isolation. Many reported that the enduring emotional strain was made even worse by practical burdens such as prohibitive travel costs, inconsistent information and the challenge of navigating a complex prison system.
Key recommendations to embed support for loved ones into policy and practice include:
- A ‘Farmer refresh’ in England and Wales to review progress since the original Farmer Review, to address the needs of long-term prisoners and their families.
- Greater investment in emotional and practical support services, including therapeutic counselling and clear, accessible information for families.
- The need for recognition, inclusion and a culture which treats families as partners in progress.
‘These reports shine a light on the hidden cost of long prison sentences – not just for those serving them, but for loved ones who live with the consequences every day. If we are serious about rehabilitation, we must act now: revisit the Farmer principles, embed empathy and consistency across the system, and ensure families are treated with dignity and respect. Supporting families is not an optional extra – it is fundamental to building safer communities.’ Claudia Vince, Director of the Building Futures programme on long-term imprisonment
For further information, click here.
PRISON CAPACITY TO REMAIN ‘ON A KNIFE EDGE’ UNTIL AT LEAST 2028
New data shows that prison capacity will remain ‘on a knife edge’ until at least 2028 – despite recent measures to free up spaces.
As at September 2025, adult men’s prisons were operating at 97.7% capacity. Even with further sentencing reforms and prison capacity expansions, demand is projected to outstrip available spaces until at least late 2027. The situation is so desperate that the government has prevented cells scheduled for repairs or fire safety work to be taken out of use – though this may backfire if cells later become totally unusable.
HM Justice Committee recently commented:
‘ The prison estate is in a state of disrepair. Dilapidated buildings and broken infrastructure limit access to rehabilitative spaces and contribute to poor mental health. Despite recent capital investment, it remains unclear how the Government intends to address the £1.8 billion maintenance backlog. We call on the Government to provide a clear breakdown of how funding will be used to address this backlog, and to ensure that future investment is targeted at improving prison conditions with access to rehabilitative activities in mind.’
For further information, click here.
HMP WANDSWORTH TO TRIAL AI TO STOP EARLY RELEASE ERRORS
A specialist team at HMP Wandsworth will use AI (Artificial Intelligence) to find ‘some quick fixes’ after a spate of mistaken early releases at the prison.
It is understood that AI could be used to read and process paper documents; help staff cross-reference names to ensure that prisoners are no longer hiding their past offences behind aliases; merge different datasets; and calculate release dates and sentences. Currently, many of these jobs are being completed manually by inexperienced staff.
In the 12 months to March 2025, 262 prisoners were released in error – a 128% increase from 115 the previous year. According to unions and governors, there has been a recent increase in errors because of complicated early release schemes and a paper-based system, which means many documents are lost between prisons, courts and the Ministry of Justice.
Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons has said that the recent, multiple early release errors are ‘a symptom of a system that is close to breaking point”.
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NEW MOJ DATA SHOWS A 30% INCREASE IN PRISON DEATHS
Newly published statistics by the Ministry of Justice have revealed a 30% rise in the number of prison deaths over the past year. A total of 411 deaths in prison were recorded in the 12 months to September 2025 – 96 of them self-inflicted. Six homicides were recorded in the same time period. ( On average, there are usually between 0 – 3 homicides per calendar year) .
76,148 incidents of self-harm were recorded in the 12 months to June 2025 – a rate of one every seven minutes. Over the same period, prisons recorded 31,268 assaults – a seven per cent rise on the figures for the previous 12 months. Assaults on staff also reached a record high, with 10,477 incidents recorded.
Andrew Neilson, Director of Campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, commented:
With problems in the prison system recently hitting the headlines, these safety in custody figures spell out the everyday failure presided over by the government. Prisons remain unsafe and mired in distress and misery.
This matters to all of us as exposing people to violence and despair is no way to prepare individuals for a crime-free life on release. The Sentencing Bill is now before Parliament and aims to reduce pressure on our overcrowded prisons. That is a welcome first step but far more must be done to turn this failing system around.
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PAS JOINS COLLECTIVE CALL TO SAFEGUARD THE FUTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS
A group of almost 300 organisations – PAS included – have called on those in power to stop scapegoating human rights.
The call, organised by Liberty, falls on the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and Human Rights Act (HRA) and exposes the way human rights and the Convention have been used as a political scapegoat over recent years.
Both the ECHR and HRA have come under increasing fire from leading politicians and media organisations recently. This has often been based on myths, over-simplifications, inaccuracies, and scaremongering – particularly around migration. The group maintains that leaving the ECHR would not solve policy problems like the backlog of asylum cases, or people risking their lives through Channel crossings, but would bring about years of legal uncertainty, undermine the UK’s international position, and cause harm to the rights of both migrants in the UK and our wider communities.
The group calls on the Government to make the positive case for the UK’s human rights protections, highlighting the many ways the convention has helped ordinary people since it was opened for signature in November 1950 – from victims of sexual violence to LGBT+ service personnel, public interest journalists to mental health patients and victims of serious injustice (from Hillsborough to Windrush).
Sam Grant, Liberty director of external relations, said:
“There are people in powerful positions who want us to believe that we would be better off without the ECHR – don’t believe them. For decades our human rights laws have underpinned all of our daily lives by giving us the ability to speak freely, love who we want, and live in peace. These rights were hard-won and we must not allow governments now or in the future to take them away.”
For further information, click here.
PAS’ EVIDENCE TO ACCESS TO JUSTICE INQUIRY NOW PUBLISHED
PAS recently contributed to the House of Commons Justice Committee as part of its inquiry into Access to Justice, which examines the current state of advice and legal services across civil, criminal and family law.
Contributions from PAS shed light on widespread, severely restricted access to justice in prison. Though the prison population has risen by 93% in 30 years, around 60% of prison law practitioners have left the field. Only about 110 providers now hold legal aid contracts, and fees have been frozen since 2011. Meanwhile, law and policy around parole, sentencing, and release have become increasingly complex. Only a very small number of overstretched practitioners and charities are left to uphold prisoners’ rights amid these pressures.
PAS also highlights that any access to justice in custody depends on staff cooperation – prisoners cannot make calls, send correspondence, or move freely without authorisation, and there are no legal advice officers or meaningful internet access. Telephone calls are costly, correspondence is limited, and libraries are under-resourced. In this environment, a handful of lawyers and charities bear almost total responsibility for ensuring that prisoners can seek legal help.
PAS maintains that investment in digital infrastructure should be a priority as communication between prisoners and legal advisers still relies largely on post and landlines—slow, expensive, and unreliable. Secure digital systems, videolinks, and partial digitisation of prison libraries would significantly improve fairness and efficiency.
Since the Legal Services Act 2007, reductions in legal aid scope, static fees, and an expanding prison population have worsened access to justice. PAS therefore upholds that the proposed 24% increase in prison law remuneration must be implemented and regularly reviewed to sustain the profession – particularly given forthcoming sentencing reforms.
To read PAS’ evidence in its entirety, click here.