Civometry

Ministry of Justice · people

Prison population, annual average, 1900 to 2018 under each government

The full published series with each government’s time in office shaded. The table gives the level each government inherited and the last complete period before it left. Changes describe the period, not a cause. Definitions and caveats are on the metric page.

Prison population, annual average, 1900 to 2018: 1900 to 2018ConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabourLabourCoalitionConservativeConservative025k50k75k190019101920193019401950196019701980199020002010Before: Month-end snapshot of the prison population. After: Last Friday of the month from July 2009 to February 2010, then a new prison IT system from 2010.methodology change1900: 17,435 people · published 26 July 20191901: 18,980 people · published 26 July 20191902: 19,437 people · published 26 July 20191903: 20,795 people · published 26 July 20191904: 21,428 people · published 26 July 20191905: 21,525 people · published 26 July 20191906: 21,074 people · published 26 July 20191907: 20,926 people · published 26 July 20191908: 22,146 people · published 26 July 20191909: 22,018 people · published 26 July 20191910: 20,904 people · published 26 July 20191911: 19,797 people · published 26 July 20191912: 19,442 people · published 26 July 20191913: 18,236 people · published 26 July 20191914: 15,808 people · published 26 July 20191915: 11,311 people · published 26 July 20191916: 10,058 people · published 26 July 20191917: 9,660 people · published 26 July 20191918: 9,199 people · published 26 July 20191919: 9,683 people · published 26 July 20191920: 11,000 people · published 26 July 20191921: 12,179 people · published 26 July 20191922: 11,766 people · published 26 July 20191923: 11,148 people · published 26 July 20191924: 10,750 people · published 26 July 20191925: 10,509 people · published 26 July 20191926: 10,860 people · published 26 July 20191927: 11,179 people · published 26 July 20191928: 11,109 people · published 26 July 20191929: 10,861 people · published 26 July 20191930: 11,346 people · published 26 July 20191931: 11,676 people · published 26 July 20191932: 12,803 people · published 26 July 20191933: 12,986 people · published 26 July 20191934: 12,238 people · published 26 July 20191935: 11,306 people · published 26 July 20191936: 10,613 people · published 26 July 20191937: 10,562 people · published 26 July 20191938: 11,086 people · published 26 July 20191939: 10,326 people · published 26 July 20191940: 9,377 people · published 26 July 20191941: 10,635 people · published 26 July 20191942: 12,400 people · published 26 July 20191943: 12,790 people · published 26 July 20191944: 12,915 people · published 26 July 20191945: 14,708 people · published 26 July 20191946: 15,789 people · published 26 July 20191947: 17,067 people · published 26 July 20191948: 19,765 people · published 26 July 20191949: 19,879 people · published 26 July 20191950: 20,474 people · published 26 July 20191951: 21,780 people · published 26 July 20191952: 23,680 people · published 26 July 20191953: 23,610 people · published 26 July 20191954: 22,421 people · published 26 July 20191955: 21,134 people · published 26 July 20191956: 20,807 people · published 26 July 20191957: 22,602 people · published 26 July 20191958: 25,379 people · published 26 July 20191959: 26,623 people · published 26 July 20191960: 27,099 people · published 26 July 20191961: 29,025 people · published 26 July 20191962: 31,063 people · published 26 July 20191963: 30,896 people · published 26 July 20191964: 29,600 people · published 26 July 20191965: 30,421 people · published 26 July 20191966: 33,086 people · published 26 July 20191967: 35,009 people · published 26 July 20191968: 32,461 people · published 26 July 20191969: 34,667 people · published 26 July 20191970: 39,028 people · published 26 July 20191971: 39,708 people · published 26 July 20191972: 38,328 people · published 26 July 20191973: 36,774 people · published 26 July 20191974: 36,867 people · published 26 July 20191975: 39,820 people · published 26 July 20191976: 41,443 people · published 26 July 20191977: 41,570 people · published 26 July 20191978: 41,796 people · published 26 July 20191979: 42,220 people · published 26 July 20191980: 42,264 people · published 26 July 20191981: 43,311 people · published 26 July 20191982: 43,707 people · published 26 July 20191983: 43,462 people · published 26 July 20191984: 43,295 people · published 26 July 20191985: 46,233 people · published 26 July 20191986: 46,770 people · published 26 July 20191987: 48,426 people · published 26 July 20191988: 48,872 people · published 26 July 20191989: 48,500 people · published 26 July 20191990: 44,975 people · published 26 July 20191991: 44,809 people · published 26 July 20191992: 44,719 people · published 26 July 20191993: 44,552 people · published 26 July 20191994: 48,621 people · published 26 July 20191995: 50,962 people · published 26 July 20191996: 55,281 people · published 26 July 20191997: 61,114 people · published 26 July 20191998: 65,298 people · published 26 July 20191999: 64,771 people · published 26 July 20192000: 64,602 people · published 26 July 20192001: 66,301 people · published 26 July 20192002: 70,778 people · published 26 July 20192003: 73,038 people · published 26 July 20192004: 74,657 people · published 26 July 20192005: 75,979 people · published 26 July 20192006: 78,127 people · published 26 July 20192007: 80,216 people · published 26 July 20192008: 82,572 people · published 26 July 20192009: 83,559 people · published 26 July 20192010: 84,725 people · published 26 July 20192011: 85,951 people · published 26 July 20192012: 86,634 people · published 26 July 20192013: 84,249 people · published 26 July 20192014: 85,307 people · published 26 July 20192015: 85,626 people · published 26 July 20192016: 85,348 people · published 26 July 20192017: 85,632 people · published 26 July 20192018: 83,296 people · published 26 July 2019
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestDashed line: change in coverage or methodShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value
GovernmentInheritedLeft at / latestChange during government
Labour 2024–5 July 2024 – presentThe last period published before this government took office is too old to serve as a fair starting level.
Conservative 2019–202413 December 2019 – 5 July 2024No period ends within this government's time in office.
Conservative 2017–20199 June 2017 – 13 December 201985,348201683,2962018↓ 2.4%−2,052
Conservative 2015–20178 May 2015 – 9 June 201785,307201485,3482016↑ 0.0%+42
Coalition 2010–201511 May 2010 – 8 May 201583,559200985,3072014↑ 2.1%+1,747
Labour 2005–20106 May 2005 – 11 May 201074,657200483,5592009↑ 11.9%+8,902
Labour 2001–20058 June 2001 – 5 May 200564,602200074,6572004↑ 15.6%+10,055
Labour 1997–20012 May 1997 – 7 June 200155,281199664,6022000↑ 16.9%+9,321
Conservative 1992–199710 April 1992 – 2 May 199744,809199155,2811996↑ 23.4%+10,472
Conservative 1987–199212 June 1987 – 9 April 199246,770198644,8091991↓ 4.2%−1,961
Conservative 1983–198710 June 1983 – 11 June 198743,707198246,7701986↑ 7.0%+3,063
Conservative 1979–19834 May 1979 – 9 June 198341,796197843,7071982↑ 4.6%+1,911