Prison deaths hit highest 12-month total this century, figures show

The number of people dying in prisons in England and Wales has reached its highest total for a 12-month period this century, figures show.

There were 411 deaths recorded in the year to September, up 30% from 317 in the previous year, according to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

It is the highest number of deaths in prison custody for any 12-month period since current data began in 2000.

The previous 12-month peak was 407 deaths in the year to March 2021.

Of the 411 deaths in the year to September, 96 were self-inflicted, up from 88 in the previous year.

Six deaths were recorded as homicides, while the MoJ said in most calendar years there are usually between zero to three homicides in total.

Some 221 deaths were recorded as natural causes, which was the highest level outside years affected by the Covid pandemic.

While the latest annual rate of 4.7 deaths per 1,000 prisoners is up year-on-year from 3.6 per 1,000, it was higher during the pandemic when it reached 5.1 in the 12 months to September 2021.

Reacting to the figures, charity Inquest’s senior policy and communications officer, Jessica Pandian, said: “These figures demonstrate the inherently destructive nature of prisons, with deaths on the sharp end. We must break this vicious cycle of violence.

“The Government must invest in community alternatives such as welfare, housing, and specialist drug and alcohol services to address the root causes of harm in our society and ensure people’s needs are met.”

The figures also show the rate of assaults on staff in the year to June 2025 stood at 121 assaults per 1,000 prisoners, up from 118 per 1,000 in the previous 12 months and a new peak.

A total of 10,477 assaults were recorded, up year-on-year from 10,284.

Rates remain higher in female prisons (287 assaults per 1,000 prisoners) than male prisons (114 per 1,000).

The Government has announced more stab-proof vests and Tasers for some prison officers to ramp up security after high-profile attacks.

It comes after three prison officers were taken to hospital with serious injuries after they were allegedly attacked with hot oil and makeshift weapons at HMP Frankland in April.

Reacting to the latest data, Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns for charity Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “With problems in the prison system recently hitting the headlines, today’s safety in custody figures spell out the everyday failure presided over by the Government.

“Prisons remain unsafe and mired in distress and misery.

“The Sentencing Bill is now before Parliament and aims to reduce pressure on our overcrowded prisons. That is a welcome first step but far more must be done to turn this failing system around.”

He added while the rise in deaths in custody is partly due to the concurrent rise in the prison population, “there is no doubt such a high number of deaths requires urgent action from the Government”.

The number of prisoners in England and Wales was 87,336 as of September 29 this year.

This was 1,185 lower than the previous record high of 88,521, which was reached on September 6 2024 in the aftermath of the summer riots in towns and cities across the UK.

Prisons minister Lord James Timpson said the Government is taking decisive action to “end this chaos”, by building 14,000 prison spaces and reforming jails to create “better citizens, not better criminals”.

He added: “These figures are a stark reminder of the crisis we inherited in our prisons – with violence, assaults on staff and self-harm all at unacceptable levels.”