Overview
- The scheme starts on Thursday, October 1, with several hundred prisoners due to go free immediately and about 5,000 scheduled to be released in stages over the next year after ministers cut the planned total from 6,000.
- Ministers are using powers in the 2026 Sentencing Act to lower the standard release point for many fixed-term sentences from 40% to one-third of the term.
- The Ministry of Justice cites rising prison numbers as justification, reporting a population of 87,499 in late September, up roughly 1,700 since the end of June.
- Unions and inspectorates warn the probation service is overstretched and at risk of strike action, and watchdog reports show serious electronic tagging failures including almost half of tags fitted late and thousands never fitted at all.
- Victims and police services say survivors will face increased anxiety and extra workload for policing and support charities, while ministers pledge new restriction zones, tougher licence conditions, and a long-term plan to build 14,000 prison places.