New £1.8m Literacy Drive Aims to Slash Crime in UK Prisons
Less than half of adult male prisoners can read at an 11-year-old’s level. Now, a groundbreaking two-year pilot scheme is set to change that, boosting inmates’ literacy and slashing reoffending rates.
£1.8m Funding Pumps Life into Prison Education
Two charities have bagged £1.8 million to roll out fresh reading and writing programmes across 15 prisons. The goal? Get more offenders into the classroom and ready for work or training once they’re free.
Mastering basic skills—from budgeting to job-hunting—could be the difference between a fresh start and a return to crime.
Literacy Innovation Fund: Shaping the Future of Prison Education
This pilot forms a key part of the government’s Prisons Strategy White Paper. It will feed valuable insights into the new Prisoner Education Service, which aims to overhaul skills training in jails nationwide.
Ryan, Director of Prison Delivery at Shannon Trust, said:
“We are delighted to have been awarded this funding, which will help us support even more prisoners. The new education service will recruit up to 100 full-time Heads of Education, Skills, and Work across the estate, ensuring expert oversight of learning behind bars.”
“These specialists will lead curriculum design, guarantee Ofsted compliance, and work with businesses to match skills with real job market needs.”
Government Betting £550m on Cutting Reoffending
Over the next three years, the government is pumping £550 million into initiatives to get offenders off drugs and into training, stable jobs, and accommodation—paving the way for safer streets.
