Updated guide explains latest Sentencing Act changes

We have published an updated guide to the Sentencing Act following changes to release arrangements announced in Parliament on 1 September.

The changes include a delay to the implementation of the first tranche of releases under the new earned progression model from 2 September to 1 October 2026, as well as the introduction of new offence-specific exclusions.

Our guide explains what the Sentencing Act 2026 means for people in prison and on licence, focusing on the changes most likely to affect adults in custody. These include reforms to release arrangements for standard determinate sentences, changes to recall, new licence conditions, Home Detention Curfew eligibility, IPP licence termination, and the Early Removal Scheme.

The guide has been updated to reflect the latest commencement regulations and the information currently available about how the changes will operate in practice.

The Sentencing Act received Royal Assent in January 2026, but many of its provisions are being introduced gradually through secondary legislation.