Recalled to prison: what happens now?

They were out, building something, and now they are back inside and nobody will tell you for how long. Here is how recall actually works, including the new 56 day rule.

The two kinds of recall

Fixed term recall (most people): since 31 March 2026, most people on normal fixed sentences serve a set 56 days and then come out again on licence, automatically. No board, no hearing. Put the date they went back in into our release date tool (pick "they got out, then got recalled") and it shows the date.

Standard recall (the serious cases): people recalled over a new charge, people managed at the higher risk levels, and everyone on extended or life sentences. Here the Parole Board decides when they come out, anywhere up to the end of the sentence, and reviews take months. Representations from a solicitor early on genuinely help.

What it is not

• It is not a new sentence. The sentence end date does not move, and they cannot be held past it.
• It is not always about crime. Most recalls are for broken conditions: missed appointments, a lost address, failed tests. The system is strict and recall numbers are high.
• It is not hopeless. Fixed recalls end quickly, and standard recalls can be challenged with legal aid.

The anxiety nobody talks about

Life on licence means the recall risk sits over the whole family until the sentence expiry date. It helps to know the date it all ends: the release date tool shows "whole sentence ends" for any sentence. After that date, there is no recall. And once it is done, check when the conviction becomes spent: the real finish line.

Common questions

How long do you stay in prison after a recall?

Since 31 March 2026, most people on normal fixed sentences serve a fixed 56 days after recall, then come out again on licence. It is different if they were recalled after being charged with a new offence, are managed at the higher risk levels, or are on an extended or life sentence. In those cases the Parole Board decides, which can take months. Nobody can be held past the end of the sentence.

What gets someone recalled?

Breaking licence conditions: missing probation appointments, losing the approved address, failing drug tests, entering exclusion zones, or being arrested for something new. Probation decides, and it can happen fast, sometimes the same day.

Can a recall be challenged?

Yes. Everyone recalled can make representations against it, and cases go to the Parole Board. A solicitor can help, and legal aid is available for recall reviews. If the recall was for a new charge that is then dropped, say so loudly: that changes the picture.

Does recall restart the sentence?

No. Recall means serving more of the existing sentence in prison instead of at home. The sentence end date does not move. Once that date arrives, they must be released whatever happened.

What can family do during a recall?

Three useful things. Keep the address stable if you can, because a lost address slows re-release. Encourage them to engage with their probation officer rather than rage at them. And if the recall seems wrong, help them get a solicitor moving quickly, because early representations matter most.