Probation staff warn early releases could leave more prisoners homeless

Charities and probation staff warn that people released early from prison may be left homeless, as temporary accommodation runs out and housing options fill up. They say this risks increasing rough sleeping just as Andy Burnham’s plan to end it in England by Christmas is under way, and may make probation requirements harder to meet.

James, 37, says his temporary accommodation in Somerset will end within days and he has been unable to secure help from the council or probation services. Pact analysis found that prisoners recorded as sleeping rough on release rose 130%, from 6,040 in 2022-23 to 14,360 in 2025-26; roughly one in seven releases now involves rough sleeping. The government’s early-release scheme includes a presumption of electronic tagging, but probation staff say tags and reporting requirements can be difficult to manage without stable accommodation.