Fewer people died in prisons in England and Wales in the year to June 2026, official statistics show. The Ministry of Justice released the figures in July 2026.
Deaths in custody fell from 401 to 359, a drop of 10 per cent. Self-inflicted deaths fell by 18 per cent, from 87 to 71.
Self-harm also declined. In the year to March 2026, prisons recorded 812 self-harm incidents for every 1,000 prisoners. The rate for the previous 12 months had stood at 899, so the reduction was again 10 per cent.
Men’s prisons saw an 11 per cent decrease. The fall in women’s prisons was smaller, at 4.5 per cent. Women in prison harmed themselves at nine times the rate of men.
Some people harm themselves repeatedly, which pushes up the overall incident rate. The number of individuals who deliberately hurt themselves fell to 152 per 1,000 prisoners. That figure was 5 per cent lower than a year earlier.
Overall assaults fell slightly, by 0.5 per cent. Assaults on staff dropped by 7 per cent, but attacks by prisoners on other prisoners rose by nearly 3 per cent. The same pattern appeared in the most serious incidents. Serious assaults on staff fell by 6 per cent, while serious prisoner-on-prisoner assaults rose by 2 per cent.
The figures recorded eight homicides in the year to June 2026. In the 12 months to March, the total had reached nine, the highest on record. On these figures, the murder rate per person inside prisons is around 10 times that in the wider community.
The Howard League for Penal Reform welcomed the fall in deaths and self-harm. The charity noted that the improvement came while the Government took steps to reduce the prison population. The population fell by 1 per cent between March 2025 and March 2026.
The charity’s Director of Campaigns, Andrew Neilson, said: “While these numbers remain far too high, it is encouraging to see that the rates of assaults and self-harm have come down, with fewer people losing their lives in circumstances recorded as self-inflicted.”
He linked the progress to action on overcrowding. “It shows that addressing overcrowding can help to protect staff and save lives, as well as providing more opportunities for people to learn skills and move on from crime,” he said.
Mr Neilson said a new ministerial team now had the chance to build on the progress. He noted that Ministry of Justice projections point to a rising prison population. However, he argued that politicians have the power to change this. “Imagine what could be achieved if the billions earmarked for new prisons were invested in housing, education, and social care instead,” he said.
Anyone who needs support can call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night, 365 days a year, or visit samaritans.org.
While these numbers remain far too high, it is encouraging to see that the rates of assaults and self-harm have come down, with fewer people losing their lives in circumstances recorded as self-inflicted.
Andrew Neilson, Director of Campaigns, Howard League for Penal Reform
