The T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry is a prize for poetry awarded by the T. S. Eliot Foundation. For many years it was awarded by the Eliots' Poetry Book Society (UK) for "the best collection of new verse in English first published in the UK or the Republic of Ireland" in any particular year. The Prize was inaugurated in 1993 in celebration of the Poetry Book Society's 40th birthday and in honour of its founding poet, T. S. Eliot. Since its inception, the prize money was donated by Eliot's widow, Valerie Eliot and more recently it has been given by the T. S. Eliot Estate.
The T. S. Eliot Foundation took over the administration of the T. S. Eliot Prize in 2016, appointing as its new director Chris Holifield (formerly director of the Poetry Book Society), when the former Poetry Book Society charity had to be wound up, with its book club and company name taken over by book sales agency Inpress Ltd in Newcastle. Holifield retired at the end of June 2022 after 20 years in the post, and was replaced by Mike Sims. The winner now receives £25,000 and the ten shortlisted poets each receive £1,500, making it the United Kingdom's most valuable annual poetry competition. The Prize has been called "the most coveted award in poetry".
The shortlist for the Prize is announced in October of each year, and the 10 shortlisted poets take part in the Readings at the Royal Festival Hall in London's Southbank Centre on the evening before the announcement of the Prize. Two thousand people attended the 2011 reading.
Winners and Shortlists
1990s
Year Author Title Publisher Result Ref 1993 Ciaran CarsonFirst Language: Poems Gallery Press Won Moniza AlviThe Country at My Shoulder OUP / Oxford Poetry Shortlisted Patricia BeerFriend of HeraclitusCarcanet Press Carol Ann DuffyMean TimeAnvil Press Douglas DunnDante's Drum KitFaber & Faber James FentonOut of DangerPenguin Poetry Stephen KnightFlowering LimbsBloodaxe Books Les MurrayTranslations from the Natural WorldCarcanet Press Sharon OldsThe FatherSecker & Warburg Don PatersonNil Nil Faber & Faber1994Paul MuldoonThe Annals of ChileFaber & FaberWonJohn BurnsideThe Myth of the TwinCape PoetryShortlistedEavan BolandIn a Time of ViolenceCarcanet PressW. N. HerbertForked TongueBloodaxe BooksKathleen JamieThe Queen of ShebaBloodaxe BooksGeoffrey LehmannSpring ForestAngus & RobertsonTom PaulinWalking a LineFaber & FaberPeter PorterMillenial FablesOUP / Oxford PoetryHugo WilliamsDock LeavesOUP / Oxford PoetryGerard WoodwardAfter the DeafeningChatto & Windus1995Mark DotyMy AlexandriaCape PoetryWonSimon ArmitageThe Dead Sea PoemsFaber & FaberShortlistedIan DuhigThe Mersey GoldfishBloodaxe BooksMichael LongleyThe Ghost OrchidCape PoetryGlyn MaxwellRest for the WickedBloodaxe BooksBernard O'DonoghueGunpowderChatto & WindusKatherine PierpointTruffle BedsFaber & FaberMaurice RiordanA Word from the LokiFaber & FaberJackie WillsPowder TowerArc PoetryGlyn WrightCould Have Been FunnySpike1996Les MurraySubhuman Redneck PoemsCarcanet PressWonCiaran CarsonOpera Et CeteraBloodaxe Books / Gallery PressShortlistedMaura DooleyKissing A BoneBloodaxe BooksJohn FullerStones and FiresChatto & WindusSeamus HeaneyThe Spirit Level Faber & FaberStephen KnightDream City CinemaBloodaxe BooksAdrian MitchellBlue CoffeeBloodaxe BooksAlice OswaldThe Thing in the Gap Stone StileOUP / Oxford PoetryChristopher ReidExpanded UniversesFaber & FaberSusan Wicks The Clever DaughterFaber & Faber1997Don PatersonGod's Gift to WomenFaber & FaberWonFleur AdcockLooking BackOUP / Oxford PoetryShortlistedGillian AllnuttNantucket and the AngelBloodaxe BooksHelen DunmoreBestiaryBloodaxe BooksSelima HillVioletBloodaxe BooksJamie McKendrick The Marble FlyOUP / Oxford PoetryPeter ReadingWork in RegressBloodaxe BooksMatthew SweeneyThe Bridal SuiteCape PoetryDerek WalcottThe BountyFaber & FaberJohn Hartley WilliamsCanadaBloodaxe Books1998Ted HughesBirthday LettersFaber & FaberWonSarah CorbettThe Red WardrobeSeren BooksShortlistedFred D'AguiarBill of RightsChatto & WindusDavid HarsentA Bird's Idea of FlightFaber & FaberJackie KayOff ColourBloodaxe BooksGlyn MaxwellThe BreakageFaber & FaberPaul MuldoonHayFaber & FaberRuth PadelRembrandt Would Have Loved YouChatto & WindusJo ShapcottMy Life AsleepOUP / Oxford PoetryKen Smith Wild RootBloodaxe Books1999Hugo WilliamsBilly's RainFaber & FaberWonAnne CarsonAutobiography of RedCape PoetryShortlistedCarol Ann DuffyThe World's WifePicador PoetryPaul DurcanGreetings to our Friends in Brazil Harvill PressMichael HofmannApproximately NowhereFaber & FaberKathleen JamieJizzenPicador PoetryMichael LaskeyThe Tightrope WeddingSmith/DoorstopBernard O'DonoghueHere Nor ThereChatto & WindusTom PaulinThe Wind DogFaber & FaberC. K. WilliamsRepairBloodaxe Books
2000s 2001 saw Canadian poet Anne Carson become the first woman to win the TS Eliot Prize. Year Author Title Publisher Result Ref 2000 Michael LongleyThe Weather in Japan Cape Poetry Won John BurnsideThe Asylum Dance Cape Poetry Shortlisted Anne CarsonMen in the Off HoursCape Poetry Michael DonaghyConjurePicador Poetry Douglas DunnThe Year's AfternoonFaber & Faber Thom GunnBoss CupidFaber & Faber Alan JenkinsThe DriftChatto & Windus Roddy LumsdenThe Book of LoveBloodaxe Books Anne StevensonGranny ScarecrowBloodaxe Books Derek WalcottTiepolo's HoundFaber & Faber 2001 Anne CarsonThe Beauty of the Husband Cape Poetry Won Gillian AllnuttLintel Bloodaxe Books ShortlistedCharles BoyleThe Age of Cardboard and StringFaber & Faber Seamus Heaney Electric Light Faber & Faber Geoffrey HillSpeech! Speech! Penguin Poetry Selima Hill BunnyBloodaxe Books James LasdunLandscape with ChainsawCape Poetry Sean O'BrienDownriverPicador Poetry Pascale PetitThe Zoo Father Seren Books Michael Symmons RobertsBurning BabylonCape Poetry 2002 Alice OswaldDart Faber & Faber Won Simon ArmitageThe Universal Home Doctor Faber & Faber Shortlisted John BurnsideThe Light TrapCape Poetry Paul FarleyThe Ice AgePicador Poetry David HarsentMarriageFaber & Faber Geoffrey HillThe Orchards of SyonPenguin Poetry E. A. MarkhamA Rough ClimateAnvil Press Sinéad MorrisseyBetween Here and ThereCarcanet Press Paul MuldoonMoy Sand and GravelFaber & Faber Ruth PadelVoodoo ShopChatto & Windus 2003 Don PatersonLanding Light Faber & Faber Won Billy CollinsNine Horses Picador Poetry Shortlisted John F. DeaneManhandling the DeityCarcanet Press Ian DuhigThe Lammas HirelingPicador Poetry Lavinia GreenlawMinskFaber & Faber Jamie McKendrickInk StoneFaber & Faber Bernard O'DonoghueOutivingChatto & Windus Jacob Polley The BrinkPicador Poetry Christopher ReidFor and AfterFaber & Faber Jean SpracklandHard WaterCape Poetry2004George SzirtesReelBloodaxe BooksWonColette BryceThe Full Indian Rope TrickPicador PoetryShortlistedKathryn GrayThe Never-NeverSeren BooksKathleen JamieThe Tree House Picador PoetryMichael LongleySnow WaterCape PoetryRuth PadelThe Soho LeopardChatto & WindusTom PaulinThe Road to InverFaber & FaberPeter PorterAfterburnerPicador PoetryMichael Symmons RobertsCorpusCape PoetryJohn Hartley WilliamsBluesCape Poetry2005Carol Ann DuffyRapturePicador PoetryWonPolly ClarkTake Me with YouBloodaxe BooksShortlistedHelen FarishIntimatesCape PoetryDavid HarsentLegionFaber & FaberSinéad MorrisseyThe State of the PrisonsCarcanet PressAlice OswaldWoods etcFaber & FaberPascale PetitThe HuntressSeren BooksSheenagh PughThe Movement of BodiesSeren BooksJohn StammersStolen Love BehaviourPicador PoetryGerard WoodwardWe Were PedestriansChatto & Windus2006Seamus HeaneyDistrict and CircleFaber & FaberWonSimon ArmitageTyrannosaurus Rex versus The Corduroy KidFaber & FaberShortlistedPaul FarleyTramp in FlamesPicador PoetryW. N. HerbertBad Shaman BluesBloodaxe BooksJane HirshfieldAfterBloodaxe BooksTim LiardetThe Blood ChoirSeren BooksPaul MuldoonHorse LatitudesFaber & FaberRobin RobertsonSwitheringPicador PoetryPenelope ShuttleRedgrove's WifeBloodaxe BooksHugo WilliamsDear RoomFaber & Faber2007Sean O'BrienThe Drowned BookPicador PoetryWonIan DuhigThe Speed of DarkPicador PoetryShortlistedAlan GillisHawks and DovesGallery PressSophie HannahPessimism for BeginnersCarcanet PressMimi KhalvatiThe Meanest FlowerCarcanet PressFrances LevistonPublic DreamPicador PoetrySarah MaguireThe Pomegranates of Kandahar Chatto & WindusEdwin MorganA Book of LivesCarcanet PressFiona SampsonCommon PrayerCarcanet PressMatthew SweeneyBlack MoonCape Poetry2008Jen HadfieldNigh-No-PlaceBloodaxe BooksWonMoniza AlviEuropaBloodaxe BooksShortlistedPeter BennetThe Glass SwarmFlambard PressCiarán CarsonFor All We KnowGallery PressRobert CrawfordFull VolumeCape PoetryMaura DooleyLife Under WaterBloodaxe BooksMark DotyTheories and ApparitionsCape PoetryMick Imlah The Lost LeaderFaber & FaberGlyn MaxwellHide NowPicador PoetryStephen RomerYellow StudioCarcanet Press2009Philip GrossThe Water TableBloodaxe BooksWonEiléan Ní ChuilleanáinThe Sun-fishGallery PressShortlistedFred D'Aguiar Continental ShelfCarcanet PressJane DraycottOverCarcanet PressSinéad MorrisseyThrough the Square WindowCarcanet PressSharon Olds One Secret ThingCape PoetryAlice OswaldWeeds & Wild FlowersFaber & FaberChristopher ReidA ScatteringAretéGeorge SzirtesThe Burning of the Books and Other PoemsBloodaxe BooksHugo WilliamsWest End FinalFaber & Faber
2010s 2011 saw two shortlisted nominees, including 2002 winner Alice Oswald, withdraw their works as a protest against the sponsor.