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Wymott Prison Information

Accommodation: The prison provides multiple residential units with individual cells or shared accommodation for inmates. The cells are equipped with basic amenities, including beds, personal storage, and sanitation facilities.
Education and Vocational Training: Wymott Prison places emphasis on education and vocational training to support the rehabilitation process. Inmates have access to educational programs, including basic education, literacy, numeracy, and vocational courses to enhance their skills and employability prospects for successful reintegration into society.
Work Opportunities: Inmates at Wymott Prison have access to various work activities within the prison, such as maintenance, cleaning, kitchen, and other designated roles. These work activities aim to develop skills, instill discipline, and promote a sense of responsibility.
Healthcare: The prison has an on-site healthcare unit staffed with medical professionals who provide primary healthcare services to prisoners. Mental health support, substance abuse programs, and specialized medical care are also available.
Family Contact: Wymott Prison recognizes the importance of maintaining family relationships and facilitates visits and contact with family members, subject to specific guidelines and regulations.
Resettlement Support: The prison offers pre-release planning and support to help inmates prepare for their eventual release. This includes assistance with accommodation, employment, and access to community-based support services.

Contact Information

Booking a visit to wymott prison.

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Benefit book
Bank statement
other letter from official source

Blog Government Digital Service

https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2014/09/15/you-can-now-book-a-prison-visit-online/

You can now book a prison visit online

Booking a prison visit should be simple and straightforward. Until now that was far from the case. Booking a visit required both prisoner and visitor to jump through hoops: paper forms and drawn-out phone calls. And if the visit date turned out to be impossible, they had to start all over again.

Now you can book a visit online . It takes about 5 minutes. Before, picking an available date was pot luck. Now there's a date-picker that lets you select 3 possible slots instead of 1. It’s a straight-forward service with user-needs at its heart but, if you get stuck, you can call the prison's visits booking line and someone will help you with the booking.

Here's a very short film we've made about it:

By making it easier to book visits, prisoners will see more of their friends and family. Evidence suggests this will help their rehabilitation. Transformation isn't just about websites.

The service was built by the Ministry of Justice, with a combined team from the National Offender Management Service, HM Prison Service and MoJ Digital Services.

For more of the story behind this service, read Mike Bracken's account of his trip to HMP Rochester or check out the service’s transformation page .

Join the conversation on Twitter , and don't forget to sign up for email alerts .

Sharing and comments

Share this page, 20 comments.

Comment by Pauline posted on 23 August 2015

How do you find out the prisoners number??? so you can go ahead with online booking of a visit?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 24 August 2015

You can find a prisoner using this service: https://www.gov.uk/find-prisoner However it will be the prisoner's responsibility to get in touch with you to let you know their prison number etc.

Comment by linda posted on 15 August 2015

This service does not appear to work this is day 2 trying to use it

Comment by Olivia posted on 30 July 2015

Hi, If a visit is booked and someone cant make it, is it possible to change the name of one of the people to someone else?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 30 July 2015

It's best to contact the prison directly if this happens. You can find contact details here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Thanks, Louise

Comment by Paige posted on 28 July 2015

Hi my partner was sent to nottingham today, I was on his previous list 4 months ago for a visit. Will that still be on the system all will it have to he put through again if so how long does it take to be approved for a visit? Thanks Paige.

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 29 July 2015

You might want to get in touch with the prison first before booking a visit. You can find the contact details of the prison here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Comment by Debs posted on 27 July 2015

Hello Is there a list of prisons where online booking can't be used?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 28 July 2015

According to the information on this page: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits , you can arrange a visit to any prison in England and Wales through this service. If you're visiting someone in Northern Ireland or Scotland you'll need to contact the prison directly.

This link also lists the type of visits that are not covered by the online service: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits so you need to get in touch with the prison directly.

Hope that's helpful.

Comment by c.steer posted on 26 July 2015

So how do I find the booking form to fill in I am new to computers

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 27 July 2015

Here's the link to the booking form: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits

You'll need this information to complete the form:

prisoner number prisoner’s date of birth dates of birth for all visitors coming with you make sure the person you’re visiting has added you to their visitor list

Hope that's useful.

Comment by Shawnaa posted on 09 May 2015

i have a visit booked which i did online but i do not have a visiting order woll the prison let me in?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 11 May 2015

Your identity will be checked on arrival to make sure you’re on the visitor list.

Comment by jessicca posted on 27 January 2015

What happens after you book the visit and its confirmed by email do you need the visiting order ?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 29 January 2015

The Visiting Order (VO) number is generated by the booking system, it is included in your confirmation email and you will need this to change or cancel a booking.

However, if you're visiting a prison the guidance is that you only need your ID, not the VO number. If when you visit the prison you are asked for the VO number you should report this via the Contact Us link on the Prison Visits Booking form.

I hope that helps.

Comment by Ilysa Mcnally posted on 18 November 2014

How late in advance can I book e.g. book a visit today (Tuesday) for the Sunday coming???

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 19 November 2014

Hi Ilysa. Thanks for your question. A visit needs to be booked 3 working days in advance. So in this case, the visit request would have to be no later than Tuesday to allow for a visit on Sunday.

Comment by carole posted on 23 October 2014

How far in advance can you book visits

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 23 October 2014

Hi Carole. You can book up to 28 days in advance. Thanks for your question.

Comment by kimberly posted on 16 August 2015

does anyone know how to cancel a visit online?

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Wymott Prison

Tel: 01772 442000 – Ulnes Walton Lane, Leyland, Preston, Lancashire PR26 8LW

HMP Wymott is situated in Leyland in Lancashire, and is a category C training prison for adult males. It also has specialist facilities for sex offenders. The establishment first opened in 1979 and now has a capacity of 1,176. Two riots, one in 1986 and another in 1993, caused such serious damage to the prison that two wings were pulled down and replaced. The prison is located next door to HMP Garth. If you’re planning on visiting HMP Wymott and would like directions, please use the map on this page.

Tel: 01772 442000

Operational capacity: 1176

Ulnes Walton Lane, Leyland, Preston, Lancashire PR26 8LW

Calls from the payphones at HMP Wymott are prohibitively expensive, 40p per minute for a call to a mobile phone makes maintaining family contact near on impossible for most!

However Prison Phone have been working to change this since 2013 by offering our low cost call tariffs for friends and family members of inmates we are helping Wymott prison inmates keep in touch more affordably.

Send me Wymott prison details via FREE SMS

Mobile number:

Here’s some facts about Wymott Prison

HMP Wymott is a category C male’s prison in Ulnes Walton (near Leyland), Lancashire. Opened in 1979, the prison has capacity to hold 1,176 male inmates.

A wing holds vulnerable and full-time employed inmates. B wing holds up to 191 vulnerable and older men. C and D wings hold mainstream inmates. E and F wing include the segregation and psychologically informed planned environment (PIPE) unit. G & H wings are induction units, and hold vulnerable and mainstream inmates respectively. I wing holds older and disabled inmates, J wing is a mixed population enhanced unit, and K wing is the drug and alcohol therapeutic community.

A report found that smoking bans could lead to riots for possibly years afterwards. An inmate from HMP Wymott is backing the Prison Officer’s Association, as prison staff and non-smoking inmates can inhale the fumes in what is known as “passive smoking”

To view the latest HMIP inspection report, click here .

Visiting hours are 14:15 – 16:00 Monday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday.

GPs are “urgently required” to address “very significant risks” in the Wymott’s and other similar prisons’ health systems.

In February 2017 , the prison was rated good, and has improved in the years since the previous report in 2014.

Vulnerable prisoners (such as sex offenders) do work within the prison, such as cooking, printing and running the canteen shop.

Prison Phone offers phone tariffs that reduce the costs of calls from this prison by up to 75%! This enables prisoners to get the support and love that they are missing from home, while reducing costs for the inmate. Find out more below.

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Please visit POPS’ Facebook page for HMP Wymott for all the latest information and updates.

HMP Wymott is a prison for men near Leyland, Lancashire.

POPS delivers the Family Support Services at HMP Wymott providing a warm welcome and advice and support for all visitors on a range of issues including travel, debt and housing. We also offer one to one support at times to suit families, please ask for more information.

Recent Updates

Christmas Visiting Hours 2024
Warm Spaces 2024
Family Day Schedule 2024
Notice to Visitors – Receiving of clothes, books and parcels
Notice to Visitors – Underwear Parcels

Useful Information

The following resources may help to prepare you for your visit:

10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Prison Life Videos

Important Contact Information

Visitor Centre: 01772 442 109 Booking Line: 01772 442 234 (Monday to Friday 9:00am – 3:00pm) You can book also online at www.gov.uk/prison-visits.

Prison Switchboard: 01772 442 000

POPS’ Family Lead: [email protected]

Visitor Centre Opening Times

Visiting times:, financial assistance.

Visitors are entitled to a minimum of a one hour visit and times may be subject to change.

If you qualify to receive help with your finances such as benefits, you may be able to recoup all or part of the cost of your travel expenses.

Safer Custody

If you have concerns about an individual in custody at HMP Wymott, please call the Safer Custody concern line on 0800 496 1481 (freephone). Please leave a message with the prisoner’s name and prison number, your name and contact details and a summary of the concerns you have. Please be aware you may not receive a response.

Alternatively, you can submit a concern via the online Safer Custody portal on the Prisoners’ Families Helpline website (link below).

Last updated 29/01/2024.

We want to hear what you've got to say on the issues that affect you. Got the solution? Join the conversation here.

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PLEASE NOTE:

During the coronavirus crisis, prisons are having to alter their visit times, procedures and booking facilities. This can be subject to change on a day-to-day basis and we are not able to give exact information. If you are looking for visiting information you should check online or contact the prison directly to see what the current situation is.

New ID requirements for visitors are now in effect. Click Here for full information.

We are NOT part of the Prison Service. You cannot contact a prison directly, contact a prisoner or book visits through our website or comments.

BOOK YOUR VISIT ONLINE

You don’t need a Visiting Order ( VO ) to book a visit online.

But you will need:

the prisoner's prison number
their date of birth
the dates of birth for all visitors going with you
to make sure the person you’re visiting has added you to their visitor list

To book your visits online go to: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits

Please Note: If you do not know the prisoner's prison number you should write to them and ask, or ask when they phone you.

PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION FOR VISITS: When you visit a prisoner all visitors will need to have personal identification. The rules around acceptable identification have changed. Click Here for full information.

HELP WITH THE COST OF VISITING If you have limited financial means you may be able to get help with the cost of visiting from the Assisted Prison Visits Unit

TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION: To help you plan your journey by road or public transport we included a google map of each prison.

FEEDBACK If you visit a prison and have any suggestions or tips for other people visiting that prison you can leave these using the 'Comment' box at the bottom of each prison's listing.

Information is constantly changing and we do all we can to keep information up-to-date. If you do find any information which is incorrect or unclear please email [email protected] . This is especially important for visiting times and transport information.

Visiting somebody in prison is not particularly easy to organise when there are so many varying rules and individual requirements for each establishment. For families and friends visiting prisoners it will already be a stressful and emotional time and avoiding the many pitfalls can help.

There are general rules that apply to visiting most prisons but there are also many local variations and peculiarities. The aim of this service is to provide the details needed to make any visit go as smoothly as possible.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Many prisons are now resuming Social Visits. Please check with the prison.

During this time prisons are making other arrangements for family contact; for instance putting extra credit onto PIN phones, reducing phone costs or swapping visits for phone credit. Each prison is tackling the problem in the way they think best. During this time you can still write letters or use the Email a Prisoner service.

More information about prisons can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-and-prison s

If you don't have an Email a Prisoner account you can get more information at: https://www.emailaprisoner.com/

You can send money to prisoners electronically via a government website at: https://www.gov.uk/send-prisoner-money

Many prisons are keeping everyone up-to-date via their Twitter account. A list of which can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/t9ovumd

You can also follow the Inside Time Twitter account at: https://twitter.com/InsideTimeUK

Northern Ireland All prisons in Northern Ireland are allowing virtual visits. A virtual visit, lasting up to 20 minutes, can be booked by a family member using a personal computer, ipad or smart phone, and through a secure video-link prisoners and their families are able to see and speak with each other. The prisoner will have been given a booking reference which they will pass on to you before you book the visit by telephoning the prison Visits Booking Office. If you have a reference number and would like to book a virtual visit call:

Maghaberry Prison 028 9261 4029
Magilligan Prison 028 7772 0449
Hydebank Wood College 028 9049 4333

The Visiting a Prison gives general guidance but not all prisons operate in the same way. Using the Prison search facility full details of the visiting arrangements each establishment can be found including visit times. Click Here for information about what ID you will require.

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The Good Book of Prisons

What's good in prisons across England & Wales

The prisoners highlighted the Prisoner Council, which met regularly with management, as ‘well respected’, and said it had a positive impact. They also rated the gym and its staff as ‘very good’. Visits were ‘good’ too, and family visits ‘great’. The ‘excellent’ PIPE and TC units were ‘very safe’, with ‘good regimes’ and ‘supportive staff’.

The Officers said a ‘passionate’ and ‘committed’ workforce did ‘excellent’ team work – and were very supportive of new recruits. They agreed with prisoners on both consultation and the PIPE & TC units, and additionally rated the range of prisoner reps and peer mentors. They praised the ‘Safer Living’ department, run by staff with help from prisoners, which supports and manages prisoners with complex needs. They also valued the 4-week ‘Robust Recovery’ programme aimed at (re-)integrating prolific Spice users and isolated prisoners into the regime. The ‘popular’ staff and prisoner Annual Sports Day was ‘really good’, and the ‘clean’, ‘decent’ environment and gardens were ‘great’ (‘good for all’).

The managers said the prison was ‘safer’, in terms of both violence and self-harm, than similar prisons, praised ‘teamwork’ and ‘strong partnerships’ across the jail, and said Keywork made ‘a big difference’ to both relationships with prisoners and safety. Selective photocopying of mail, substance misuse services, including the ‘Robust Recovery’ programme, with individual plans for problematic users, and regular multidisciplinary strategy meetings, had helped reduce drug problems. They rated education, work and vocational training as ‘very good’, and added praise for healthcare, along with the PIPE, TC, older prisoner, and complex needs units. Support for family relationships, including a dedicated family support worker and family visits, was also rated. And the staff mess, and ‘Compliment slips’ used by prisoners to thank staff, were positives too.

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Crime, justice and law
Prisons and probation

Garth Prison

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

Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minutes survey.

Book and plan your visit to Garth

To visit someone in Garth you must:

be on that person’s visitor list
book your visit at least 2 days in advance
have the required ID with you when you go

Up to 2 adults and 2 children can visit at a time. At least one visitor must be 18 or older.

Contact Garth if you have any questions about visiting.

Help with the cost of your visit

If you get certain benefits or have an NHS health certificate, you might be able to get help with the costs of your visit , including:

travel to Garth
somewhere to stay overnight

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online or by telephone

Visits booking line: 01772 443503 Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm Find out about call charges

Visiting times:

Tuesday to Thursday: 2pm to 4pm
Saturday and Sunday: 2pm to 4pm

You should arrive early to allow time to get through security.

How to book legal and professional visits

Legal visits booking line: 01772 443 503 The booking line is open Monday to Thursday, 9am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 4:30pm Find out about call charges

Legal visiting times

Getting to Garth

Find Garth on a map

Garth is about 5 miles from Leyland station. Local buses run towards Croston Park but you will need to walk the last 2 miles to Garth. Alternatively, you can take a taxi from the station.

To plan your journey by public transport:

use National Rail Enquiries
use Traveline for local bus times

If coming by car, use the postcode PR26 8LW for sat nav.

There is a visitor’s car park outside the prison, including space for Blue Badge holders.

Entering Garth

All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison .

All visitors will pass through a metal detector and be given a pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

Garth has a family-friendly dress code policy which means visitors should dress appropriately. You may be turned away if you are wearing items like vests, low-cut tops, high-cut skirts or dresses, shorts, see-through or ripped clothing, flip-flops or headwear other than that worn for religious reasons. Additionally, you cannot wear anything with offensive patterns or slogans, football shirts, cargo or combat trousers, uniforms (except school uniforms), hi-visibility clothing, steel toe-capped footwear or football boots. You will need to remove hats, scarves, sunglasses, gloves, large belt buckles, metal hair clips and excessive jewellery before you go in.

Call the booking line if you have any questions about visiting.

Refreshments will be available to purchase during your visit.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Garth. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker (you will need a £1 coin for this) in the visitors centre. This includes pushchairs and car seats.

You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.

Visiting facilities

There is a visitors centre run by Partners of Prisoners (POPS) .

The centre is open on visiting days from 11:30am to 4:30pm.

Telephone: 01772 622 129 Find out about call charges

The visiting hall is on the ground floor and wheelchair accessible. There is a children’s play area with activities organised by a play worker. Parents and guardians remain responsible for their children at all times.

Family days

HMP Garth run 12 family visits a year. Details on how these visits run can be found by contacting: [email protected] .

Keep in touch with someone at Garth

There are several ways you can keep in touch with a prisoner during their time at Garth.

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:

Download the Prison Video app
Create an account
Register all visitors
Add the prisoner to your contact list.

How to book a secure video call

You can request a secure video call with someone in this prison via the Prison Video app.

You will receive a notification when your request has been accepted.

Phone calls

Prisoners have phones in their cells and are able to make calls every day between 6am and 10pm.

Phones do not accept incoming calls so they will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this.

They can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security when they first arrive so it may take a few days before they are able to call.

You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service .

Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.

You can send emails to someone in Garth using the Email a Prisoner service .

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies, depending on the rules at Garth.

You can write at any time.

Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.

If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Garth .

All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.

Send money and gifts

You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison .

You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post.

If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you:

are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet
do not have a debit card

This will allow you to send money by post.

Gifts and parcels

Prisoners can apply for permission to receive items from friends and family. The items can then be handed in at the visitors entrance before a visit between 1:05pm and 1:30pm.

There are limits to the number of parcels a prisoner can receive. Only specific items are allowed. Ask at the visitors centre for details.

Items are not normally accepted by post. However, a prisoner who is a foreign national or does not get visits can apply for permission for a family member or friend to send items in.

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Friends and families of prisoners are permitted to send books directly to their loved ones, or can order books from approved retailers, which can source and send the books on to prisoners.

For the full list of approved retailers, you can read the HMPPS Incentives Policy, Annex F .

Life at Garth

Garth is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where prisoners convicted of serious offences can make positive use of long sentences.

Security and safeguarding

Every prisoner at Garth has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.

For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website .

Arrival and first night

When someone first arrives at Garth, they will be able to contact a family member by phone. This could be quite late in the evening, depending on the time they arrive.

They will be seen by a member of the nursing team to talk about immediate health needs, including medication.

They will also get to speak with a member of the First Night team to discuss any concerns and learn about Samaritans phone access, the prison Listeners scheme, use of the emergency cell bell and unit rules.

Each prisoner who arrives at Garth gets an induction that lasts about a week. They will meet professionals who will help them with:

health and wellbeing, including mental and sexual health
any substance misuse issues, including drugs and alcohol
personal development in custody and on release, including skills, education and training
other support (sometimes called ‘interventions’), such as managing difficult emotions

They will also meet the chaplaincy team and get a gym induction.

Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety, and how things like calls and visits work.

Accommodation

Around 800 prisoners live at Garth. Most get their own cell.

Education and work

Prisoners have access to a broad programme of learning opportunities provided by Novus . These include literacy and numeracy, skills for life, personal and social development and distance learning. Garth is part of the Prisons ICT Academy (PICTA) which helps prepare prisoners for work in information and communications technology (ICT) roles.

Training is available in motor mechanics, light engineering, industrial cleaning and joinery.

Work is available throughout the prison, including the kitchens, PE department, farms and gardens and waste management. Prisoners are also employed by several industrial workshops, including:

plastic injection moulding
wheelchair and bike repair
light fittings and fire alarm assembly
industrial cleaning
braille book printing
construction joinery manufacturing

Most roles include the opportunity to study for qualifications.

Garth runs a peer tutor scheme where prisoners support each other with employment opportunities.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends .

To contact our head of family provision at HMP Garth: [email protected]

Support at Garth

Partners of Prisoners (POPs) can provide information, guidance and support to families and friends of prisoners.

You can ask for more information in the visitors centre or contact them by email and telephone.

Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01772 622 129 Find out about call charges

Concerns, problems and complaints

In an emergency.

Call 01772 443 300 if you think a prisoner is at immediate risk of harm. Ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency.

Problems and complaints

If you have any other problem contact Garth .

Inspection reports

HM Prison and Probation Service publishes action plans for Garth in response to independent inspections.

Contact Garth

Governor: Andy Lund

Telephone: 01772 443 300 Fax: 01772 443 301 Find out about call charges

Follow Garth on Twitter/X

HMP Garth Ulnes Walton Leyland Preston PR26 8NE

Secure video calls update.

Updated Governor

Updated operating times for the social and legal visits booking line.

Updated visiting guidance based on 1 April COVID rule changes

Added link to new safer custody information under Security and safeguarding.

Updated visiting information: Testing for visitors aged 12 and over.

Updated physical contact guidance

New visiting times and booking information added.

Prison has resumed visits for family, friends and significant others. We will update this page with specific visiting information as soon as possible.

Additional guidance about new COVID-19 variant in the Bolton and Blackburn areas.

Updated visit info

Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.

Updated visiting restrictions

Updated visiting information in line with coronavirus restrictions.

Added confirmation of secure video calls being made available at this prison.

First published.

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HMIP Inspection of Wymott

The prison was given an inspection in December 2023, the full report can be read at the Ministry of Justice web site, just follow the links below. In their latest report the inspectors said:

HMP Wymott in Lancashire is a category C training prison with a large mixed population of 1,182 prisoners, of whom over half were convicted of a sexual offence. There had been a failure by senior leaders to invest in the prison. The kitchen was in a terrible state and the accommodation in house blocks A and B, which we criticised in our last two inspections, was now beyond repair. Some of the single cells that were holding two prisoners were unacceptably cramped, with an unscreened toilet in the corner and room for only one chair. Storm damage to the roof of one of the workshops meant that it was out of use, leaving too many prisoners without purposeful activity and subsequently high levels of boredom.

Wymott was failing to fulfil its remit as a training prison, with many prisoners on the main site limited to a part-time regime. Those who were unemployed were locked up for 21 hours a day and the regime at the weekend was poor for all. Ofsted colleagues assessed the quality of education as requiring improvement and there had not been enough direct oversite from senior leaders or a strong enough focus on the education and training function of the jail.

The strong staff-prisoner relationships, which we noted in previous inspections, continued to be a strength of this prison, where many prisoners reported more positive experiences than in other jails. Levels of staff sickness were far too high, leading to the cancellation or curtailment of activities; this needed to be addressed by leaders if the prison was to make progress. Health care was not good enough, particularly the provision of mental health support for the many vulnerable prisoners at Wymott. With excessive waits of up to 39 weeks for psychological therapies and over a year to get counselling, neither the health trust nor commissioners were addressing the level of need within the jail at the time of inspection. This may have also explained why, in our survey, 20% of prisoners with mental health difficulties told us they had developed a problem with drugs since they had arrived at Wymott.

The influx of drugs remained a serious problem. It was a cause of debt that resulted in prisoners self-isolating and self-harming because of their fears of violence. There were limited resources available to keep drugs out of the prison with no scanners, systematic checks on staff or adequate technology to reduce the frequent arrival of contraband-laden drones over the large perimeter fence.

The provision of visits was good and there a number of family days were held over the year. Leaders had also put thought into supporting the many prisoners who did not get social visits. Despite staffing shortages there was some good work to support sentence progression and there was a wide range of accredited programmes available. Although not a resettlement prison, Wymott was releasing around 20 prisoners a month because of population pressures elsewhere. Despite not having the funding, staff worked hard to support those who were leaving the jail through some good liaison with external services.

Staff were rightly proud of much that went on at Wymott and leaders encouraged innovation – for example, the Haven Unit specialised in looking after some of the elderly and unwell prisoners who were a growing population within the jail. The new governor, supported by his experienced deputy, has the opportunity to build on the positives we highlight in this report. He particularly needs to focus on addressing the number of officers not available for duty and improving the provision of education, work and training which is not good enough for this type of prison. It will be a challenge however, if HMPPS does not fund the much-needed refurbishments that are now very much overdue.

Charlie Taylor HM Chief Inspector of Prisons January 2024

The inspectors provided a brief list of their major findings

What needs to improve at HMP Wymott

During this inspection we identified 11 key concerns, of which six should be treated as priorities. Priority concerns are those that are most important to improving outcomes for prisoners. They require immediate attention by leaders and managers.

Leaders should make sure that all concerns identified here are addressed and that progress is tracked through a plan which sets out how and when the concerns will be resolved. The plan should be provided to HMI Prisons.

Priority concerns

A significant number of officers were not available for operational duty on the wings. As a result, the regime was restricted, activities and appointments were cancelled or curtailed, and specialist work was adversely affected.
Drugs were too easily available. Not enough searching or suspicion drug testing took place, the body scanner was not always used, there was no enhanced gate security, and the prison lacked the technology often used elsewhere.
Some parts of the infrastructure were in very poor condition and in need of significant investment.
The provision offered by the integrated mental health and substance misuse teams did not meet prisoners’ needs. Staff shortages meant that the range of psychological interventions was limited and waiting times were excessive.
The prison was not fulfilling its role as a training prison. There were insufficient education, skills and work opportunities for the number of men, particularly those living on the main wings.
Prisoners did not always attend their education, skills and work activities and punctuality was poor.

Key concerns

Little action was taken to deter poor behaviour or promote good behaviour. Staff often failed to challenge rule breaking, too many adjudications were either dismissed or waiting to be dealt with and prisoners did not feel motivated by the incentives available.
Prisoners were dissatisfied with the food. The lack of self-catering facilities alongside rising canteen prices made it difficult for prisoners to supplement their meals.
There was a lack of governance in some key areas of health care. For example, complaints were poorly managed, and staff training and supervision were inadequate.
The education, skills and work curriculum did not meet all needs. Leaders had not planned effectively to meet all knowledge and skills gaps or qualification needs, nor did they provide consistent support for those with special educational needs and disabilities.
In education, skills and work, leaders and managers did not monitor the impact of their quality improvement actions effectively. As a result, senior prison leaders did not have sufficient oversight of the quality of the provision

Return to Wymott

To read the full reports, go to the Ministry of Justice site or follow the links below:

Inspection report ( 4 MB ) , Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Wymott by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (11–21 December 2023)
HMP Wymott report (PDF) ( 490 kB ) , Report on a scrutiny visit to HMP Wymott by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (18 and 25–26 August 2020)
HMP Wymott ( 590.30 kB ) , Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Wymott (10-21 October 2016)
HMP Wymott , Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Wymott (23 June – 4 July 2014)
HMP Wymott , Unannounced short follow-up inspection of HMP Wymott (15 – 17 November 2011)
HMP Wymott , Announced inspection of HMP Wymott (20-24 October 2008)