UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – England and Wales prisons hit 88,238 inmates, a near record high, rising despite early releases; “deport now, appeal later” plan seeks to ease overcrowding.
As reported by The Independent, official figures show the prison population in England and Wales has reached near-record highs, despite the early release of tens of thousands of offenders in recent months.
What did official data reveal about England and Wales’ rising prison population?
The latest figures from the Ministry of Justice showed 88,238 inmates were held on Monday, a rise of 231 from the previous week and an increase of more than 1,200 in the past two months.
The current prison population is just 283 short of the record 88,521 inmates recorded in September last year, following the summer riots across towns and cities in the UK.
The rise in prison figures comes despite the government’s target to reduce overcrowding by releasing 26,456 offenders early since last year.
How is the government reforming prison releases and deportations?
The emergency scheme started in September, allowing prisoners serving longer than five years to be released after serving just 40% of their sentence, instead of the 50% requirement.
Officials have revealed additional plans to ease prison overcrowding after a major independent review led by former Conservative Lord Chancellor David Gauke.
Under the new reforms, prisoners in England and Wales, including some serious offenders, may be freed after serving one third of their sentence. However, those with terror convictions and others will remain ineligible.
The government is expanding its “deport now” scheme, which will deport more foreign criminals before their appeals are heard.
Officials announced on Monday that the scheme will now cover offenders from 15 additional countries, including India, Bulgaria, Australia, and China, bringing the total number to 23 nations. Authorities believe that increasing deportations will reduce overcrowding in prisons.
Data from the Ministry of Justice at the end of June show there are currently just 772 prisoners from the 15 new nations included in the “deport now, appeal later” framework.
Shabana Mahmood, Justice Secretary, said the plan, pending parliamentary approval, could save £54,000 annually per prison place.
What did the Ministry of Justice say about early prisoner releases?
A Ministry of Justice spokesman stated,
“This Government inherited prisons days from collapse and had no choice but to take decisive action to stop prisons overflowing and leave police unable to make arrests.”
They added,
“Public protection is our number one priority. Offenders out on licence face strict conditions and will be brought back to prison if they break these rules. We are building 14,000 prison places and reforming sentencing so jails never run out of space again.”
What did Robert Jenrick say about early release and foreign offenders?
Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, stated,
“The public is sick of soft justice. Instead of introducing emergency measures to let criminals out early, Starmer should change our broken human rights law so we can deport the thousands of foreign offenders clogging up our jails. These shocking statistics explain why Britain feels lawless.”
How many prisoners have been released early since Labour took office?
A total of 248 inmates sentenced to 14 years or more have been freed. 490 inmates sentenced between 10 and 14 years were also released as part of efforts to reduce prison overcrowding.
The source reveals that 26,000 prisoners have been released early since PM Sir Keir Starmer took office.
Key facts about prisoners in the UK
As of June 2025, there were about 97,436 prisoners in the UK. England and Wales had 87,334, Scotland 8,202, and Northern Ireland 1,900. Prisoners include 20% on remand, 79% sentenced mostly for violent and drug crimes, and 13,538 recalled for breaking license rules.
More than 3,100 prisoners were released early under a scheme for non-violent offenders who served 40% of their sentence. Safety concerns increased, with assaults climbing to 30,846, a 9% rise. Self-harm incidents rose by 6% to 77,898, while deaths in custody jumped 30% to 401, including 86 self-inflicted cases.