Can they get out early on a tag?
Some prisoners get out up to 180 days early wearing an ankle tag. It is called HDC. Answer five quick questions to see if it is realistic.
These rules cover England and Wales. In Scotland or Northern Ireland? Start here.
How the tag works
The tag is early release, not a shorter sentence. The person lives at an agreed address with a tag on their ankle. They must be home during curfew hours, normally 7pm to 7am. Outside those hours they can work, see people and live fairly normally. Miss the curfew or lose the address and they go back inside.
- They must serve at least 4 weeks first, and at least half of the prison part.
- The prison runs the process. It should start about 10 weeks before the tag date.
- If nothing seems to be happening, the person inside should ask their offender supervisor. Families can ring the prison and ask too. A polite nudge genuinely helps.
- The full official rules are in the Home Detention Curfew policy framework on GOV.UK.
Common questions
What is the tag (HDC)?
HDC stands for Home Detention Curfew. It lets some prisoners out up to 180 days before their release date. They wear an ankle tag and must stay at an agreed address during set hours, usually 7pm to 7am. If they break the curfew they go back to prison.
Who cannot get the tag?
People serving 4 years or more. Registered sex offenders. People in prison for terrorism or certain violent offences. People serving a recall. Some others are "presumed unsuitable", like people with domestic abuse offences or anyone who broke a tag before. They only get it in rare cases.
How early can someone get out on the tag?
Up to 180 days early. But they must serve at least 4 weeks in prison first, and at least half of the prison part of the sentence. So shorter sentences mean shorter tag periods.
Is the tag being scrapped?
Yes, for adults on normal fixed sentences. A new law starts in Autumn 2026 that lets most people out at one third of the sentence instead. The tag scheme ends for them at that point. Until then it runs as normal.
What can family do to help them get the tag?
The biggest thing is the address. They need a stable address where the person who lives there agrees to it. Probation will check it. Sort this early. If housing is a problem, the person inside can ask about CAS-2, which is help with accommodation. The process should start about 10 weeks before their tag date, and it often needs a nudge. They can ask their offender supervisor about their "HDC eligibility date".