United Kingdom · LTHSE · Yorkshire
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UK Category A prison operated by HM Prison & Probation Service. Listed in the GOV.UK Find a prison directory.
Capacity
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Current population
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Occupancy
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Year opened
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Operational
Figures from official sources · verified 6 Jul 2026 · methodology
Operator
HM Prison & Probation ServicePopulation held
male
Opened
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Region
LTHSE
Security level
Maximum
Death-row facility
No
significant operational pressures, an ageing and deteriorating infrastructure, deliver safe, decent and purposeful outcomes. for the future. Staffing levels appeared adequate, but the redeployment of regime with any consistency. This had had a direct impact on prisoners’ daily activities or even, sometimes, basic amenities. — UK IMB Annual Report (2024) — Safety: Several long-term high security estate (LTHSE) establishments provide separate accommodation/wings for prisoners who can then be managed according to their offence or vulnerability whilst in custody. However, there remains no such separate provision for what may be termed ‘vulnerable persons’ at HMP Wakefield. To provide a fully integrated regime, the focus at Wakefield lies in maintaining an [...] Respect: 5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food This year, a significant logistical project of upgrades has started at the prison. These encompass fire safety, lighting, power supply and alarm systems. The Fire Safety Improvement (FSI) and LED lighting installation started in January 2025 and are scheduled for completion in December 2029. Each cell will have a hardwired smoke detector and LED lighting. [...] Purposeful activity: Education at HMP Wakefield takes place mainly in one education building, with further delivery offered in workshop 7 and on outreach engaging with the most vulnerable and challenging prisoners, usually based in the segregation unit or the close supervision centre. HMP Wakefield has a specialist centre (referred to as the Mulberry unit), to support those on the autistic spectrum, for up to 12 [...] Preparation for release: Not covered
This inspection of Wakefield is our first for four years, our last visit being in 2018
The governor had been in post for a year and had established a clear vision
regime with any consistency. This had had a direct impact on prisoners’ daily strategy to reduce violence or bullying. The regime for prisoners who self-
Violence had increased markedly since our last inspection, with a 62% rise in incidents and a 72% increase in serious assaults. Many prisoners told us strategy to reduce violence or bullying. The regime for prisoners who self-
Derived signal — not a judgement. How it's calculated
What the score is responding to:
This facility scores 19. The national average across 584 scored United Kingdom facilities is 4 — 15 points above national average.
Same country, matched on type + security level where possible.
As one of five high-security dispersal prisons, housing men convicted of the most serious offences – many of whom are serving indeterminate or life sentences – Wakefield plays a critical role in the long-term and high-security estate. This unannounced inspection revealed a prison grappling with significant operational pressures, an ageing and deteriorating infrastructure, and a shifting prisoner demographic; all of which challenged its ability to deliver safe, decent and purposeful outcomes. The governor had been in post for a year and had established a clear vision for the future. Staffing levels appeared adequate, but the redeployment of officers to support other prisons had left Wakefield unable to run its full regime with any consistency. This had had a direct impact on prisoners’ daily lives, with many spending long periods locked in their cells, unable to access activities or even, sometimes, basic amenities. The prison’s infrastructure was also in a poor state, with repeated breakdowns of essential equipment, as well as, concerningly, some significant elements of the prison’s perimeter security systems. Violence had increased markedly since our last inspection, with a 62% rise in incidents and a 72% increase in serious assaults. Many prisoners told us they felt unsafe, particularly older men convicted of sexual offences who increasingly shared the prison with a growing cohort of younger prisoners. Staff morale had suffered, and while training was planned to help officers manage this more complex population, there was currently no coherent strategy to reduce violence or bullying. The regime for prisoners who self- isolated out of fear was punitive and lacked the support needed to reintegrate them safely. Health care provision had, in contrast, improved significantly. Strong clinical
5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food This year, a significant logistical project of upgrades has started at the prison. These encompass fire safety, lighting, power supply and alarm systems. The Fire Safety Improvement (FSI) and LED lighting installation started in January 2025 and are scheduled for completion in December 2029. Each cell will have a hardwired smoke detector and LED lighting. Currently, in-cell kettles are not available but will be possible after the upgrade. The project requires the prison population to reduce by 102 during the works. This allows for two landings to be decanted at a time for progress. Noise impact is reduced by limiting work hours from 8.30am to 4pm, Monday to Thursday, and 8.30 am to 12,30 pm on Fridays, with a pause during lunchtime. These timings ensure quiet periods for remaining prisoners. B wing is undergoing the first phase of the upgrade. We remain concerned about the physical condition of the residential accommodation, which can affect the ability of prisoners with mobility issues to access a full regime. We are also concerned by reports from some prisoners that the residential accommodation suffers from excessively high temperatures, from time to time. The kitchen operates with 42 prisoners, instead of 52, due to the upgrades reducing prisoner numbers. The kitchen has undergone significant upgrades in its equipment. All fryers are now fully operational, the dishwasher and industrial mixer have been repaired, and three new ovens have [...]
Several long-term high security estate (LTHSE) establishments provide separate accommodation/wings for prisoners who can then be managed according to their offence or vulnerability whilst in custody. However, there remains no such separate provision for what may be termed ‘vulnerable persons’ at HMP Wakefield. To provide a fully integrated regime, the focus at Wakefield lies in maintaining an effective ‘dynamic security’ regime as an enabler of a decent and humane environment. 4.1 Reception and induction On arrival, all prisoners are fully screened and body scanned (mobility dependent). The number of late arrivals to HMP Wakefield remains minimal and are predominately as a result of prisoners arriving as part of a transfer from another establishment or own internal escorts returning from hospital. A healthcare, education and safer prisons induction, together with a guidance booklet, is completed in reception on arrival. This explains the next steps for integration into the establishment through health, work and/or education. A mandatory drug test (MDT) is also carried out prior to entering the prison. Without the provision of a dedicated first night/early days unit, there are established arrangements for peer support located on each wing. In addition, a wing-based induction is provided, together with how new arrivals can access the Listener service (which are prisoners trained by the Samaritans to provide peer support) and safer prison representatives. Regular observations [...]
Education at HMP Wakefield takes place mainly in one education building, with further delivery offered in workshop 7 and on outreach engaging with the most vulnerable and challenging prisoners, usually based in the segregation unit or the close supervision centre. HMP Wakefield has a specialist centre (referred to as the Mulberry unit), to support those on the autistic spectrum, for up to 12 prisoners, which is a separate unit, on B wing. During a typical contract year, education is available on both a full-time and part-time basis (depending on the course) and is delivered over eight sessions from Monday to Thursday, with the catering course delivered over each lunchtime and Friday morning. All prisoners have access to English and maths sessions, either part-time in education or during outreach sessions on the wings or in the specialised units. Information, communication and technology (ICT) is offered from beginner to Level 3. However, this provision changed to essential digital skills Qualifications (EDSQ) in April 2024. Vocational qualifications are offered in hospitality and catering, barbering, mentoring, business administration, business enterprise and textiles. Opportunities for progression to Level 3 business administration business enterprise, art and barbering are available. The education department has a maximum of 80 learner places (including outreach delivery) per week, over eight sessions, following the prison’s core day timings from Monday to Friday. Morning [...]
Wakefield prison in West Yorkshire is one of the highest security prisons in the country. With a capacity for up to 750, it holds some of the more dangerous men in the prison system, including some high-risk category A prisoners. At the time of our inspection, almost all of those held were serving over 10 years and nearly half were serving indeterminate sentences including life. Traditionally, Wakefield has also held a preponderance of men convicted of the most serious sexual offences, and while the proportion of these prisoners had fallen since our last inspection, it remained at about 60% of the current population. The prison also has a close supervision centre (CSC), which holds some of the prison system’s most disruptive men. While we mention the facility in our report, we will report more fully and thematically on these types of units in due course. This inspection of Wakefield is our first for four years, our last visit being in 2018 when we reported on a successful prison delivering some very good outcomes. Our findings at this inspection were similar, with outcomes assessed as reasonably good in three of our healthy prison tests: safety, respect, and
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World Prisons. (2026). HMP Wakefield. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-wakefield
"HMP Wakefield." World Prisons. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-wakefield.
@misc{worldprisons-hmp-wakefield,
author = {{World Prisons}},
title = {HMP Wakefield},
year = {2026},
url = {https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-wakefield},
urldate = {2026-07-21}
}