Release

What this actually means

Families hear a date early and treat it as fixed. It is not. Offence type, SDS40 eligibility, the 1 October 2026 change, HDC and behaviour all move it.

Use a calculator to get oriented. Then treat the prison’s figure as the only operational date.

The useful work before release is practical: ID, an address, a phone, a bank account. The date is the last thing, not the first.

How release dates are set

• Until 1 October 2026, most ordinary standard determinate sentences still release at 40% (SDS40), then licence until the end of the sentence.
• SDS+ sentences under section 244ZA currently release at two-thirds. From 1 October 2026 that becomes one-half, except for offences listed in SI 2026/953.
• Detention under section 250 (under 18) stays at one-half. The 1 October change does not apply.
• Time spent on remand usually counts towards the sentence.
• Only the prison / offender manager can confirm the actual date. Calculators are estimates.