A Ministry of Justice press release dated 9 October 2026 said a new houseblock at HMP Elmley in Kent had been completed, adding 247 places. First prisoners were expected in the coming weeks, the release said. The block includes reinforced windows intended to counter threats such as drones carrying contraband, and a new workshop for training and skills.

Prisons Minister Catherine McKinnell said the houseblock showed the government was building prison places and included modern security measures and rehabilitation facilities. She said the government had inherited prisons on the brink of collapse.

The release said the places form part of a commitment to deliver 14,000 additional prison places by 2031, backed by £4.7 billion, with around 3,300 delivered since July 2024. It said £110 million was being brought forward to speed construction, including converting unused offices, laundries and storage areas into cells. HMP Elmley is described as a Category B/C local and resettlement prison for adult men on the Isle of Sheppey.