England & Wales directories
Dataset-backed

Category B prisons: what our directory pages show

20 March 2026Counts and labels reflect the prison import in this site build. They are not live government data.

Thematic graphic — not a photograph of a named facility.

Dataset-backed directory note (Ew Directory Category Category B). Thematic graphic only — not a photograph of a named facility.

Our category hub for this band lists 35 establishments after import mapping. This article explains how to read those pages and when to verify details with HMPPS.

What this page is for

This article describes how “Category B prisons” appears in our England and Wales directory and how many establishments currently map to it.

It is intended to help readers interpret our listings alongside the separate category hub and our general guide on prison categories.

How category is represented here

We currently associate 35 establishments with this category band in the import-derived model. Mapping uses administrative fields and, where needed, inference rules documented in our data pipeline notes.

Figures and labels on Prisons Online come from the HMPPS prison export used in this build. Security category and function wording are administrative fields in that source (and category may be inferred where the export does not map cleanly). Always confirm visiting rules, contact details, and regime information with official HMPPS or GOV.UK sources.

Examples from the dataset

Illustrative entries: HMP Bedford, HMP Birmingham, HMP Bristol, HMP Cardiff, HMP Dovegate. Use the hub page for the complete filtered grid.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same as a legal security classification?
Our site reflects labels derived from published administrative data. Official security category decisions are made by HMPPS; confirm category with the establishment or official channels.

Related prisons

Showing 24 of 35 establishments. Open the full listing for the complete grid.

Exterior view of HMP Bedford prison in Luton

HMP Bedford

Category B
Bedford · BEDFORDSHIRE, CAMBRIDGESHIRE & NORFOLK · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Bedford Prison is a prison in the centre of Bedford for men aged 18 and over.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Birmingham

Category B
Birmingham · WEST MIDLANDS · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Birmingham Prison is a men’s prison in the Winson Green area of Birmingham.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Bristol

Category B
Bristol · AVON & SOUTH DORSET · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Bristol Prison is a men’s prison in the Horfield area of Bristol.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Cardiff

Category B
Cardiff · HMPPS Wales · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Cardiff Prison is a men’s prison in the centre of Cardiff, Wales.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Dovegate

Category B
Staffordshire · PRIVATELY MANAGED PRISON · United Kingdom
Serco

Cat B Trainer

Dovegate is a privately run male prison in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Durham

Category B
Durham · TEES & WEAR · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Durham Prison is a men’s prison in the city of Durham.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Exeter

Category B
Exeter · DEVON & NORTH DORSET · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Exeter is a men’s prison in Exeter city centre in Devon.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Forest Bank

Category B
Salford · PRIVATELY MANAGED PRISON · United Kingdom
Sodexo

Reception

Forest Bank is a privately run male prison in Pendlebury, Salford.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Garth

Category B
Preston · LONG TERM & HIGH SECURITY ESTATE · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Cat B Trainer

Garth is a men’s high security prison near Leyland, Lancashire.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Gartree

Category B
Leicestershire · LONG TERM & HIGH SECURITY ESTATE · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Cat B Trainer

Gartree is a high security men’s prison in Market Harborough, Leicestershire.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Grendon

Category B
Buckinghamshire · SOUTH CENTRAL · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Cat B Trainer

Grendon is a men’s prison in the village of Grendon Underwood, Buckinghamshire. It is jointly managed with Spring Hill Prison, which is on the same site.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Hewell

Category B
Worcestershire · WEST MIDLANDS · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Hewell is a men’s prison in the village of Tardebigge, near Redditch in Worcestershire.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Isle of Wight

Category B
Isle of Wight · LONG TERM & HIGH SECURITY ESTATE · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Cat B Trainer

Isle of Wight is a high security men’s prison, set across 2 sites (Albany and Parkhurst), just outside Newport, Isle of Wight.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Leeds

Category B
West Yorkshire · YORKSHIRE · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Leeds is an adult male prison in the Armley area of Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Leicester

Category B
Leicester · EAST MIDLANDS · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Leicester prison is a men’s prison in the centre of Leicester.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Lewes

Category B
East Sussex · KENT, SURREY & SUSSEX · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Lewes is a men’s prison in Lewes, East Sussex.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Liverpool

Category B
Liverpool · GREATER MANCHESTER,MERSEYSIDE & CHESHIRE · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Liverpool Prison is a men’s prison in the Walton area of Liverpool.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Lowdham Grange

Category B
Nottingham · PRIVATELY MANAGED PRISON · United Kingdom
Serco

Cat B Trainer

Lowdham Grange is a privately run male prison in Lowdham, Nottingham.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Manchester

Category B
Manchester · LONG TERM & HIGH SECURITY ESTATE · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Cat B Trainer

Manchester Prison is a men’s high security prison in Manchester city centre. It was known as Strangeways until 1994.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Nottingham

Category B
Nottingham · NORTH MIDLANDS · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Nottingham Prison is a men’s prison in the Sherwood area of Nottingham and serves courts in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Peterborough

Category B
Peterborough · PRIVATELY MANAGED PRISON · United Kingdom
Sodexo

Reception

Peterborough is a privately run prison for both male and female residents in Westwood, Peterborough.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Preston

Category B
Lancashire · CUMBRIA & LANCASHIRE · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Reception

Preston Prison is a men’s prison in Preston, Lancashire.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Rye Hill

Category B
Warwickshire · PRIVATELY MANAGED PRISON · United Kingdom
G4S

Cat B Trainer

Rye Hill is a privately run male prison near Rugby, Warwickshire.

Illustrative prison exterior image

HMP Swaleside

Category B
Kent · LONG TERM & HIGH SECURITY ESTATE · United Kingdom
Public Sector Prison

Cat B Trainer

Swaleside is a men’s high security prison on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. It is part of the Sheppey Cluster, along with Elmley and Standford Hill.