When do the release changes apply?
The new release points do not reach everyone on the same day. People already in custody move across in monthly stages, shortest sentences first. Enter a sentence length to see which stage it falls in.
The start date has moved to 1 October 2026
The progression model was due to start on 2 September 2026 under the Sentencing Act 2026 (Commencement No. 4) Regulations 2026. The government paused it, and on 3 August 2026 announced that it will now start on 1 October 2026, with rape, serious child sex and grooming offences barred from the changes altogether.
Replacement regulations have not been laid yet. The staged schedule below is the one still on the statute book. Treat the stages as indicative of the order people move across — shortest sentences first — rather than as confirmed dates.
Which offences are excluded?Sentence length
Use the total sentence shown on the paperwork. Where sentences run concurrently, the regulations use the longest of them. All inputs stay in your browser — nothing is sent to a server.
A sentence of roughly days falls in the stage.
That is the date in the original schedule. With the start moved to 1 October 2026, expect this stage to shift later.
Enter a sentence length to see which stage it falls in.
The original staged schedule
Regulation 3 of the Sentencing Act 2026 (Commencement No. 4) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/609).
| Sentence length | Under (days) | Original date |
|---|---|---|
People sentenced after the changes come into force get the new release point straight away — the staged schedule only governs when the change reaches people already serving a sentence.