The British Government said it will force offenders to either face their victims or their families in court or spend two extra years in prison. “It is unacceptable that some of the country’s most horrendous criminals have refused to face their victims in court. They cannot and should not be allowed to take the coward’s way out,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. This decision is part of a new reform that aims to make sentencing tougher for the most horrifying killings, leading to significant changes in the U.K.'s legal system.
Whole life sentences are very rare. Usually, there is a minimum term before they become eligible for parole. Once granted parole, they can be recalled to prison immediately should any further (even minor) offences be committed.
It’s ‘life’ in the sense that the conviction is never spent. But the minimum term in prison starts at around 8 years.