Average prisoners working in prisons

The average number of prisoners working in public sector and privately managed prisons.

The Government remains committed to the ambition to increase work in prisons and to have more prisoners working and working longer hours in an "employment-like" atmosphere. The aim of this is:

• to ensure that prisoners are occupied in purposeful activity whilst in establishments;
• to give offenders the opportunity to learn new skills and experience and support finding employment on release.

Currently only incomplete data is available on prisoners working in prison and as such will not be included in the 2023/24 update. Work is ongoing to improve data, and this will be published once completed.

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the HM prison and probation service annual digest publication.

---