ROTL

Have you considered whether you are eligible for release on temporary licence? There are three forms of temporary release; compassionate licence, facility licence and resettlement licence. Whilst you may not wish to be in the position of requiring a compassionate licence, a facility licence will allow you to do work experience and educational courses outside the prison providing you have completed one-quarter of your sentence including time on remand (C and D cat only).

For prisoners serving 12 months but less than 4 years, you can apply for a resettlement licence after one-third of your sentence. This can be up to 4 months before your automatic conditional release date and is therefore worth consulting your solicitor about. Prisoners serving 4 years and over, including lifers are also eligible for a resettlement licence but more complicated rules apply.