Prison Home Leave: Temporary Release to Go Home (UK)
Last reviewed: June 2026.
In short: “home leave” is a form of Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) that lets risk-assessed prisoners spend time at home before release — usually Resettlement Overnight Release (ROR), staying overnight at an approved address. It’s mainly for prisoners in open (Category D) conditions towards the end of their sentence, helps rebuild family ties and prepare for release, and is granted only after a detailed risk assessment. It’s a privilege that can be refused or withdrawn, and breaking its conditions — including failing to return on time — is treated very seriously.
What home leave is
Home leave allows a prisoner to leave temporarily and stay at an approved home address, returning to prison afterwards. In the current system this is delivered through Resettlement Overnight Release, part of the wider ROTL framework. Its purpose is to help prisoners reconnect with family, test out being back in the community, and sort practical things before full release — a gradual, supervised step rather than a sudden return.
Who can get it and how it’s decided
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who | Mainly open (Category D) prisoners assessed as low risk, usually near the end of the sentence. |
| How decided | A detailed risk assessment of the prisoner, the home address and the purpose. |
| Conditions | Strict licence conditions; must return on time and comply fully; sometimes a tag or curfew. |
| If breached | Home leave is withdrawn, progression and parole prospects are damaged, and absconding is an offence. |
Childcare resettlement leave
There’s a specific form of ROTL — the Childcare Resettlement Licence — for prisoners who are the sole carer of a child under 16, allowing periodic home leave to maintain that caring relationship, subject to the same risk assessment.
Home leave vs full release
Home leave is temporary — the prisoner returns to custody afterwards. It’s not the same as being released on licence at the end of a sentence, and it’s not parole. Think of it as a series of supervised, risk-assessed steps that build trust and ease the transition before genuine release.
Common misunderstandings
- Thinking home leave is early release — it’s temporary; the prisoner returns to prison.
- Assuming everyone qualifies — it’s mainly for open-conditions prisoners and is risk-assessed.
- Treating it as a right — it’s a privilege that can be refused or withdrawn.
- Underestimating the conditions — returning late or breaching them is taken very seriously.
Frequently asked questions
What is prison home leave?
Temporary release (a form of ROTL) letting a risk-assessed prisoner stay at home before returning to prison.
Who is eligible?
Mainly open (Category D) prisoners assessed as low risk, towards the end of their sentence.
Is it the same as ROTL?
It’s part of ROTL — specifically resettlement overnight release. See our ROTL guide.
Is there special leave for parents?
Yes — the Childcare Resettlement Licence, for sole carers of a child under 16.
Related guides and official sources
See ROTL explained, open prisons and parole. Official: GOV.UK on leaving prison.
