The scheme launched just days after the prison population reached a record high of 88,521

More than 70,000 prisoners in England and Wales have been released from jail under the Government’s early release scheme to tackle overcrowding, with more than 50,000 recalled in the same timeframe.

Some 70,066 inmates had been freed as of the end of March 2026, according to figures published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

The scheme was launched as an emergency measure on September 10 2024, just days after the prison population reached a record high of 88,521.

It allows eligible prisoners to be released after serving only 40 per cent of their fixed-term sentence, rather than the usual 50 per cent.

Amid the releases, 51,419 prisoners were recalled to prison in the same period to March this year, after breaching the terms of their licence.

This is up 28 per cent from 40,259 in the previous 12 month period, and is the highest number since current data began in 2015.

The ongoing early release of certain types of prisoner is one of a number of recent policies “likely” to have contributed to the rise in recalls, the MoJ said.

The current scheme for the early release of prisoners replaced a separate scheme introduced by the previous Conservative government.

Under this separate process, 13,325 prisoners in England and Wales were freed early between October 17, 2023 and September 9, 2024.

Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy, said: “There remain real and serious problems throughout our criminal justice system, particularly in prisons, but Labour are handling it in the worst possible way.

“Instead of doing the hard work of court reform and prison building, Labour have reached for the easiest tools possible - letting out rapists, paedophiles and serious criminals early, as well as scrapping jury trials.

"Labour came to government without a plan, and it shows in their lack of any real solutions for criminal justice.

“Prison works... by punishing, by deterring and by keeping dangerous criminals away from the public.

"Serious violent and sexual offenders must be banned from being let out under Labour’s disastrous early release scheme.”

Beyond intended releases, there were also 14 escapes from prisons in England and Wales in 2025/26.That is up from 12 the previous year and the highest annual total since 16 in 2019/20.

All of the escapes were from escorts, with the majority in transport operated by contractors rather than the prison service, according to the MoJ figures.

Of the 14 escapees, four were still at large after 30 days, which is the highest number since 2019/20, when eight were still at large after this time period.

Some 192 prisoners were released in error in 2025/26, down from 312 in 2024/25, which was the highest number since current data began in 2011/12.

Additionally, the MoJ report reveals a total of 1,497 drone incidents were recorded at prisons in England and Wales in the year to 2025/26 - the second highest annual number since data began in 2020/21.

The data covers all occasions when a drone was sighted by prison staff, including landings, crashes and recoveries, as well as instances of drones taking illicit items into restricted fly zones, or were suspected of photographing inmates, officers or buildings.

Multiple drones spotted at the same time are recorded as one incident.

The early release scheme is currently on pause, with an "urgent review" being conducted amid calls to scrap early releases altogether.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham assured "no prisoners will be let out under this policy until we have conducted an urgent review and done everything we can to minimise risk to the public".