More Cells Built in Prisons to Tackle Overcrowding
The government is spending £110 million on creating more cells in existing prisons in England and Wales as part of its plans to tackle overcrowding. The money, which has been "fast-tracked from existing budgets," will be used to speed up the construction of hundreds of new prison places, according to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
Existing space within prisons, such as unused office space, laundry rooms, and storage areas, will be converted into cells. This announcement comes at a critical time for the prison system, which is operating close to maximum capacity, and has faced criticism over its handling of an early release scheme.
Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Alex Norris stated, "This government is serious about fixing the broken prison system we inherited… We’re now investing to boost these efforts further." He added that they aim to deliver thousands more places to accommodate dangerous criminals and ensure public safety.
The £110 million investment was part of the government’s 2025 spending review, which outlined plans for the period from 2024-25 to 2029-30. This includes a £7 billion capital investment to create 14,000 prison places by 2031.
The MoJ also announced an extra £18.9 million investment into vital services for victims, providing the necessary emotional and practical support to help them move on with their lives. This money will be reprioritised from existing budgets and is in addition to the £550 million already committed by the government for this purpose.
