Since 2015, 112 people have died in women’s prisons in England and Wales.
From 2015 – 2025, the table refers to deaths reported annually by the Ministry of Justice. For deaths that have occurred since 1 January 2026, the data is taken from INQUEST's casework and monitoring.
Deaths in prison are often preventable and premature. So-called ‘natural causes’ deaths, as categorised by the Ministry of Justice, comprise the greatest proportion of all deaths in prison. However, INQUEST’s casework has shown that deaths categorised as ‘natural causes’ often reflect failures in healthcare and the prison system.
| Deaths in women's prisons by apparent cause, England and Wales, 2015 - 2026 by year | ||||||
| Year | Self-inflicted | Other non-natural | Natural causes | Awaiting classification | Total | |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 12 | |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | |
| 2023 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | |
| 2019 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | |
| 2018 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 11 | |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | |
| 2016 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 22 | |
| 2015 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | |
| Totals | 48 | 11 | 49 | 4 | 112 | |
Make a Donation
Every year, INQUEST supports hundreds of families bereaved by deaths involving the state. We are independent of government and entirely reliant on grants and donations to continue our vital work.
Support us and bereaved families in the fight for truth, justice and accountability by becoming a regular donor today.
