UK to release 5,000 prisoners early as overcrowding reforms take effect

Around 5,000 inmates in England and Wales will be released early over the next ten months, beginning in October, after the British government revised its plan to ease prison overcrowding. The original scheme aimed to free about 6,000 prisoners from September, but Prime Minister Andy Burnham intervened and removed roughly 1,000 offenders convicted of rape, serious sexual crimes against children and child sexual abuse from the programme.

Justice Minister Alex Norris said the reform seeks a long‑term solution to chronic overcrowding and warned that expanding the scheme could cause a collapse of the prison system. Eligible prisoners will still be eligible for early release after serving half their sentences, provided they have not committed serious disciplinary offences. All early‑released individuals will be placed under strict supervision, with GPS monitoring required for certain sexual offenders.

The opposition criticised the changes as insufficient, suggesting the government should increase prison capacity, rent facilities abroad and accelerate deportations of foreign nationals convicted of crimes.