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Largest female prison in northern England. Includes a mother-and-baby unit.
Background
HM Prison Styal is a Closed Category prison for female adults and young offenders in Styal, Cheshire, England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.
Unit. Up to 25 women could be held in open conditions in a unit just outside the Under such conditions it was perhaps not surprising that there had been an increase in levels of violence since we last inspected as frustrations began to Though restrictions had begun to be lifted, the leaders had sensibly decided not long-term problems with drugs entering the premises. Leaders had also sought to address the high levels of self-harm among some of impressive, weekly safety interventions meeting (SIM) sought to understand the staff did their best to support the women in completely unsuitable conditions. women were living in open conditions.
— UK IMB Annual Report (2024) —
Safety: The Board has observed a multi-disciplinary and responsive approach to safety. This has been demonstrated through strong leadership, effective analysis of data, extensive knowledge of prisoner needs and a high level of care and compassion. The development of a trauma-informed environment and the increased focus on psychological support for prisoners has helped to promote positive early [...]
Respect: 5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food The long-standing maintenance and repair delays to the accommodation continue. There is still a significant fire risk, as indicated in our report for 2021-2022, to prisoners who reside in the 15 houses which have not yet been refurbished at Styal. Despite some work to improve fire safety, the Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate (CPFSI) has issued enforcement [...]
Purposeful activity: The Board have observed developments in the education offer to the prisoners following the HMIP inspection at the end of 2024. The prison population has changed over the period of this report, with an increase in the number of prisoners on short sentence or recalls, so an amended educational offer has been developed. The ‘Skills for Life’ course is designed to support those prisoners with entry [...]
Preparation for release: The Board observed and heard very positive feedback from prisoners involved in the SDS40 early release scheme in 2024 (to tackle the ongoing overcrowding crisis in prisons, certain prisoners serving ‘standard determinate sentences’ (SDS) became eligible to be released after serving 40% of their sentence instead of 50%) – with prison staff working collaboratively to provide for efficient, well [...]
Visiting
At the time of our visit the prison housed 362 women, most of whom were on women were heavily restricted in where they could go; visits to the town were
Mailing
needs of and provide for those most at risk, including the excellent Stepping
Practical info
women were living in open conditions. During the pandemic, release on temporary release to maintain contact with their family or put in place plans for their release. Although ROTL had restarted, an overcautious approach meant
Known issues
increase in levels of violence since we last inspected as frustrations began to long-term problems with drugs entering the premises. Leaders had also sought to address the high levels of self-harm among some of learning from the four self-inflicted deaths since our last inspection. An health difficulties still ended up in the bleak segregation unit, where some caring
Higher risk than 91% of peer facilities in United Kingdom.
Capacity (beds)this: 460 · peers avg: 574 (20%)
Reports
HMIP2 Dec 2024
Located near Wilmslow, Cheshire, Styal is a multifunctional prison and young
offender institution taking women from courts in northern England and much of
Wales. The prison can hold up to 454 women, from those remanded and still
subject to court proceedings, to a maximum of 50 serving indeterminate
sentences, including life. At the time of our inspection, 422 women were held
either in the large houses – from a former orphanage, dating from the early
1900s – or in the newer but more traditional cellular accommodation of Waite
Unit. Up to 25 women could be held in open conditions in a unit just outside the
prison perimeter.
Overall, this is a mixed report. While there was much to commend at Styal,
5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food The long-standing maintenance and repair delays to the accommodation continue. There is still a significant fire risk, as indicated in our report for 2021-2022, to prisoners who reside in the 15 houses which have not yet been refurbished at Styal. Despite some work to improve fire safety, the Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate (CPFSI) has issued enforcement notices after identifying areas of concern, particularly with regard to asbestos in boiler rooms, and compartmentalisation of the houses, leaving no natural fire breaks. Many areas of Styal remain in a poor state of repair and are costly to maintain. In order to keep these buildings safe, decent and habitable there are still major expensive structural and maintenance issues to be addressed. Many of the buildings housing prisoners were constructed in1896; consequently, due to their age and design they are in a poor state of repair, with many having extensive problems that need to be addressed in order for them to provide decent and secure facilities. Other concerns the Board raised during a thematic monitoring exercise in 2023 have still not fully been addressed; most notably relating to furnishings and fittings that support decency (14 of the original 79 issues were still outstanding at the end of April 2025). The improvements made to the communal areas in the cellular block (Waite wing) continue to have a beneficial effect. The less austere environment encourages prisoners to eat [...]
The Board has observed a multi-disciplinary and responsive approach to safety. This has been demonstrated through strong leadership, effective analysis of data, extensive knowledge of prisoner needs and a high level of care and compassion. The development of a trauma-informed environment and the increased focus on psychological support for prisoners has helped to promote positive early interventions and provide staff with more appropriate de-escalation techniques. The Board has observed greater provision of training to help officers understand behaviours of prisoners in their care and the availability of supervision sessions aimed to promote confidence and competence within this staff group. 4.1 Reception and induction The Board has noted the continuing improvement in the reception area, which now provides a secure and welcoming environment for newly arrived prisoners. The presence of peer mentors into the evening and on Saturday ensures a much- improved transition into prison life, as does the follow-up induction sessions with the same orderlies. The presence of healthcare staff and skilled officers ensures that the relevant checks, processes and assessments are in in place, and that appropriate and timely referrals to mental health and DARS are made. Professional interpreters attend the prison to help patients who do not speak English to engage in and understand mental health assessments. Extra support is given to new arrivals by the safety team who meet them during their [...]
The Board have observed developments in the education offer to the prisoners following the HMIP inspection at the end of 2024. The prison population has changed over the period of this report, with an increase in the number of prisoners on short sentence or recalls, so an amended educational offer has been developed. The ‘Skills for Life’ course is designed to support those prisoners with entry level English and maths skills who would be better suited to vocational versus classroom activities. Attendance at education activities has improved from 56% to 73% between October 2024 and March 2025, supported by the ‘whole prison’ cross-functional approach to allow prisoners to obtain medicines, attend education and activities. Provision, access and attendance at the library which transferred to Novus in February 2024 have all improved, with the library open five days a week, including weekends and evenings. Prisoners were timetabled to attend at least one session a week and the majority did participate but there were reports of inconsistencies in relation to escorts to allow the prisoners to attend. A new management information system was installed in the library that was well stocked with a good range of books including some ‘easy reads’. Reading support from the Shannon Trust was available and outreach to the local community was hoping to engage further reading support and coaching opportunities. Board members heard directly from the prisoners that they appreciate the quiet [...]
The Board observed and heard very positive feedback from prisoners involved in the SDS40 early release scheme in 2024 (to tackle the ongoing overcrowding crisis in prisons, certain prisoners serving ‘standard determinate sentences’ (SDS) became eligible to be released after serving 40% of their sentence instead of 50%) – with prison staff working collaboratively to provide for efficient, well planned and coordinated releases. Further legislation changes in relation to short term recalls have created significant workload. Some of the prisoners on 14 day recalls have reflected to Board members that there is little or no activity for them to undertake during their recall period. Treatment programmes such as Working with Anger and Thinking Skills programmes were held during the year, which have supported prisoners with challenging and complex issues. The prison has prioritised attendance at these courses for the relevant prisoners to support programme completion. The Board has observed positive developments by PACT to support family and community links for the prisoners. Family visits and children’s visits were temporarily halted due to security reasons but have now been reinstated, in addition to the statutory visit entitlements. These activities reach across all the areas covered by the Styal catchment area and support is provided for Welsh prisoners to help maintain family connections with children via the ‘Visiting Mum’ – Wales initiative. The Board has recognised that [...]
Located in the buildings of a former children’s home, Styal is an unusual setting
for a prison, with its Edwardian houseblocks situated along tree-lined avenues.
At the time of our visit the prison housed 362 women, most of whom were on
remand or serving short sentences, with a substantial minority serving four or
more years. The site provides excellent opportunities to develop independent
living, but also presents some challenges, particularly in supervising women
inside the houses and around the grounds.
COVID-19 restrictions had meant that women were locked in their houses
together – with up to four sharing a small room – for long periods of time.
Under such conditions it was perhaps not surprising that there had been an
increase in levels of violence since we last inspected as frustrations began to
spill over into confrontations.
Though restrictions had begun to be lifted, the leaders had sensibly decided not
to return to the previous free-flow movement around the prison. Instead they
had put in place measures that allowed for better knowledge of where all the
women were, with more contained movement and better roll checks. This,
coupled with improved physical security, had led to a reduction in the prison’s
long-term problems with drugs entering the premises.
Leaders had also sought to address the high levels of self-harm among some of
the women and to improve care for the most vulnerable, putting into place the
learning from the four self-inflicted deaths since our last inspection. An
impressive, weekly safety interventions meeting (SIM) sought to understand the
needs of and provide for those most at risk, including the excellent Stepping
Stones programme. This bespoke support continued to operate during the
pandemic. In addition, the Valentina unit was used for women who needed
higher levels of care.
Despite this strong, whole-prison approach, some women with acute mental
health difficulties still ended up in the bleak segregation unit, where some caring
staff did their best to support the women in completely unsuitable conditions.
On the Bollinwood house unit, outside the perimeter fence, a small number of
women were living in open conditions. During the pandemic, release on
temporary licence (ROTL) had been curtailed. This meant that many lost their
jobs outside the prison and, for much of lockdown, they were unable to use
temporary release to maintain contact with their family or put in place plans for
their release. Although ROTL had restarted, an overcautious approach meant
women were heavily restricted in where they could go; visits to the town were
not allowed and women could not use the local park to exercise, leaving
outdoor exercise space as no more than a walk around the car park at the
prison. Although these women were allowed into the prison for health care,
they could not go to the prison shop or get their hair cut in the salon. A priority
for leaders must be to restore this provision so that women on the Bollinwood
house unit have the opportunity to begin to experience life as a citizen, and
women behind the fence have an incentive to move to open conditions.
One of the houses (Bronte) had recently been refurbished, and conditions were
good on the more prison-like Waite wing, but much of the existing provision
remained substandard. Rotting windows, leaks, damp, broken equipment and
mould were ubiquitous in the houses and in some homes 20 women were
sharing two lavatories and showers.
A strong and cohesive senior team left inspectors optimistic that this prison can
continue to improve provision for what is a complex and often needy population.
This will be dependent on building the capabilities of existing staff, while dealing
with any poor behaviour that holds back progress, and critically, making sure
that attrition rates do not increase. Only with a full complement of effective and
