Cost of keeping people in prison on indeterminate IPP sentences tops £1bn since 2012
Keeping people who are serving a controversial indefinite sentence beyond their minimum term in prison has cost the taxpayer more than £1bn since 2012, Sky News analysis has found.
Sky News has analysed data relating to those serving imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences.
This is a type of open-ended sentence that was abolished more than a decade ago following widespread concern over its implementation and psychological impact on inmates.
From April 2012 to December 2023, it cost the taxpayer an estimated £1.1bn to house unreleased IPP prisoners who were serving time beyond their original tariff – the term used to describe the minimum amount of time they had to spend in custody before they could be considered for release by the Parole Board.
It does not include those who have been recalled back to prison after initially being released under strict licence conditions.
The analysis comes as new data released by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) shows 2,852 people remain incarcerated under the IPP system, including those who have been recalled back into custody.
Of this number, 1,227 have never been released, while 1,210 are behind bars beyond their original tariff.
In the analysis, Sky News took the average cost of a prisoner in each financial year back to 2012/13 and multiplied that by the number of prisoners remaining on expired IPP sentences at the end of each year.
Adding together these costs for each year since 2012/13 comes to a total of £1.1bn.
What are IPP sentences?
Implemented in 2005 under the then Labour government, IPP sentences were intended for the most serious violent and sexual offenders who posed a significant risk of serious harm to the public but whose crimes did not warrant a life term.
Although the government’s stated aim was public protection, concerns quickly grew that IPP sentences were being applied too broadly and catching more minor offenders – with many serving time in prison much longer than their initial term.
In light of the criticisms, IPPs were scrapped in 2012 but the change was not applied retrospectively – meaning those who were in prison at the time the sentence was abolished were not able to benefit.
There have long been calls from campaigners for the government to review the use of IPP sentences – which have been described as “cruel and degrading” by Alice Jill Edwards, a torture expert at the UN.
In 2022 parliament’s Justice Select Committee published a report recommending a resentencing exercise, arguing the IPP sentence was “irredeemably flawed” and caused “acute harm” to those serving them due to the prisoner not knowing when they might be released.
Successive governments have been reluctant to carry out a resentencing exercise on the grounds it could compromise public safety.
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Sky News speaks to families whose loved ones are being held in prison on open-ended sentences
However, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk – who has described IPPs as a “stain” on the justice system – has come under pressure to heed the committee’s calls due to the current capacity constraints in the prison system.
Data from the MoJ published last week shows the prison estate in England and Wales is approaching its operational capacity limit, with just 1,430 spaces left.
According to the campaigning organisation the Institute of Now, the number of people still inside on IPP sentences beyond their tariff could fill the equivalent of more than four average-size UK prisons.
Henry Rossi, a human rights campaigner and founder of The Institute of Now, said: “Far too many people, both prisoners and their families, have been subjected to psychological torture from this wicked sentence, which in so many cases, has led to suicides.
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In 2012 the government abolished IPP sentences, but they didn’t do this retrospectively
“Prisons are not the place to manage those that have served their time as punishment. The UK has blood on its hands and the government must urgently relook at this draconian sentence and release post-tariff IPP prisoners with the appropriate support.”
A MoJ spokesperson said: “We have reduced the number of unreleased IPP prisoners by three-quarters since we scrapped the sentence in 2012, with a 12% fall in the last year alone where the Parole Board deemed prisoners safe to release.
“We have also taken decisive action to curtail licence periods and continue to help those still in custody to progress towards release, including improving access to rehabilitation programmes and mental health support.”
The MoJ figures and Sky News analysis comes as a separate report from the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) shows how care and separation units (CSUs) are regularly being used as a “stop gap” to manage prisoners with severe mental health needs – including those serving IPP sentences.
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It costs about £48,000 to keep someone in prison in the UK – and there are still just under 3,000 IPP prisoners behind bars
In one case, a man with a schizophrenia diagnosis cumulatively spent almost nine months in the CSU – also known as segregation or “the seg” – during which time the IMB said his mental health “dramatically deteriorated”.
In another example, an IPP prisoner with a personality disorder spent over 800 days in the CSU before they were transferred to an appropriate unit.
Read more:
Inside the lives of IPP prisoners
Reforms announced on indefinite prison sentences
Elisabeth Davies, IMB national chair, said: “Segregating any prisoner, especially those with mental health needs, is not a decision taken lightly by prison managers. While they clearly feel that they have no other option, CSUs should not be used as holding bays for these vulnerable individuals.
“While local IMBs found that overall staff worked hard to support prisoners in the best way that they could, collectively they have reported a disturbing picture of mentally unwell men spending lengthy periods in isolation, which often results in a deterioration of their mental health.
“If anything is to change, the solution is, and has always been, providing appropriate mental health provision in the community and tighter controls around the transfer times from prison to hospital.”
A government spokesperson said: “Segregation is an absolute last resort for those deemed a danger to themselves or others.
“Prisoners are entitled to the same care as they would receive in the community, which is why we guarantee the most vulnerable individuals are able to access mental health support tailored to their needs.”
Former British heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua delivered a dose of reality to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul as he won their much-anticipated showdown.
Joshua scored three knockdowns before landing a huge right hit on Paul halfway through the sixth round.
The British fighter lifted Paul’s hand in a show of respect after the fight broadcast on the streaming platform Netflix.
Joshua landing the right hit that knocked out Paul. Pic: AP
“Jake Paul has done really well tonight. I want to give him his props, he got up, time and time again,” he said about his opponent.
Joshua said it “wasn’t the best performance”, adding: “It took a bit longer than expected. But the right hand finally found the destination.”
Joshua celebrating his win after the fight. Pic: Reuters
Meanwhile, Paul said: “I’m feeling good, that was fun. I love this sport. I gave it my all, It’s f****** crazy. I had a blast.
“I got my ass beat, but that’s what this sport is about. I’mma (going to) come back and keep on winning.”
He added: “I just got tired to be honest. He did amazing and hits really hard.”
Jake Paul was knocked down three times before the final knockout in the sixth round. Pic: Reuters
The fight marked the end of a 14-month hiatus for Joshua, 36, while for 28-year-old Paul it was the biggest fight since his boxing career began in 2020.
At the weigh-in on Friday, Joshua boasted an almost two-stone advantage over Paul, who has regularly fought at cruiserweight since he entered the world of boxing.
Britain’s two-time world heavyweight champion tipped the scales at 243.4lbs (17st 5lbs) for his fight against Paul in Miami, while Paul weighed in at 216lbs (15st 6lbs) – a hefty 1.9st difference.
Joshua, who could not weigh more than 245lbs, is the lightest he has been since his first fight against Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021 when he was 240lbs. For his last fight against Daniel Dubois he weighed 252.5Ibs.
Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua at the weigh-in. Pic: Reuters
It is also only the second time that Paul weighed in over cruiserweight limit – the other time was when he fought 58-year-old Mike Tyson. Paul defeated Tyson by unanimous decision with 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73.
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David Walliams dropped by publisher HarperCollins UK after allegations of inappropriate behaviour
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Family of nine-year-old Aria Thorpe pay tribute to ‘beautiful soul’ as teen appears in court charged with murder
The family of a nine-year-old girl stabbed to death have said she was a “beautiful soul” who was brave, kind-hearted and “always put a smile on people’s faces”.
Police were called to Lime Close in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, just before 6.10pm on Monday, where Aria Thorpe had suffered a single stab wound.
The child was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a tribute released by Avon and Somerset Police on Friday, the girl’s family on her mother’s side said: “For those who didn’t have the privilege of knowing Aria, she was the most beautiful little soul – happy-go-lucky, full of light, and joy.
“She loved to sing and dance, and she took such pride in dressing up, always wanting to look just like her mummy.”
Tom Thorpe, the girl’s father, said: “It’s hard to put into words how devastating it is, our little Aria, that you’re up there with the angels looking over us.”
It comes as a 15-year-old boy charged with Aria’s murder appeared in court.
Pic: Avon and Somerset Police
Aria was a ‘precious girl’
In their statement, Aria’s family on her mother’s side said her death “has devastated us beyond words”.
“Our hearts are broken in a way we never imagined possible,” they added.
“As a family, we are holding one another close and doing everything we can to support each other through this unimaginable time.”
They said they were “truly touched by the lovely messages we have received”, before asking “that our privacy is respected, as we try to come to terms with the terrible loss of our precious girl”.
Flowers laid in memory of the young girl
‘Wacky ways and outright madness’
Mr Thorpe said: “How sad it’s going to be not hearing ‘Dad, how long left?’ on our long journeys back and forth at weekends.
He then said that Aria was “such a brave, kind-hearted and a beautiful innocent soul”, and “always put a smile on people’s faces with your wacky ways and just outright madness”.
Mr Thorpe added: “Your other little family down here in Portsmouth will forever miss you.
“We’ll miss you begging to go outside, even in the pouring rain just to have as much fun as possible in the little time we had at weekends.
“You will be greatly missed, you special little angel. A life gone far too early but I hope a life lived well. We all love you dearly. Goodnight darling.”
Teenager in court
Meanwhile, a 15-year-old boy charged with Aria’s murder appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, where he was remanded.
The teenager, who cannot be named because of his age, was arrested in the Somerset village of Worle at 6.19pm on Monday.
He is next due in court on 16 March 2026. Appearing via video link from youth detention accommodation, he spoke only to confirm his name.
Judge Peter Blair KC set a provisional trial date for 15 June during the hearing.
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