Early Release Prisoners: Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping

Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (LD)]

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Farmer, on securing this debate on a subject which I know is dear to his heart. It is also important to me. Both of us spoke to amendments in debates on the Social Housing Bill around the difficulties of housing ex-offenders. Much depends on how long the offender has been in prison, whether they are still in touch with their family, whether they are likely to secure employment and, not least, their mental health.

The Library has produced an extensive brief for this debate, and the noble Lord, Lord Farmer, has provided startling statistics. In 2024-25, approximately 1,000 prisoners a month were released from prison without anywhere to stay and went on to sleep rough, as has already been said. It seems that the early release scheme, introduced in 2024 to reduce the prison overcrowding, has not always been implemented in a satisfactory fashion but hurriedly, with little preparation made for accommodation provision.

An ex-offender released with nowhere to go on their first night is likely to sleep rough. This means a shop doorway, a traditional bus shelter—not a modern one—an empty, derelict property or even a park bench. This might seem acceptable on a short-term basis with weather similar to that we are currently experiencing, but not if it is November or January, raining and with temperatures well below those to which they have been acclimatised in prison.

Those who have served long sentences may have become dependent on the prison routine and feel anxious about being released and how to cope outside. It is no wonder that, on release, some engage in criminal activity in the hope of being rearrested and returned to an environment which will both house and feed them and where there will be company of sorts. If it were a choice of sleeping rough in the middle of winter or returning to prison, I feel I might choose the latter.

The role of the local housing authority is absolutely key to ensuring that appropriate accommodation is provided to ex-offenders on the day of their release. There are of course probation hostels, which, provided they have capacity, can cover up to 12 weeks.

Young men and women on release will want to rebuild their lives. Offenders commit crimes and arrive in prisons for a variety of reasons, not least of which might be their inability to communicate effectively, read or write, or understand basic maths. If there is sufficient capacity within the allocated prison, these skills can be acquired alongside qualifications to help gain employment on release. But accommodation will be the stepping stone to set them on their way. The elderly may have served long sentences and not be equipped for life without support. Can the Minister say how many prisoners who are released are over the age of 70?

I turn to those on remand. Once they come to trial, some may be found innocent and released from court. Does the Minister have figures for how long the average stay on remand is? There are also those who are found guilty but whose sentence is such that they have already served it on remand and so are released straightaway. How many, once they come to court, are released without further imprisonment? These figures are not currently included in published figures. Nevertheless, this group will need help with housing as well as other support to rebuild their lives.

The duty to collaborate with local authorities is part of the national plan to end homelessness and support those who are in crisis. Local authorities have strategies to house the homeless, but it is not easy. There are also charities and agencies whose aims are to support ex-prisoners on their release. It is, however, vital that they are given sufficient notice to allow them to find the relevant accommodation. It is extremely disappointing that the duty to collaborate has not yet been implemented. Can the Minister say when this is likely to happen—and please not say “shortly”? Without this measure, some ex-offenders will continue to have nothing but sleeping rough to look forward to.

I look forward to the Minister’s comments at the end of this important debate.