The state of our prisons

Safety in prisons

Safety in prisons has deteriorated rapidly during the last decade.¹

Inspectors found that safety was not good enough in almost half (44%) of the 31 men’s prisons inspected in 2024–25.² The same proportion of surveyed prisoners (44%), said that they had felt unsafe at some point, as did more than half (52%) of surveyed women in the two prisons inspected.³

Deaths

411 people died in prison in the year to September 2025. Almost a quarter were self-inflicted (96 deaths).⁴

Inspectors continued to raise concerns that little is learned from self-inflicted deaths, and Prisons and Probation Ombudsman recommendations are not implemented.⁵

Deaths in prisons in England and Wales

More than 400 people died in prison in the year to September 2025

Source: Ministry of Justice (2025). Safety in custody: quarterly update to June 2025

Self-inflicted deaths are nearly four times more likely in men in prison than men in the general population.⁶

In the last five years one in five (20%) self-inflicted deaths occurred in the first 30 days of arrival in prison—more than half (51%) of these deaths were in the first week.⁷

There were seven homicides in prison in 2024 alone—compared with nine in the preceding five years.⁸

Self-harm

There were 20,174 incidents of self-harm by women in prison last year—around the same as recent record highs. The number of incidents had already nearly doubled (96%) between 2013 and 2022. Between June 2022 and 2023 alone, it increased by another two-thirds (65%).⁹

Ten years ago, there were 1,854 self-harm incidents per 1,000 women in prison. By the year to June 2025, this number had risen to 5,714.¹⁰

There were 55,974 self-harm incidents by men in prison in the year to June 2025—the highest number on record. The rate of self-harm amongst men in prison is now two and a half times higher than a decade ago, with 673 incidents per 1,000 men.¹¹

Self-harm in prisons in England and Wales

Rates of self-harm continue to set new records

Women account for a disproportionate number of self-harm incidents

Source: Ministry of Justice (2025). Safety in custody: quarterly update to December 2024

Assaults

Recorded assaults by men rose by 7% in the year to June 2025 and are approaching record levels. Assaults by women increased by 10%, reaching the highest level ever recorded.¹²

There were 350 assaults per 1,000 men in prison in the year to June 2025—over two-thirds (68%) higher than a decade ago. For women, the rate is 606 incidents per 1,000—more than three and a half times higher over the same period.¹³

A Ministry of Justice study found that prisoners in overcrowded cells are 19% more likely to be involved in an assault over a one-year period than those in cells that are not overcrowded.¹⁴

Fairly applied rules play an important role in reducing assaults. Research has found that the consistent application of understandable rules that appear legitimate to people in prison are often associated with lower rates of assaults.¹⁵

Assaults in prisons in England and Wales

Assaults and serious assaults declined during the pandemic—but are rising again

Source: Ministry of Justice (2025). Safety in custody: quarterly update to December 2024

Use of force

Inspectors found that the use of force had increased in over 40% of adult men’s prisons they inspected last year. They raised concerns about lack of oversight to ensure use of force was justified and proportionate, poor use of body-worn cameras and many incidents where the use of PAVA spray—an incapacitant similar to pepper spray which causes severe pain to the eyes—was unjustified.¹⁶

PAVA was drawn¹⁷ 1,931 times in 2024—a 47% increase on the previous year. It was deployed¹⁸ in more than two in three (69%) of those instances.¹⁹

In 2024, almost two in five PAVA deployments (38%) were against Black/Black British prisoners,²⁰ who consisted of just 12% of the prison population at that time.²¹ Almost two in five deployments (38%) were against Muslim prisoners,²² who consisted of less than one in five (18%) of the prison population.²³

The use of force rate is much higher for Black (409 incidents per 1,000 prisoners), Mixed (378 incidents) and Gypsy/Irish Traveller (345 incidents) men in prison than white British or Irish men (209 incidents).²⁴

Black prisoners are eight times more likely than white prisoners to have a baton used against them.²⁵

Treatment and conditions

Half of prisons (50%) were judged to have concerning or seriously concerning performance in 2024–25 by HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS). Those most likely to be of concern were reception prisons (87%, or 27 of 31), and Category C resettlement prisons (86%, or six of seven).²⁶

Inspectors have raised concerns about the sharp rise of drugs being delivered by drones having a destabilising effect on prisons, and continued to call attention to overcrowding and cramped conditions.²⁷

Prison performance in England and Wales

Almost half of prisons are rated “of concern” or “serious concern”

Source: Ministry of Justice (2025). Annual prison performance ratings 2024 25. And previous editions
Note that ratings were suspended in 2020-21 and reduced in 2021-22

Almost half of inspected prisons were judged as poor or not sufficiently good on safety, and also on respect (45%), compared with less than a quarter last year (28%).²⁸

The lack of purposeful activity²⁹ has been a major shortfall in prisons in recent years. In 2024–25, inspectors judged that purposeful activity was poor or not sufficiently good at around three in four inspected prisons (74%). The majority that scored well were open prisons, which are intended to prepare people for release.³⁰

Standards are inconsistent — but purposeful activity remains poor

Percentage of prisons that received a rating of 'good' or 'reasonably good' by HM Inspectorate of Prisons, by criteria

Source: HM Chief Inspector of Prisons. Annual report 2024–25 and previous editions.
Note 2020 is not included due to low number of prisons inspected during Covid-19

15 prisons have received an Urgent Notification—flagging serious concerns about a prison’s conditions by the chief inspector—since their introduction in 2017. Three have received a second notification.³¹

The physical conditions of prisons

Around a quarter of people in prison are housed in prisons with Victorian-era accommodation.³² Compact spaces originally built on the outskirts of cities, they have now become enclosed by urban expansion, making further improvements difficult and exacerbating the problems of overcrowding. Green space is limited, and both damp/coldness and overheating problems are caused by thick walls and poor ventilation. Narrow landings and steep staircases cause accessibility problems for an ageing prison population.³³

Inspectors have highlighted “dilapidated”, “filthy”, and “deteriorating” conditions in men’s prisons, citing dirty wings, limited access to cleaning equipment, pest infestations, mouldy and poorly ventilated showers, and broken heating systems. Many prisoners shared cells designed for one person, with toilets placed next to beds and little to no screening. While prison leaders have been commended for trying to manage these ageing facilities, their efforts were hindered by systemic issues such as underinvestment in infrastructure, inability to commission building work, and persistent overcrowding.³⁴

Just over one in five women (21%) and over a quarter of men (29%) surveyed by inspectors said they spent less than 2 hours a day out of their cells during weekdays. This rose to 39% and 34% respectively during the weekend.³⁵

But there was a sharp divide between prison types. More than half (54%) of men in local prisons reported being unlocked for less than two hours a day, compared with just 2% of open prisons.³⁶

The prison capacity crisis

The prison estate had a critically urgent shortage of capacity in 2024, triggering a host of emergency measures, including early releases. The government has estimated that the prison population will continue to grow by around 3,000 people a year—the equivalent of two large prisons—without measures to reduce demand.³⁷

In 2025, the Independent Review of Prison Capacity concluded that both chronic and acute capacity issues had been caused by “irresistible pressure for more and longer prison sentences”, which undermined prisons’ ability to operate effectively.³⁸

The Independent Sentencing Review recommended a range of demand reduction measures, to ease the pressure on prison capacity. These included use of short custodial sentences of less than 12 months; only in exceptional circumstances; widening eligibility for fixed-term recalls; earlier release points from custody based on an ‘earned progression’ model; and greater use of electronic monitoring in the community.³⁹

Over 20,500 people are held in overcrowded accommodation⁴⁰ — a 10% increase on last year, and comprising almost a quarter of the prison population (24%).⁴¹

The government accepted many of the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendations, and it is estimated that the Sentencing Act 2026 will reduce demand by around 7,500 places.⁴²

The prison system has been overcrowded in every year since 1994.⁴³ Almost three-quarters of prisons (72%) in England and Wales were overcrowded in 2024–25—a nine percentage point increase on the previous year (11 additional prisons).⁴⁴

Over 21,600 people are held in overcrowded accommodation—a quarter of the prison population (25%). This is a 5% increase on the year before.⁴⁵

The current level of overcrowding has remained broadly unchanged for the last 20 years. Court closures during the pandemic, which resulted in a falling prison population, meant that the level of overcrowding reduced slightly in 2021 and 2022. However, it has now returned to pre-pandemic levels.⁴⁶

The Government has promised to build 14,000 new prison places by 2031.⁴⁷ So far, it has delivered 1,468 places at HMP Millsike,⁴⁸ around 1,037 places in new houseblocks at existing prisons,⁴⁹ around 183 usable places from re-rolling Cookham Wood to an adult prison,⁵⁰ and around 200 Rapid Deployment Cells.⁵¹

Resources and staffing

HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) has experienced significant cuts to its overall budget in recent years.

Between 2010–11 and 2014–15 HMPPS’s resource budget was reduced by 20%.⁵² Despite increases in recent years, including an 11% rise in 2025–26, its resource budget remains only 8% higher in real terms than in 2010–11.⁵³

The average annual overall cost of a prison place in England and Wales is £56,987.⁵⁴

The number of frontline operational prison staff (bands 3–5) was cut by 26% between 2010–2017.⁵⁵

Staff in prisons in England and Wales

Public sector prison officer numbers remain down on 2010

Source: Ministry of Justice (2025). HMPPS workforce quarterly: March 2025. And previous editions.
Ministry of Justice (2025). Offender management statistics quarterly: January to March 2025

Staff with less than three years service is high and those with 10 or more years is declining

Source: Ministry of Justice (2025). HMPPS workforce quarterly: March 2025. And previous editions.

The Conservative government announced £100m to partially reverse the decline,⁵⁶ committing to recruit a further 2,500 officers by the end of 2018.⁵⁷ This target was achieved. It then committed to recruiting 5,000 officers by the mid 2020s.⁵⁸

However, there are just 378 more officers than there were in 2021—8% of the staffing target,⁵⁹ and 9% fewer than in 2010.⁶⁰

Retention remains a problem. In the year to September 2024, almost one in seven (13%) employed officers left the prison service.⁶¹

Officer numbers have been steadily declining in the last year, and have fallen by 4%.⁶²

Retention is a significant problem. In the year to September 2025, just over one in 10 (11%) employed officers left the prison service.⁶³

A 2024 inquiry found that many new staff do not receive adequate support, and suggested that morale was at an all-time low, exacerbated by the prison capacity crisis.⁶⁴

Private prisons

In England and Wales there are 18,541 people held in private prisons (21% of the imprisoned population).⁶⁵

There are 15 private prisons in England and Wales. Private prisons cost a total of £762.9m in 2023–24.⁶⁶ The newest privately run prison, HMP Millsike, opened in 2025.⁶⁷ The contract was awarded to Mitie Care & Custody, the first new provider to be awarded a prison contract since the 1990s.⁶⁸

In 2025, Sodexo’s contract to run HMP Forest Bank was extended for a further 10 years, following expiry of the previous 25-year term.⁶⁹Four more long-term contracts are due to expire by April 2027. These include prisons that have developed specialist provision, such as HMP Rye Hill for men convicted of sex offences, and HMP Dovegate which houses a therapeutic community.⁷⁰

Oasis Restore secure school opened in June 2024, but has been temporarily closed since September 2025 because of safety concerns about heavily damaged doors being unable to be locked. It is currently the only secure institution operated by a charity.⁷¹

Private prisons in England and Wales

Source: Beard, J. (2023). The prison estate in England and Wales. House of Commons.
HM Prison and Probation Service. (2025). Prisons and their resettlement providers.

Previous section
Sentencing and the use of custody Next section
People in prison