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UK Local prison operated by HM Prison & Probation Service. Listed in the GOV.UK Find a prison directory.
Capacity
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Operational
Figures from official sources · verified 28 May 2026 · methodology
Operator
HM Prison & Probation ServicePopulation held
male
Opened
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Death-row facility
No
Holding a population that increasingly consists of remanded or unsentenced of England has been at the centre of the ongoing prison population crisis and Although some work had begun, there was more leaders needed to do to make provision for the remand and unsentenced population that made up 55% of the overcrowded cells. An increase from ‘poor’ to ‘not sufficiently good’ in our healthy prison test for establishment with a transient population, holding up to 1,460 remand made the following judgements about outcomes for prisoners. Figure 1: HMP Forest Bank healthy prison outcomes in 2019 and 2022 Poor assessments, we evidenced similar outcomes in safety and respect, but deteriorations in both purposeful activity and rehabilitation and release planning
This was our first visit to Forest Bank since 2019. In our healthy prison
Format: Prisoner Name & Number, HMP Forest Bank. Use Send Money to a Prisoner (GOV.UK) for funds — cash not accepted.
Although some work had begun, there was more leaders needed to do to make pressures, with a more limited work and education offer and greater likelihood of having activities, such as gym sessions, cancelled. short prison sentences; and to hold those requiring resettlement support as their release date approaches. Convicted men with time to serve would be expected prison was struggling to make it work, primarily because there was simply not deteriorations in both purposeful activity and rehabilitation and release planning
HM Inspectorate of Prisons carried out a full inspection of HMP Forest Bank in December 2024, an IRP inspection in January 2023, and a full inspection in February 2022. Detailed findings from these inspections are available in the linked reports.
Derived signal — not a judgement. How it's calculated
What the score is responding to:
This facility scores 18. The national average across 584 scored United Kingdom facilities is 4 — 14 points above national average.
Same country, matched on type + security level where possible.
Holding a population that increasingly consists of remanded or unsentenced prisoners, this category B reception prison in Salford has made progress under an experienced and capable director since our 2022 inspection. The north-west of England has been at the centre of the ongoing prison population crisis and Forest Bank has borne the brunt of much of this challenge, with the churn of prisoners meaning that in one month there were over 2,500 movements. Although some work had begun, there was more leaders needed to do to make provision for the remand and unsentenced population that made up 55% of the jail, many of whom spent long periods at the prison, languishing in small, overcrowded cells. Men on the vulnerable prisoner wing were most likely to suffer because of these pressures, with a more limited work and education offer and greater likelihood of having activities, such as gym sessions, cancelled. An increase from ‘poor’ to ‘not sufficiently good’ in our healthy prison test for
1.1 HMP Forest Bank is a privately managed category B prison, located in Manchester, that has been operated by Sodexo for well over 20 years. Currently designated as a reception prison, it is a large, complex establishment with a transient population, holding up to 1,460 remand and sentenced adult men and young adults. It opened in 2000 as a local prison serving the courts of Greater Manchester. Accommodation was initially provided over six residential units, with a further two added in 2009. 1.2 At our previous inspections of HMP Forest Bank, in 2019 and 2022, we made the following judgements about outcomes for prisoners. Figure 1: HMP Forest Bank healthy prison outcomes in 2019 and 2022 Good Reasonably good Not sufficiently good Poor
Forest Bank is a privately managed prison, located in Manchester, that has been operated by Sodexo for well over 20 years. Currently designated a reception prison, it can hold up to 1,366 men. The prison has three primary purposes: to receive those recently remanded to custody and hold them until their court appearances are concluded; to hold those who are serving fairly short prison sentences; and to hold those requiring resettlement support as their release date approaches. Convicted men with time to serve would be expected to be allocated to training establishments elsewhere. As an approach, the model has some merit. The evidence, however, would seem to suggest the prison was struggling to make it work, primarily because there was simply not enough space to be sure all new prisoners (about 300 a month) could be accommodated. This inevitably meant that, on an almost daily basis, significant numbers of prisoners were being diverted to other prisons out of the area, impacting the individuals and undermining the prison’s core mission. This was our first visit to Forest Bank since 2019. In our healthy prison assessments, we evidenced similar outcomes in safety and respect, but deteriorations in both purposeful activity and rehabilitation and release planning (RRP). The impact of COVID-19 measures in the prison had made the lack of
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World Prisons. (2026). HMP Forest Bank. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-forest-bank
"HMP Forest Bank." World Prisons. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-forest-bank.
@misc{worldprisons-hmp-forest-bank,
author = {{World Prisons}},
title = {HMP Forest Bank},
year = {2026},
url = {https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-forest-bank},
urldate = {2026-07-21}
}