Thousands of prison cells in England and Wales are reportedly lying empty while the government is releasing inmates early to address overcrowding. Official figures indicate that 4,024 prison places are currently unavailable due to damage or ongoing building works. Critics argue that these vacant cells could prevent the need for early releases.
Specific reasons for the unavailability of cells include a pledge to install Automatic Fire Detection systems, which has left up to 1,800 places unfilled. Additionally, hundreds more cells remain unusable following the collapse of construction firms ISG and ESS in 2024, which were undertaking repairs. HMP Birmingham, for instance, has large Victorian wings that are currently out of use.
Further exacerbating the issue, HMP Dartmoor has been mothballed since 2024 after unsafe levels of radon gas were discovered. This has resulted in 640 empty cells, and while there is no timeline for its reopening, taxpayers continue to fund the lease of the site.
In light of the overcrowding, the government is reportedly releasing approximately 5,000 inmates after they have served just one-third of their sentences. Concerns have been raised by politicians and prison officer representatives regarding the implications of these early releases, particularly for dangerous offenders. The Prison Officers’ Association National Chair described the number of unavailable places as a “damning indictment of the state of the prison estate.”
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy criticized the government for what he termed dishonesty about available prison cell numbers. He called for immediate action to prevent the early release of convicted killers, rapists, paedophiles, and domestic abusers, suggesting measures such as utilizing currently empty cells, expediting safety upgrades, or housing two prisoners per cell.