Jessica O'ConnorMore than 300 British businesses have joined the Government’s drive to recruit prison leavers over the past year, as part of efforts to cut crime, reduce reoffending and address labour shortages.
The initiative, linked to the Government’s Plan for Change, brings new employers alongside established partners such as Greggs, Iceland and Kier, helping to fill some of the estimated one million vacancies across the UK.
The Prison Service has also announced plans to roll out a digital job-matching tool across prisons in England and Wales.
The system will connect prisoners with vacancies, support them through the application process and give employers access to a wider pool of candidates.
Employment outcomes for those leaving custody have continued to improve.
In the last 12 months, the proportion of prison leavers serving sentences of 12 months or more who secured work within six months of release reached 38%, more than double the 15% recorded in 2021.
The update was shared by the Minister for Probation, Prisons and Reducing Reoffending at the Ministry of Justice’s annual employment advisory conference on 13th November, where business leaders discussed opportunities to support prison leavers into work.
Minister Lord James Timpson said: “I know firsthand the value of employing ex-offenders. It slashes reoffending, prevents crime before it happens, and helps grow the economy by filling vital gaps in the UK job market.
“That’s why we’re investing in rehabilitation and supporting prisoners into jobs to give them a real chance to turn their lives around, as part of our Plan for Change.”
Government data indicates that prison leavers in full-time work are around 10% less likely to reoffend, and employers report strong performance among those hired, with more than 90% saying recruits are motivated, reliable and trustworthy.
Gourmet Coffee has become the latest high-street employer to hire ex-offenders, offering tailored training as part of its programme.
Liz Garnell, co-owner of Gourmet Coffee, said: “For me, everyone deserves a second chance. It’s not just to rebuild their lives, but for them to contribute their skills, of which we have tapped into with great success at HMP Styal.”
