The UK Ministry of Justice announced on 1 September 2026 that £110m will be fast-tracked from existing budgets to accelerate construction of prison places, part of government plans to add 14,000 extra spaces by 2031. The funding includes converting existing space inside prisons—such as unused offices, laundry rooms and storage areas—into cells, and investment to buy land for potential future prison sites. The department said ministers also confirmed funding to build a pipeline for future prison construction.

According to the ministry, the government has signed a contract allowing the first phase of works to begin on a new 1,700-place prison in Lancashire. It said the announcements are the latest step in efforts to avoid running out of prison spaces, and that more than 3,200 prison places have been delivered in two years.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Alex Norris was also due to update Parliament on changes to upcoming sentencing reforms, including measures intended to block hundreds more dangerous offenders from earlier release, remove foreign national offenders more quickly and address Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences. The ministry said an extra £18.9m, also reprioritised from existing budgets, will go to specialist emotional and practical support for victims, on top of a record £550m announced for victim support over the next three years.