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The number of transgender people in prison has risen by a fifth in two years, Ministry of Justice figures reveal.
The number of inmates in England and Wales who identify as transgender rose 21 per cent in the period from 163 in 2019 to 197 in 2021.
It follows a year-on-year increase in the number of transgender prisoners from 70 in 2016, when the data was first collected, to 125 in 2017 and 139 in 2018.
The majority of transgender prisoners identified as women, according to the Offender Equalities Annual Report seen by The Telegraph.
'When asked about the gender with which the prisoner identified from the following categories, 146 identified as female, 39 as male, 11 as non-binary and one did not provide a response,' the report said.
The MoJ has acknowledged it is likely the numbers, which show over half of jails hold one or more transgender inmates, are not an accurate depiction.
The number of transgender people in prison has risen by a fifth in two years, Ministry of Justice figures reveal (file photo, Holloway women's prison)
It is expected the report will also confirm a further 23 prisoners hold Gender Recognition Certificates which legally recognises they have changed their gender.
The reports comes after the High Court ruled in July that the Government can house transgender women in
