United Kingdom · Midlands · Nottingham
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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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Current population
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Occupancy
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Year opened
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Operational
Figures from official sources · verified 7 Jul 2026 · methodology
Operator
HM Prison & Probation ServicePopulation held
male
Opened
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Region
Midlands
Security level
Medium
Death-row facility
No
population: many have committed serious crimes and are serving long or prisoners, a concern we had raised in our last two inspections. She had also focused on tightening up some security procedures and improving staff welfare. Staff welcomed the support they received, and line management meetings took In general, good relationships between prisoners and staff were a feature of the There was also a lack of training for staff to understand different types of Leaders had been comparing the prison’s performance with those of other category C prisons rather than with jails holding a similar population. This gave violence and the delivery of the regime are almost always better in this sort of leaders in future months. — UK IMB Annual Report (2024) — Safety: 4.1 Reception and induction 4.1.1 The induction process for incoming prisoners is regularly monitored by IMB members. The Board notes that staff seem especially caring, considerate and helpful with new arrivals. 4.1.2 The first stage of prisoner induction takes place in reception as soon as they are removed from the prison van. Their warrant categorisation, as in, whether they are category C ( [...] Respect: 5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food 5.1.1 Residential accommodation at the prison consists of 14 wings. Most of the cells other than B wing have ensuite facilities and are fit for purpose, in the Board’s view. 5.1.2 B wing, which consists of three residential units, is, according to the latest HMIP report, not fit for purpose, and the IMB concurs with this finding. The cells are small and cramped [...] Purposeful activity: 7.1.1 At HMP Whatton, People Plus runs under the Prison Education Framework (PEF). Operationally, this will change from October 2025, when the replacement Prison Education System begins. Contracts will ‘create a prisoner education service focused on work-based training and skills’, according to a recent Ofsted report. This is intended to get more offenders into work on release, thereby helping to [...] Preparation for release: 7.3.1 There are certain transfers into the establishment of prisoners who are expecting to undertake the specialist courses available on a relatively urgent basis. However, due to space issues, these prisoners may not always receive the priority that was expected. Courses crucial for rehabilitation and preparation for release are available to prisoners who are within a certain period of their [...]
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The governor had been in post for 18 months after the retirement of her long-
preparing them for eventual release. lost their jobs and it could take a long time before they could get back into work. turning up to work, were punished by being prevented from going to work. Work violence and the delivery of the regime are almost always better in this sort of While the time unlocked was good and there was a range of enrichment activity, the provision of education required improvement.
violence and the delivery of the regime are almost always better in this sort of Levels of self-harm were higher than at comparator prisons, and had risen in the last two years. Although a large proportion of prisoners who self-harmed did
Derived signal — not a judgement. How it's calculated
What the score is responding to:
This facility scores 13. The national average across 584 scored United Kingdom facilities is 4 — 9 points above national average.
Same country, matched on type + security level where possible.
HMP Whatton, in Nottinghamshire, is a prison for men convicted of sex offences that housed 848 prisoners at the time of our inspection. It holds a complex population: many have committed serious crimes and are serving long or indeterminate sentences. The prison has a well-established reputation as a specialist, national resource to support prisoners in progressing with their sentences, reducing their risk and preparing them for eventual release. The governor had been in post for 18 months after the retirement of her long- serving predecessor. She and her team were regularly seen around the jail, and she had personally taken responsibility for improving the experiences of black prisoners, a concern we had raised in our last two inspections. She had also focused on tightening up some security procedures and improving staff welfare. Staff welcomed the support they received, and line management meetings took place much more often than we see elsewhere. Some of the behaviour management processes were over-punitive and not enough was being done to incentivise good behaviour, particularly for some troubled prisoners who were trapped in a cycle of infringement followed by sanctions without getting the help they needed. Cellular confinement was used far more often than in the three other similar prisons we inspected in 2023. Many prisoners who were moved to the basic level of the incentives scheme lost their jobs and it could take a long time before they could get back into work. This led to the perverse outcome that prisoners who were sanctioned for not turning up to work, were punished by being prevented from going to work. Work should not be a privilege that is earned, it should be an expectation. In general, good relationships between prisoners and staff were a feature of the prison, but inspectors came across some who felt that they were being additionally punished within the prison because of the nature of their offence. There was also a lack of training for staff to understand different types of offences and how to reduce risk, spot offence mirroring and support change. Leaders had been comparing the prison’s performance with those of other category C prisons rather than with jails holding a similar population. This gave an over-positive assessment of the prison, particularly given that levels of violence and the delivery of the regime are almost always better in this sort of jail. Levels of self-harm were higher than at comparator prisons, and had risen in the last two years. Although a large proportion of prisoners who self-harmed did so frequently, and received some good, concerted support, many others who were less prolific did not get enough care. While the time unlocked was good and there was a range of enrichment activity, the provision of education required improvement. Many prisoners had low levels of literacy and numeracy and were in need of remedial support, but provision was limited. Although there was a willing group of Shannon Trust mentors, there were still many prisoners who were not getting the help they needed. The reading strategy was not being enacted and will require a strong push from leaders in future months. As a national resource to support sex offenders, it was disappointing that due to a shortage of trained staff, not enough accredited programmes were being delivered. This meant many men who had arrived in the jail specifically to get onto a programme sometimes waited years before they could fulfil that aspect of their sentence plan. There are many positives to build on at Whatton and it has the potential to be a thriving prison, but leaders need to address some of the punitive treatment of prisoners that has entered the culture and focus more on promoting the many incentives that the jail can offer. Charlie Taylor HM Chief Inspector of Prisons February 2024
4.1 Reception and induction 4.1.1 The induction process for incoming prisoners is regularly monitored by IMB members. The Board notes that staff seem especially caring, considerate and helpful with new arrivals. 4.1.2 The first stage of prisoner induction takes place in reception as soon as they are removed from the prison van. Their warrant categorisation, as in, whether they are category C ( Whatton is a category C prison) and identification details are checked, and details of their property are logged. If items are found that are not allowed at HMP Whatton, the prisoner is informed that they need to make arrangements for them to be sent out. Such items are placed in the prisoner’s property box, with instructions about what they need to do next. 4.1.3 Each prisoner is then checked on the X-ray body scanner, fingerprinted and photographed for identification. Their risk-assessment record is also checked to verify whether they can safely share a cell. 4.1.4 Prisoners are seen by a member of staff from the healthcare unit within an hour of arriving. They are offered a drink and given access to a phone to make a call. In addition, they are offered a small amount of credit on their phone and a small amount of canteen (a facility where prisoners can buy snacks, toiletries, stationery and other essentials). This tides them over until they receive their own money. 4.1.5 Prisoners are also seen by a member of staff from the education department, who assesses their learning needs and [...]
7.3.1 There are certain transfers into the establishment of prisoners who are expecting to undertake the specialist courses available on a relatively urgent basis. However, due to space issues, these prisoners may not always receive the priority that was expected. Courses crucial for rehabilitation and preparation for release are available to prisoners who are within a certain period of their release date. HMP Whatton hold prisoners who have either a current or historical sentence for a sexual offence. There is a changing demographic, with a greater number of younger prisoners, who may present with more challenging behaviour. 7.3.2 There are 17 category D prisoners (who are eligible for an open prison) awaiting transfer. There seems to be limited availability of spaces in category D prisons. Other than HMP North Sea Camp, in Lincolnshire, and HMP Hollesley Bay, in Suffolk, there are restrictions on transfer. HMP Leyhill, in Gloucestershire, is full. HMP Haverigg, in Cumbria, will only take those prisoners who live locally, because of the costs incurred by release on temporary licence (ROTL) prisoners. HMP Prescoed will only take from category C HMP Usk, both in Monmouthshire. About two or three prisoners transfer to category D establishments each month. Eligible prisoners feel that this delays their opportunity for work training prior to release. 7.3.3 An average of 18 parole hearings are held each month. Of these, just over a quarter are successful. This is a significant [...]
7.1.1 At HMP Whatton, People Plus runs under the Prison Education Framework (PEF). Operationally, this will change from October 2025, when the replacement Prison Education System begins. Contracts will ‘create a prisoner education service focused on work-based training and skills’, according to a recent Ofsted report. This is intended to get more offenders into work on release, thereby helping to keep the public safe. The prison’s education, skills and work strategy aims to raise English and Maths levels, foster a love of reading, ensure a safe learning environment, develop employability skills, engage reluctant learners, ensure value for money and offer higher-level learning opportunities. At HMP Whatton, 27% of residents self-reported unemployment prior to imprisonment. A total of 43% of the prison’s population either left school without qualifications or did not finish school. HMP Whatton prioritises early engagement with work prospects on a prisoner’s arrival, starting with an education, skills and work needs analysis on induction. This involves education, activities, CIAG (careers, information, advice and guidance) and the library. Prisoners then begin their personal learning plan and undergo necessary screenings and assessments. Some 8% of the prison’s population makes a conscious decision not to engage with the services offered. As a training prison, there’s strong encouragement for participation in purposeful activities related to education or work. While working, [...]
5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food 5.1.1 Residential accommodation at the prison consists of 14 wings. Most of the cells other than B wing have ensuite facilities and are fit for purpose, in the Board’s view. 5.1.2 B wing, which consists of three residential units, is, according to the latest HMIP report, not fit for purpose, and the IMB concurs with this finding. The cells are small and cramped for shared accommodation, with few ensuite facilities and limited natural light. There is currently a programme in place for refurbishment of some of the cells and shower facilities on the wing. 5.1.3 Following the latest Prison Group Directors’ report, all shower blocks have been treated with anti-mildew chemicals and have also been repainted. 5.1.4 The replacement of in-cell fire detection and pipework on B wing is expected to take two years. There is a rolling programme of mattress renewal, the installation of privacy screens and the replacement of the old iron-framed bunks, which have been made a priority. 5.1.5 There is a dementia suite on B wing. Damaged equipment seems to be repaired as required. 5.1.6 Food is served on the B wing servery; some prisoners choose to eat there, while others prefer to take their food back to the cells. Food is tasted periodically by IMB members and considered to be of an acceptable quality. 5.1.7 Prisoners are encouraged to wear their own clothes. 5.2 Segregation 5.2.1 The care and separation unit (CSU), which is attached to the A3 wing, is where [...]
Scrutiny inspection of HMP Whatton (2020-08-25)
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World Prisons. (2026). HMP Whatton. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-whatton
"HMP Whatton." World Prisons. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-whatton.
@misc{worldprisons-hmp-whatton,
author = {{World Prisons}},
title = {HMP Whatton},
year = {2026},
url = {https://worldprisons.com/prisons/hmp-whatton},
urldate = {2026-07-21}
}