How prison category labels appear in this directory
20 March 2026Counts and labels reflect published prison listing information. They are not live government data.
Thematic graphic — not a photograph of a named facility.
This short guide explains what our category-based pages represent, how they relate to the data import, and where to verify information.
Scope
Prisons Online is a reference site. Category and function fields are displayed as they are published in HMPPS prison information.
Figures and labels on Prisons Online come from published HMPPS prison information. 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.
What we list today
Across England and Wales we currently hold 122 prison records.
Category-band counts in our model (for hubs that meet our minimum size rules) include: Category A: 6; Category B: 35; Category C: 44; Multi: 37.
Read next
Use our general guide on prison categories for wider context, and individual prison profiles for establishment-specific details where we publish them.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does a profile show a category I did not expect?
- The site applies mapping rules to administrative fields. If something looks wrong, trust official HMPPS or GOV.UK listings and treat our page as a directory snapshot only.