The government has paused a planned early release scheme that would have made thousands of prisoners in England and Wales eligible to leave custody sooner, following criticism from victims, survivors and bereaved families.
Andy Burnham said no prisoners would be released under the policy until an urgent review had been completed. The scheme, linked to provisions in the Sentencing Act due to take effect in September, was designed to reduce pressure on an overcrowded prison system.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris said the pause was intended to provide greater certainty for victims and survivors while ministers examined how the policy would be implemented. He said the government wanted to ensure it “got the implementation of this policy right”.
The review will also consider what information is given to victims and victims’ families before an offender is released. Thousands of letters have been sent in recent weeks notifying people that offenders in their cases could become eligible for earlier release.
Burnham said: “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.” He added that ministers would make changes where required.
Under the planned arrangements, some offenders serving standard fixed sentences would have been released after serving a third of their term, rather than the current halfway point. The remainder of the sentence would be served in the community under supervision, with offenders liable to be recalled to prison if they breached conditions or committed further offences.
More serious sexual and violent offenders serving fixed terms would have been eligible for release after half their sentence, instead of after two-thirds. The government has said the most serious offenders, including life prisoners and those subject to extended monitoring, would not be eligible under the scheme.
The measure was intended to form part of the response to sustained pressure on prison capacity. In 2024, the Labour government introduced separate temporary emergency measures to release some prisoners early in an attempt to ease overcrowding across the estate.
The BBC reported that around 700 prisoners were expected to be released in early September under the paused scheme. The change was due to begin in phases, with wider categories of prisoners brought within scope later.
The decision to halt the rollout followed strong criticism from the family of PC Andrew Harper, the Thames Valley Police officer killed in Berkshire in 2019 when he was dragged behind a car on a country road by three teenagers.
Two of those convicted over PC Harper’s death, who were sentenced to 13 years in prison, would have been affected by the scheme from June 2027, when the longest fixed sentences were expected to be added to the policy.
PC Harper’s widow, Lissie Harper, described the prospect of earlier release for his killers as “deplorable” and said such decisions would have lasting consequences for victims’ families. His mother also criticised the proposals, saying her son had not received “proper justice”.
Norris, who supported the Sentencing Act when it passed through Parliament, said the decision to pause the scheme followed representations from victims, survivors and members of the public. He said ministers had heard concerns about “very important elements” of the legislation and would seek to provide certainty as soon as possible.
Jade Belgrove, a survivor of sexual assault who has campaigned against the early release plan, said it was a relief that victims had been listened to. She told BBC News that receiving a letter warning that her attacker could be released early had been “horrific” and had led her to question whether reporting the assault had been worth it.
Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman welcomed the pause and said the original version of the scheme had been the wrong approach. She said thousands of victims had already been told that offenders could be released early, leaving many with renewed fear and uncertainty.
Opposition parties also criticised the policy. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch welcomed the pause but said killers and rapists should be permanently excluded from any future version of the scheme. She said her party had opposed the proposals from the outset.
Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association, said he understood concerns about operational stability but supported the pause to ensure public protection arrangements were adequate and victims were prioritised.
There were differing views among prison staff quoted by the BBC. One officer said the decision was “bonkers” because prisons were already severely overcrowded and warned that capacity could reach a critical point later in the year. Another said the government was right to put public safety first.
The review leaves ministers balancing two immediate pressures: the need to maintain public confidence in sentencing and victim protection, and the operational challenge of managing prison places. Until that review is completed, the planned September releases under this policy will not go ahead.
