“These measures are necessary and proportionate to maintain prison security and good order,” said Justice Secretary Angela Constance as Holyrood signed off an emergency early release scheme. The first releases are scheduled for 11–13 November 2025, a timetable that will ripple across the North as some people head to family or temporary housing over the border.

Known formally as the Early Release of Prisoners (Scotland) Regulations 2025, the plan targets people serving sentences of under four years who are already within 180 days of their scheduled liberation. Ministers say the approach is designed to cut numbers quickly while allowing prisons and community teams to manage risk.

Not everyone qualifies. Those convicted of sexual offences or domestic abuse are excluded, as are registered sex offenders. The rules also bar people with an unspent conviction where domestic abuse was recorded as an aggravation, and anyone currently subject to a non‑harassment order. Governors can also block a case where there is evidence of an immediate risk to a named person or group.

To avoid a rush on services, releases will happen in seven tranches: three fortnightly in November and December 2025, then monthly from January through April 2026. Government estimates point to roughly 440 people before Christmas and around 550 across the new year, with the Scottish Prison Service confirming final totals after each window.

For victims, notification is automatic if you are registered on Scotland’s Victim Notification Scheme. The SPS will call or write in advance where details are held, and support organisations can check dates on your behalf if you prefer.

The veto has teeth. During last year’s emergency release, MSPs were told it prevented 171 releases where an immediate risk was identified. Fresh guidance reminds governors to use the power when release could cause immediate harm to an identifiable person or group.

Why now? The government says repeated breaches of capacity have left several prisons at red risk status. Earlier this year ministers also shifted automatic release for short sentences from 50% served to 40%, a permanent change that took effect on 11 February 2025.

North of England services are already mapping the dates. From Carlisle and Workington to Berwick and North Tyneside, probation, housing and health teams expect extra casework where people move south after release, particularly around accommodation, GP registration and addiction support. Ministers’ own impact assessment warns that housing shortages and patchy throughcare can trip people up on release.

Charities and councils have pressed for earlier, steadier pre‑release planning. Ministers say extra investment and new models of throughcare are being rolled out to keep support consistent across urban and rural areas.

The scheme runs to the end of April 2026, with releases capped within that period. If you’re affected by a case, use the SPS helpline or Victim Support Scotland to stay updated while the prison service publishes confirmed totals after each tranche.