UK Reactivates Emergency Plan to House Prisoners in Police Cells

Operation Safeguard has been reintroduced as prisons reach 99% capacity, with long-term reforms and new facilities in development.

The UK government has reactivated Operation Safeguard, allowing prisoners to be temporarily housed in police cells due to severe overcrowding in jails.
Prison occupancy in England and Wales has hit over 99%, with 87,556 people currently incarcerated, marking a six-month high.
The measure is set to last eight weeks, with officials expecting relief from the opening of HMP Millsike, a new prison providing 1,500 spaces, later this month.
Operation Safeguard is costly, with police cell housing nearly five times more expensive than regular prison costs, and it has drawn criticism from police forces for operational disruptions.
The Labour government has pledged to build 14,000 new prison places by 2031 and is planning a sentencing review to address systemic inefficiencies and reduce reoffending rates.