England and Wales Prison Recalls Hit Record 52,716 in 2026

Key Points

• More people returned to prison than were released in England and Wales in the first half of 2026, according to figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) published on 29 October 2026.
• In April and June 2026, 12,338 people returned to prison custody, compared to 12,278 people being released from sentences.
• Recalls to custody were up 27% from 41,518 in the last 12 months to 52,716 for the year to June.
• The annual number is the highest seen since 2015, as per figures from The Independent.
• Recalls to custody increased alongside the SDS40 early-release scheme, which led to the release of 79,274 prisoners early from September 2024 to June 2026.
• Early-release schemes and changes to fixed-term recall rules have most likely caused the increase, the MoJ suggested.
• Recalls decreased in each of the last two quarters, falling from 13,193 in January to March to 12,338 in April to June.
• Prison population stood at 87,712 on 30 September 2026, roughly unchanged from a year earlier.
• The Government said decisive action had been needed to stop the “total collapse” of the prison system.

Wales (Wales Times) October 29, 2026 — More prisoners were returned to jail than released in England and Wales during the first half of 2026, official figures show, despite emergency measures intended to reduce pressure on overcrowded prisons.

Ministry of Justice data published on Thursday recorded 12,338 licence recalls between April and June 2026, compared with 12,278 releases from custody in the same quarter. The figures continue a pattern first recorded between January and March, when 13,193 people were recalled and 12,977 were released. As reported by The Guardian, the data indicate that recalls have become a major factor in the prison capacity crisis.

Over the 12 months to June, 52,716 prisoners were recalled after breaching the terms of their licence. That was 27% higher than the 41,518 recalls recorded in the previous year and the highest annual total since comparable records began in 2015, according to The Independent.

The MoJ said the rise was likely to have been influenced by several policy changes, including the SDS40 early-release scheme and changes that allow many recalled offenders to be returned to custody for 56 days rather than being held until the end of their sentence.

What Do the Latest Quarterly Figures Show?

The latest quarterly statistics show that 12,338 people were recalled to prison between April and June 2026. Of those, 456 were recalls from Home Detention Curfew.

The quarterly total was 12% higher than the 11,041 recalls recorded between April and June 2025, but 6% lower than the 13,193 recalls between January and March 2026. The MoJ said recalls had now fallen in each of the last two quarters.

Recall admissions to prison rose by 15% year on year, reaching 11,898 between April and June. The increase was driven by a 16% rise in recalls of people serving determinate sentences.

Recall admissions among people serving determinate sentences of 12 months or more rose by 51% compared with the same quarter in 2025. They accounted for 64% of all determinate-sentence recall admissions, up from 50% a year earlier.

How Many Prisoners Were Released Early?

The MoJ figures show that 79,274 prisoners were released early between September 2024 and June 2026 under emergency measures introduced to tackle overcrowding.

The SDS40 early-release scheme reduced the proportion of certain sentences that eligible prisoners had to serve in custody from 50% to 40%. As reported by The Independent, the scheme was one of several policy changes the MoJ said were likely to have contributed to the increase in recalls.

The emergency measures were replaced by a permanent early-release scheme on 1 October under the Sentencing Act 2026. Data on releases under the new scheme are not due to be published until spring 2027.

SDS40 replaced an earlier scheme introduced by the previous Conservative government, under which 13,325 prisoners in England and Wales were released early between 17 October 2023 and 9 September 2024, The Independent reported.

Why Have Licence Recalls Increased?

A prisoner can be recalled if a probation officer or the Parole Board believes they have breached licence conditions, if their risk has increased, or if they pose a danger to the public. As reported by the BBC, the most common reason recorded in the year to March 2026 was general “non-compliance”, followed by failure to keep in touch with a supervising or probation officer.

In the April-to-June quarter, around 75% of recalls involved non-compliance, 35% involved failure to keep in touch, 24% involved failure to reside, and 20% involved a charge of further offending. The MoJ noted that more than one reason can be recorded for a single recall.

The department said changes to fixed-term recall had also affected the figures. From 31 March 2026, most recalled offenders became subject to a 56-day fixed-term recall rather than the previous 14-day or 28-day periods.

According to the MoJ, this change means many offenders can be recalled more than once during the same sentence, whereas previously they might have been held until the end of their term under a standard recall. The most serious offenders remain subject to standard recall procedures.

Are Prison Recalls Still Rising?

Although the annual total reached a record level, the quarterly trend has recently moved downwards. Recalls fell from 13,193 in January to March 2026 to 12,338 in April to June 2026.

The MoJ said the recent decline was largely driven by fewer recalls of offenders released from sentences of less than 12 months, known as ORA recalls. These fell by 25% compared with the previous quarter and by 26% year on year.

In contrast, recalls of offenders serving determinate sentences rose by 7% compared with the previous quarter, to 8,059, and were 52% higher than a year earlier. Recalls of people serving indeterminate sentences rose by 20% compared with the previous quarter, to 181, but were 2% lower than a year earlier.

The prison population of people recalled to custody stood at 12,308 on 30 September 2026, a 3% decrease compared with a year earlier.

What Is the State of the Prison Population?

The prison population in England and Wales was 87,712 on 30 September 2026, less than 0.5% higher than the 87,465 recorded on the same date in 2025.

The sentenced population was 71,341, while 15,921 people were being held on remand and 450 were classified as non-criminal prisoners. The MoJ said the overall population had fluctuated during the year but remained close to its level 12 months earlier.

First receptions into prison fell by 19% year on year to 15,353 between April and June. Releases from sentences also fell by 18% to 12,278 over the same period.

The MoJ linked the fall in receptions partly to greater use of court bail and the introduction in March 2026 of a presumption to suspend custodial sentences of 12 months or less.

What Has the Government Said?

The MoJ said it remained “vital those who break the rules can be hauled back to prison”. The department also said the Government had taken “decisive action” to prevent the “total collapse of our prison system” and to protect the public.

The figures were published alongside updated transparency data on SDS40 releases covering April 2024 to June 2026. The MoJ said the statistics include monthly SDS40 releases with demographic and offence breakdowns.

The department also noted that 3,261 offenders recalled between 1984 and June 2026 had not been returned to custody by 30 September 2026. It said this total included some people believed to be dead or living abroad but not confirmed as deceased or deported.

Background of the Development

Prison recalls occur when someone released on licence is returned to custody for breaching release conditions or because of an increased risk concern. Licence conditions can include keeping in contact with probation services, residing at an approved address, and avoiding further offending.

The latest increase follows a period of severe pressure on prisons in England and Wales. The Government introduced the SDS40 early-release scheme in September 2024 to create capacity by allowing eligible prisoners to serve 40% of certain sentences in custody rather than 50%.

Separate changes to fixed-term recall rules were introduced in 2024, expanded in September 2025, and replaced by 56-day fixed-term recalls from 31 March 2026. The MoJ said these changes were intended to manage the prison population but also increased the number of recall admissions because eligible offenders could be recalled repeatedly for shorter periods.

The SDS40 scheme was replaced on 1 October 2026 by a permanent early-release framework under the Sentencing Act 2026. The latest official data do not yet include releases under that new scheme.

Prediction: How Could This Affect Prisoners and Communities?

For prisoners and their families, the figures suggest that release on licence will continue to carry strict conditions and a meaningful risk of return to custody. People released under early-release schemes may face closer supervision, and those who miss appointments, change address without approval, or lose contact with probation could be recalled.

For communities, the development indicates that prison capacity pressures are unlikely to disappear quickly. Higher recall numbers can reduce the number of available prison places, potentially affecting how quickly new prisoners can be accommodated and how the justice system balances public protection with overcrowding.

For probation services, the data point to continued demand for supervision, accommodation support and compliance monitoring. The MoJ’s own figures show that most recalls in the latest quarter involved non-compliance rather than a charge of further offending, which may increase attention on whether released prisoners receive sufficient practical support after release.

For policymakers, the next major test will be the impact of the permanent early-release scheme introduced on 1 October. Official data on those releases are not expected until spring 2027, meaning the full effect of the latest policy change on prison recalls and prison capacity will not be known for several months.