Leaving prison can be both a hopeful and challenging time. While release marks a fresh start, many people face immediate pressures such as finding housing, securing employment, rebuilding relationships, and adjusting to life outside custody. Without the right support, these challenges can make reintegration difficult.

Across the UK, a range of services exists to help ex-prisoners rebuild their lives, reduce the risk of reoffending, and create a stable future. Understanding what support is available can make the transition smoother and more manageable.

Resettlement Support Before Release

Support often begins before release. Many prisoners work with resettlement teams who help plan for accommodation, employment, finances, and community support.Pre-release planning may include:

- Arranging housing options
- Preparing identification documents
- Setting up benefits applications
- Employment and training guidance
- Referrals to community support services

This preparation aims to ensure individuals do not leave custody without basic support structures in place.

Housing Support After Prison

Finding stable accommodation is one of the most important factors in successful reintegration. Individuals without housing face significantly higher risks of reoffending. Local councils have responsibilities to assess housing needs for people leaving prison. In some cases, individuals may qualify for temporary accommodation or support through housing services. Charities and housing organisations also provide supported accommodation and guidance for those at risk of homelessness.

Financial Support and Benefits

People leaving prison may be eligible for financial support while they re-establish themselves. This can include Universal Credit and other benefits, depending on individual circumstances. Support workers and community organisations can help with applications, budgeting guidance, and managing finances after release. Having access to financial support reduces immediate pressure and allows individuals to focus on rebuilding stability.

Healthcare and Mental Health Support

Access to healthcare continues after release. Registering with a GP as soon as possible ensures ongoing medical care and access to prescriptions. Mental health support can be particularly important, as many individuals experience anxiety, depression, or stress during reintegration. Community health services and support organisations provide counselling, mental health support, and addiction services where needed.

Probation and Community Supervision

Many individuals are released under licence and must work with probation services. Probation officers provide supervision, guidance, and support to help individuals reintegrate safely into the community.

This may include:monitoring compliance with licence conditions
- providing advice and guidance
- connecting individuals with housing, employment, and support services
- helping manage risks and challenges

Probation services play an important role in supporting long-term stability.

Support For Women

Hibiscus Initiatives
‍Hibiscus Initiatives, formerly FPWP Hibiscus, provides welfare, advice, advocacy, volunteering and befriending in prisons for women. They also provide assistance and support on voluntary returns and reintegration in home countries to people in immigration removal centres and with community resettlement and reintegration in the UK for ex-offenders and others at risk of offending.

‍Women in Prison
‍Women in Prison supports and campaigns for women offenders and ex-offenders. We assist women with advice on housing, education, mental health, legal rights, work, benefits, debt, domestic violence, and more.

‍Women's Aid
‍Helpline for women experiencing physical, emotional or sexual violence at home — provides advice, information and support.

‍Working Chance
‍Working Chance is a charity that supports women with criminal convictions through employment and training.

‍Wish
‍Wish is a charity working with women with mental health needs in prison, hospital and in the community. It provides independent advocacy, emotional support and practical guidance on all stages of women’s journey through the mental health and criminal justice systems.

Education

Prison Phoenix Trust
‍The Prison Phoenix Trust supports prisoners around the UK and the Republic of Ireland through teaching, workshops, correspondence, books and newsletters for yoga and mediation.

‍Prison Education Trust (PET)
‍PET is a charity that works over 125 prisons to help prisoners achieve their full potential through learning.

Faith Organisations

Angulima
‍Angulima is the Buddhist prison chaplaincy organisation. They work to make available facilities for teaching and practicing Buddhusim in prisons. They also provide an aftercare and advisory service for prisoners after release.

‍Muslim Youth Helpline
‍MYH is a registered charity that provides faith and culturally sensitive support services to Muslim youth in the UK. This is a free and confidential helpline service run by young Muslim volunteers.

‍Prison Fellowship
‍Prison Fellowship's mission is that every prisoner has access to support and prayer. They seek through prayer and practical care to help, support and develop a Christian ministry to prisoners and their families.

Advocacy Organisations

The Butler Trust: Knowledge Exchange
‍A place for managers and frontline staff in prisons, probation and youth justice services to find, and share, resources, guidance and examples of notable practice relevant to their roles.

‍Criminal Justice Alliance
‍The Criminal Justice Alliance is a coalition of organisations committed to improving the criminal justice system.

‍Howard League for Penal Reform
‍The Howard League for Penal Reform is the oldest penal reform charity in the UK. The Howard League’s legal team acts on behalf of young people under the age of 21 in custody and provides a dedicated legal service for young people in custody in England and Wales.

‍INQUEST
‍INQUEST is a charity that provides a free advice service to bereaved people on contentious deaths and their investigation with a particular focus on deaths in custody. Casework also informs our research, parliamentary, campaigning and policy work.

‍Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas
‍Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas provides information, support and advocacy to Irish people in prison overseas and their families. They can work up to casework level and produce publications.

‍Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI)
‍JCWI is an independent national charity which exists to campaign for justice in immigration, nationality and refugee law and policy.

‍Justice
‍Justice is an all-party law reform and human rights organisation working to improve the legal system and the quality of justice by promoting human rights, improving the legal system and access to justice, improving criminal justice, and raising standards of EU justice and home affairs.

‍Liberty
‍Liberty campaigns to protect basic rights and freedoms through the courts, in Parliament and in the wider community. They do this through a combination of public campaigning, test case litigation, parliamentary lobbying, policy analysis and the provision of free advice and information.

‍National Association of Prison Visitors (NAOPV)
‍The NAOPV promotes and helps to maintain the work of Official Prison Visitors.

A Few Other Useful Resources

‍Apex Charitable Trust
Works across north-west England and seeks to help people with criminal records obtain appropriate jobs or self-employment by providing them with the skills they need in the labour market and by working with employers to break down the barriers to their employment.
‍Breakthrough
A London-based organisation offering prison leavers fully paid apprenticeships for roles in tech or business, offering support and guidance throughout the process.

‍Nacro
Has a dedicated Resettlement Plus Helpline which offers information and advice to ex-offenders, serving prisoners, their families and friends and to organisations working with them.

‍Step Together
Step Together provides tailored one-to-one support to help individuals into volunteering placements that match their needs and interests. The programme helps them develop the personal and practical skills required to build a more positive future.

‍St Giles Trust
Runs a range of services designed to help ex-offenders, including employment support, community-based training, and housing/emergency accommodation.

‍Trailblazers
Are a national charity that reduces reoffending among young people through providing volunteer mentors. Young people are supported to change their attitude, thinking and behaviour through intensive mentoring, advice, advocacy and targeted specialist support.

‍Unlock
Is an independent charity for people with convictions who are dealing with the effects of having a criminal record. Through a confidential peer-run helpline, they give advice and support across areas such as how to disclose to employers, criminal record checks, getting insurance and travelling abroad.

‍Women in Prison
Are a women-centred, women-run organisation that provides specialist services to women affected by the criminal justice system both in prison and in the community throughout England.

‍Working Chance
Are a charity that helps women offenders make the transition into employment, helping them find paid work and offering voluntary placements.

‍YMCA
Works in partnership with prisons and probation services to support young offenders with citizenship and training opportunities pre-release.

The path to a positive future for an ex-prisoner is long and arduous, but it is not a path that they have to walk alone. The UK has a vast and dedicated network of organisations that are ready and willing to provide a helping hand. From the immediate practicalities of housing and benefits to the more profound needs of emotional and social well-being, support is available at every turn. It is a journey that requires courage and resilience, but with the right support, it is a journey that can lead to a new life and a second chance.