THE number of people dying in prison rose by 30 per cent over the last year, reaching a record high, damning new figures revealed today.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data shows that 411 people in prison died in the 12 months to the end of September 2025 — the highest total for that period since records began in 2015.

Among them were 96 deaths recorded as “self-inflicted,” up from 88 the previous year.

Prisons logged 76,148 incidents of self-harm in the 12 months to June 2025 — equivalent to one every seven minutes.

Assaults on staff reached an all-time high, with 10,477 incidents recorded — a new peak of 118 per 1,000 staff.

Howard League for Penal Reform director of campaigns Andrew Neilson said the figures “spell out the everyday failure presided over by the government.”

“Prisons remain unsafe and mired in distress and misery,” he said.

“Exposing people to violence and despair is no way to prepare individuals for a crime-free life on release.”

Mr Neilson said that the Sentencing Bill, now before Parliament, is a “welcome first step” but “far more must be done to turn this failing system around.”

Prison Officers Association national chairman Mark Fairhurst said: “These damning statistics highlight how volatile and unstable our prisons are.

“We should not expect staff to work in such conditions or expect prisoners to reform if they inhabit chaotic, violent prisons.”

He urged the government to “get a grip” and invest in prisons to make them “safe, secure institutions that address offending behaviour.”

Prisons Minister Lord Timpson said the figures were “a stark reminder of the crisis we inherited,” adding that the government is “taking decisive action to end this chaos.”