How Much Does a UK Prisoner Cost?
Last reviewed: June 2026. Prison contracts are re-tendered — confirm the current operator on the prison’s official page.
In short: keeping one person in prison in England and Wales costs the taxpayer roughly £54,000 a year. The Ministry of Justice’s most recent detailed figures (2023–24) put the average cost per prisoner at £53,801 — about a 5% rise on the year before — while the cost per prison place (which includes the cost of empty places) is higher still, around £56,600. Costs vary enormously by prison: high-security and women’s prisons cost far more per head than large Category C training prisons. HMPPS publishes updated figures each year.
The headline figures
| Measure (England & Wales, 2023–24) | Approximate figure |
|---|---|
| Average cost per prisoner per year | £53,801 |
| Average cost per prison place per year | Around £56,600 |
| Year-on-year change | Up around 5% |
“Per prisoner” vs “per place”
The cost per prisoner divides total cost by the number of people actually held. The cost per place divides it by the number of available places, including ones temporarily empty — so it is usually a little higher. Both are published by HMPPS each year alongside its annual accounts, prison by prison.
Why costs vary so much
A single “average” hides a wide range. A maximum-security prison holding a small number of very high-risk prisoners costs far more per head than a large Category C training prison. Women’s prisons, prisons with specialist healthcare, and older buildings that are expensive to run also cost more. The most expensive places to hold someone can cost several times the average.
What the figure does and doesn’t include
These are the operating costs of running prisons — staff, security, healthcare, maintenance and food. They do not include the wider costs of crime, policing, courts or probation, so the full cost to society of imprisonment is higher than the per-prisoner figure alone.
Why it matters
The cost of imprisonment is central to the debate about overcrowding and sentencing reform. With the population at record levels, the total bill runs into billions a year, which is part of the argument for community sentences and earlier release for lower-risk prisoners.
Common misunderstandings
- Quoting one figure as if every prisoner costs the same — costs vary hugely by prison and category.
- Mixing up cost per prisoner with cost per place — the place figure is higher.
- Using old numbers — the figures are updated yearly and have been rising.
- Forgetting these are operating costs — they exclude the wider costs of crime and the courts.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to keep someone in prison for a year in the UK?
Around £54,000 on average (cost per prisoner, 2023–24), though it varies a lot by prison.
Where do these figures come from?
From HMPPS’s annual “costs per place and costs per prisoner” publication on GOV.UK.
Why is prison so expensive?
Staffing, security, healthcare, maintenance and running costs — higher-security and specialist prisons cost much more per head.
Related guides and official sources
See are UK prisons full, the prison population and prison categories. Official: GOV.UK costs per place and per prisoner. Figures are updated annually.
