List of prisons in the United Kingdom


List of prisons in the United Kingdom is a list of all 150 current and a number of historical prisons in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Prisons, Prison Services, Prison Population and Prisoner Categories

England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Public Sector prisons in England and Wales are managed by Her Majesty's Prison Service, which is part of the Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service, an executive agency of the United Kingdom government. In addition, since the 1990s the day-to-day running of a number of previously existing prisons, as well as several new facilities, has been "contracted out" to private companies, such as Serco and G4S. All prisons in England and Wales, whether publicly or privately run, are inspected by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons. Prisons in Scotland are run by the Scottish Prison Service and prisons in Northern Ireland are run by the Northern Ireland Prison Service.
There are also "" run by the Home Office.
The following table lists all prisons and Young Offender Institutions in use in England and Wales as of the late 2010s. All house adult males, and are operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service unless noted otherwise. Adult offenders are persons aged 21 or over, Young Offenders are persons aged between 18–20, and Youth/Juvenile Offenders are persons aged between 10–17. However, some offenders aged between 15–17 are placed in Young Offender Institutions in certain cases due to capacity, risk and other factors.

Population

As of 2018, the total prison population of the UK stands at roughly 93,000, with a total prison capacity of around 96,000. The total UK prison population is expected to grow by at least 500–1,000 prisoners every year into the 2020s.

United Kingdom Prisoner Categories and Establishment Types

In the UK adult prisoners are divided into 4 security categories depending on certain factors such as the offences they have been convicted or accused of, their likelihood of attempting an escape, the threat they would pose if they escaped, their length of sentence, and any of their previous criminal convictions, if any. They are as follows,
Category A - 'Those whose escape would be highly dangerous to the public or national security'. Typically for example those convicted of offences such as murder, manslaughter, terrorism, rape, wounding with intent, robbery, serious firearm and explosives offences, offences against the state, those sentenced under the Official Secrets Act, or any attempts of those offences. There are a total of ten Category A prisons in the UK, eight are located in England and Wales, one in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland. HM Prison Belmarsh is an example of a Category A prison. They are the equivalent of a supermax/maximum security prison in the United States for example.
Category B - 'Those who do not require maximum security, but for whom escape still needs to be made very difficult'. Typically for those convicted of the same types offences as category A prisoners, but who are not judged to be as high risk or those who have served a long time as a category A prisoner with good behavior/rehabilitation are sometimes downgraded to category B. HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs is an example of a Category B prison. They are the equivalent of a medium security prison in the United States for example.
Category C - 'Those who cannot be trusted in open conditions but who are unlikely to try to escape'. Typically for those convicted of minor offences and who are serving shorter sentences no more than a few years in length. Also category B prisoners coming to the end of their sentence are sometimes downgraded to category C to prepare them for release. HM Prison Berwyn is an example of a Category C prison. They are the equivalent of a minimum security prison in the United States for example.
Category D - 'Those who can be reasonably trusted not to try to escape, and are given the privilege of an open prison'. Category D prisoners are held in "Open Prisons" in which they are trusted to be able to move freely around the prison without risk and who after completing a risk assessment may be allowed to work outside of the prison in the community or allowed short home visits for a set number of hours a week. Also category C prisoners coming to the end of their sentence are sometimes downgraded to category D to prepare them for release. HM Prison Ford is an example of a Category D prison. They are the equivalent of a minimum security work release prison or local jail in the United States for example.
Adult women in England and Wales are categorised with four types of security levels, from lowest to highest being Open, Closed, Restricted Status and Category A. However Category A for women is rarely used due to the fairly low number of women being held for such serious offences, meaning most are held either in Closed or Restricted Status conditions. Northern Ireland operates a similar system to England and Wales. Scotland operates a separate category system, from lowest to highest being Low, Medium and High Supervision.
Additionally where as adult men and women are held in dedicated prisons, young people and children are held in one of four types of establishments across the country that are run by either HM prison service, private companies, local council authorities and rarely some charity providers. They are,
Young Offender Institutions which are "prison" based and that hold young men and women aged 18–21 convicted or remanded for any offences.
Youth Offender Institutions which are "prison" based and very similar to YOIs but that the difference being they only hold younger males aged 15–17 and not females.
Secure Training Centres which focus more on things such as education, health and support rather than prison style punishment. They hold convicted males and females aged 12–17.
Secure Children's Homes which are similar to STC's in that they mainly focus on things like education, health and support rather than prison style punishment. Additionally though not all children held in SCHs have necessarily been convicted or accused of crimes, some are held due to things like their history of absconding from regular open care homes or those at high risk of vulnerability from things such as abuse, drugs and prostitution. They hold "at risk" males and females aged 10–17 and all young children aged 10–12 convicted of serious offences until they can be placed in a STC.
More can be found here: Prisoner security categories in the United Kingdom.

Prisons and Young Offender Institutions

NameLocationCountyOperatorCapacityNotesCategory
AltcourseLiverpoolMerseysideG4S1324Male adults and young offendersB
AshfieldPucklechurchGloucestershireSerco400Adult sex offendersC
Askham GrangeAskham RichardNorth Yorkshire128Female adults and young offenders-
AylesburyAylesburyBuckinghamshire443Young offendersHMYOI
BedfordBedfordBedfordshire506Males adults and young offendersB
BelmarshThamesmeadLondon910Belmarsh accepts a wide variety of categories of prisonersA
BerwynWrexhamWrexham County Borough2106Male adult. Largest prison in the UK.C
BirminghamBirminghamWest Midlands1450Previously known as Winson GreenB, C
Blantyre HouseGoudhurstKent122Adult male resettlement prison As of 2019 Blantyre House is currently closed and has been since 2015. In May 2019 it was confirmed that the prison will be decommissioned and land sold.C, D
BrinsfordFeatherstoneStaffordshire569Young offendersHMYOI
BristolHorfieldBristol614Male adults and young offendersB
BrixtonBrixtonLondon798Training establishmentC
BronzefieldAshfordSurreySodexo Justice Services569Female adults and young offenders-
Buckley HallRochdaleGreater Manchester381Male adultsC
BullingdonArncottOxfordshire1114Male adultsB, C
BureColtishallNorfolk523Male adults, sex offendersC
CardiffAdamsdownCardiff784Male adultsB
Channings WoodDenburyDevon731Specialises in delivering the Sex Offender Treatment Programme.C
ChelmsfordChelmsfordEssex695Male adults and young offendersB and HMYOI
ColdingleyBisleySurrey513Training prisonC
Cookham WoodBorstalKent157Young offendersHMYOI
DartmoorPrincetownDevon646Training prisonC
DeerboltStartforthCounty Durham453Young offendersHMYOI
DoncasterDoncasterSouth YorkshireSerco1145Male adults, young offenders and sex offendersB
DovegateUttoxeterStaffordshireSerco860Male adults training prisonB
DownviewBansteadSurrey358Female adults and young offenders. Closed in 2013 and reopened in 2016 after refurbishment-
Drake HallYarnfieldStaffordshire315Female adults and young offenders. Specializes in foreign nationals-
DurhamDurhamCounty Durham981Male adults and young offenders on remandB
East Sutton ParkSutton ValenceKent100Female adults and young offenders-
Eastwood ParkFalfieldGloucestershire362Female adults-
ErlestokeErlestokeWiltshire470Male adultsC
ExeterExeterDevon533Male adults and young offendersB
FeatherstoneFeatherstoneStaffordshire702Training establishmentC
FelthamFelthamLondon762Young offendersHMYOI
FordArundelWest Sussex557Male adults. Ford is described as Britain's "cushiest open prison"D
Forest BankPendleburyGreater ManchesterSodexo Justice Services1424Male adults and young offendersB
Foston HallFoston, DerbyshireDerbyshire290Female adults and young offenders-
FranklandBrassideCounty Durham750Male adults including Category A High Risk and Category B adult malesA
Full SuttonFull SuttonEast Riding of Yorkshire608Male adultsA
GarthUlnes WaltonLancashire847Training establishmentB
GartreeMarket HarboroughLeicestershire869B
Grendon & SpringhillGrendon UnderwoodBuckinghamshire235B
Guys MarshShaftesburyDorset578C
HatfieldHatfield WoodhouseSouth Yorkshire260Male adults and young offendersD
HaveriggHaveriggCumbria644Male adultsC
HewellTardebiggeWorcestershire1431B, C, D
High DownBansteadSurrey1208Male adultsB
Highpoint NorthStradishallSuffolk379Male adults. Previously known as Edmunds Hill.C
Highpoint SouthStradishallSuffolk944Male adultsC
HindleyBickershawGreater Manchester440Young offendersHMYOI
Hollesley BayWoodbridgeSuffolk330Male adults and young offendersD
Holme HouseStockton-on-TeesCounty Durham1211Male adultsB
HullKingston upon HullEast Riding of Yorkshire1044Male adults and young offendersB
HumberBroughEast Riding of Yorkshire1064Male adults, ResettlementC
HuntercombeNuffieldOxfordshire365Young offendersHMYOI
IsisThamesmeadLondon622Young offendersHMYOI
Isle of Wight NewportIsle of Wight567B
Isle of Wight NewportIsle of Wight536B
KirkhamKirkhamLancashire590D
Kirklevington GrangeKirklevingtonNorth Yorkshire283C, D
Lancaster FarmsLancasterLancashire549C
LeedsLeedsWest Yorkshire1004Formerly known as Armley Gaol.B
LeicesterLeicesterLeicestershire392B
LewesLewesEast Sussex723Male adults and young offendersB
LeyhillTortworthGloucestershire532D
LincolnLincolnLincolnshire738B
LindholmeHatfield WoodhouseSouth Yorkshire990Part of site used as Immigration Removal CentreC, D
LittleheyPerryCambridgeshire726Extension holding 480 male young offenders to open January 2010C
LiverpoolLiverpoolMerseyside1184B, C
Long LartinSouth LittletonWorcestershire622A
Low NewtonBrassideCounty Durham336Female adults and young offenders-
Lowdham GrangeLowdhamNottinghamshireSerco690B
MaidstoneMaidstoneKent600C
ManchesterManchesterGreater Manchester1269Previously known as StrangewaysA
MoorlandHatfield WoodhouseSouth Yorkshire1006Male adults and young offendersC
New HallFlocktonWest Yorkshire446Female adults and young offenders-
NorthumberlandAcklingtonNorthumberlandSodexo Justice Services1348Created by merging HMP Acklington and HMP CastingtonC
North Sea CampFreistonLincolnshire306D
NorwichNorwichNorfolk767Male adults and young offendersB, C
NottinghamNottinghamNottinghamshire549B
OakwoodFeatherstoneStaffordshireG4S1605C
OnleyRugbyWarwickshire742Male adults, training and resettlementC
ParcBridgendMid GlamorganG4S1200Male adults and young offenders. Opened in 1997.B
PentonvilleBarnsburyLondon1250B, C
PeterboroughPeterboroughCambridgeshireSodexo Justice Services840Male adults and female adults B
PortlandEastonDorset624Young offendersHMYOI
PrescoedUskMonmouthshire178Young offenders; Satellite of UskD
PrestonPrestonLancashire750B
RanbyRanbyNottinghamshire1098C
RisleyWarringtonCheshire1085C
RochesterRochesterKent620Young offendersHMYOI
Rye HillBarbyNorthamptonshireG4S664B
SendSendSurrey282Female adults-
Sheppey Cluster EastchurchKent985Male adults and young offendersB, C
Sheppey Cluster EastchurchKent462D
Sheppey Cluster EastchurchKent1132B
StaffordStaffordStaffordshire741C
StockenStrettonRutland806C
Stoke HeathStoke HeathShropshire632Young offendersC
StyalStyalCheshire459Female adults and young offenders-
SudburySudburyDerbyshire581D
SwanseaSandfieldsSwansea422B, C
Swinfen HallSwinfenStaffordshire624Male adults and young offendersC
ThamesideThamesmeadLondonSerco1200B
The MountBovingdonHertfordshire720Adult Category CC
Thorn CrossAppleton ThornCheshire321Young offendersD
UskUskMonmouthshire250C
WakefieldWakefieldWest Yorkshire751Also known as 'Monster Mansion'A
WandsworthWandsworthLondon1665B, C
Warren HillWoodbridgeSuffolk222Young offendersHMYOI
WaylandGristonNorfolk1017C
WealstunThorp ArchWest Yorkshire527C
WerringtonWerringtonStaffordshire162Young offendersHMYOI
WetherbyWetherbyWest Yorkshire360Young offendersHMYOI
WhattonWhatton-in-the-ValeNottinghamshire841C
WhitemoorMarchCambridgeshire448A
WinchesterWinchesterHampshire544Male adultsB
WoodhillMilton KeynesBuckinghamshire819A
Wormwood ScrubsWormwood ScrubsLondon1277Male adultsB
WymottUlnes WaltonLancashire1144C

HMP The Verne and HMP Morton hall both now rolled as a public sector category C prisons.

Former prisons

NameLocationCountyNotes
AbingdonAbingdonOxfordshireBuilt 1812 as the county gaol for Berkshire, closed 1874, redeveloped in the 1960s.
AldingtonAldingtonKentClosed 1999
AshwellAshwellRutlandClosed March 2011, awaiting re-development
BeaumarisBeaumarisAngleseyHistoric, now a museum
Belle VueManchesterGreater ManchesterHistoric
BlundestonBlundestonSuffolk1960-2013
BocardoOxfordOxfordshireHistoric
BodminBodminCornwallHistoric
Bullwood HallHockleyEssexClosed 2013
Camp Hill PrisonNewportIsle of WightClosed 2013
Canterbury PrisonCanterburyKentClosed 2013
The ClinkSouthwarkLondonHistoric
Coldbath FieldsClerkenwellLondonClosed 1885
Dorchester DorchesterDorsetClosed 2013
Dalton CastleDalton-In-FurnessCumbria-
Eden CampMaltonNorth YorkshireWorld War II prisoner of war camp
Finnamore WoodMarlowBuckinghamshireClosed 1996, awaiting redevelopment
Fisherton GaolSalisburyWiltshireClosed 1870
FleetHolbornLondonHistoric
Galleries of JusticeNottinghamNottinghamshireHistoric
GatehouseWestminsterLondonHistoric
Glen ParvaLeicesterYoung offenders, closed June 2017
GloucesterGloucesterGloucestershireClosed 2013 Open as tourist attraction
HexhamHexhamNorthumberlandHistoric
HollowayIslingtonLondonClosed 2016.
KennetMaghullMerseysideClosed 2016.
King's BenchSouthwarkLondonHistoric
KingstonPortsmouthHampshireClosed 2013
Lancaster CastleLancasterLancashireHistoric, still used as a crown court
Latchmere HouseRichmond upon ThamesLondonClosed September 2011, awaiting re-development
Launceston CastleLauncestonCornwallHistoric
Lincoln CastleLincolnLincolnshireHistoric - prison block built 1787, housed prisoners until 1878, now houses the Lincolnshire Archives
MarshalseaSouthwarkLondonHistoric
MillbankWestminsterLondonHistoric
NewgateCity of LondonLondonHistoric
Norman CrossPeterboroughCambridgeshireHistoric
Prince Rupert's TowerLiverpoolMerseysideHistoric
ReadingReadingBerkshireA prison dating from 1844 housing up to 320 men. Closed in 2013.
Ruthin GaolRuthinDenbighshireHistoric, Now owned by county council and used as records office, some areas open as tourist attraction
OxfordOxfordOxfordshireClosed 1996, redeveloped as a shopping and heritage complex
Shepton MalletShepton MalletSomersetClosed 2013 Open as tourist attraction
ShrewsburyShrewsburyShropshireClosed 2013 Open as tourist attraction
Tothill Fields BridewellWestminsterLondonHistoric
Tower of LondonWhitechapelLondonHistoric
The VerneIsle of PortlandDorsetCurrently an Immigration Removal Centre
WallingfordWallingfordOxfordshireHistoric
WearePortlandDorsetPrison Ship - closed 2005
WellingboroughWellingboroughNorthamptonshireClosed 2012
Wood Street CounterWood StreetLondonHistoric

Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland Prison Service)

The following table lists the three active prisons in Northern Ireland. All three are operated by the Northern Ireland Prison Service. There is also a Juvenile Justice Centre, located in Bangor, County Down, which is operated by the Youth Justice Agency. It is also used as a prison officer training centre.
NameLocationCountyCapacityGenderJuvenile Young Offender AdultAdult Security Category
MaghaberryHMP MaghaberryLisburnCounty Antrim745MaleHigh
MagilliganHMP MagilliganLimavadyCounty Londonderry452MaleLow
Hydebank WoodHMP Hydebank WoodBelfastCounty Down306Male/FemaleMedium
WoodlandsWoodlands JJCBangorCounty Down48Male/Female

Former prison

Former prisons