Category C Resettlement prisons
Category C resettlement prisons typically focus on preparing men for release, often into the area around the prison. The Category C Resettlement group has 6 prisons in our dataset: 4 run by HMPPS; 2 privately run (G4S: Five Wells and Serco: Fosse Way). By designation they are 5 HMP, 1 HMP & YOI. This is HMPPS's role label for the prison, not the security category of any individual prisoner.
- Prisons
- 6 2 privately run
- Operational capacity
- 6,561 Itemised sites, 24 Aug 2026
- Market supplements
- 0 HMPPS pay page, 3 Oct 2026
- Regions
- 4 Geographic regions
The Category C Resettlement group in numbers
Across the 6 sites with an itemised figure, HMPPS reports an operational capacity of 6,561 and a population of 6,322 (96%) at 24 August 2026. The largest is HMP Fosse Way at 1,960; the smallest is HMP & YOI Brinsford at 577; the highest occupancy is HMP Five Wells at 100% of its operational capacity.
Of the 4 HMPPS-run prisons, 3 in the National zone, 1 in the Inner London zone. Band 3 entry pay on 39 hours runs from £37,131 (Risley) to £43,453 (Brixton) once any supplement is counted. None carries a market supplement.
HMPPS's 2025/26 performance ratings cover 6 of them: 3 good, 2 of concern, 1 serious concern. The highest overall score is 66.9% (Risley) and the lowest is 50.2% (Brixton).
6 prisons have an HMIP report on record; 6 have four graded tests from a full inspection. On safety the latest full inspections gave 1 good, 2 reasonably good, 2 not sufficiently good and 1 poor. None had every test at reasonably good or better. 2 were graded poor on at least one test (Brinsford, Brixton). The newest report is Risley (August 2026) and the oldest is Lancaster Farms (December 2022).
Staffing against target (Band 3 to 5, hours-adjusted FTE, 30 June 2026) is published for 4 of them: 4 FTE over in total, with Brinsford furthest below (-16) and 2 over target. A gap is a staffing measure, not advertised vacancies.
Geographically the group is spread across East Midlands (2), North West (2), West Midlands (1), London (1).
Counted from our dataset, 3 October 2026.
Prison by prison: key numbers
| Prison | Capacity | Full | HMPPS rating | HMIP safety | Latest HMIP report | 39h entry pay (* with supplement) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fosse Way | 1,960 | 97% | 2 of 4, 56.6% | not sufficiently good | June 2025 | Not HMPPS pay |
| Five Wells | 1,733 | 100% | 3 of 4, 60.9% | reasonably good | August 2026 | Not HMPPS pay |
| Risley | 1,034 | 97% | 3 of 4, 66.9% | good | August 2026 | £37,131 |
| Brixton | 673 | 91% | 1 of 4, 50.2% | not sufficiently good | April 2025 | £43,453 |
| Lancaster Farms | 584 | 96% | 3 of 4, 65.8% | reasonably good | December 2022 | £37,131 |
| Brinsford | 577 | 89% | 2 of 4, 57.5% | poor | July 2026 | £37,131 |
All Category C Resettlement prisons
| Prison | Region | Town | Type | HMPPS group | Run by | Capacity | Band 3 entry, 39h | Supplement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMP & YOI Brinsford | West Midlands | Featherstone, Wolverhampton | HMP & YOI | Category C Resettlement | Public (HMPPS) | 577 | £37,131 | None |
| HMP Brixton | London | Brixton, London | HMP | Category C Resettlement | Public (HMPPS) | 673 | £43,453 | None |
| HMP Five Wells | East Midlands | Wellingborough | HMP | Category C Resettlement | Private | 1,733 | n/a | n/a |
| HMP Fosse Way | East Midlands | Leicester | HMP | Category C Resettlement | Private | 1,960 | n/a | n/a |
| HMP Lancaster Farms | North West | Lancaster | HMP | Category C Resettlement | Public (HMPPS) | 584 | £37,131 | None |
| HMP Risley | North West | Warrington | HMP | Category C Resettlement | Public (HMPPS) | 1,034 | £37,131 | None |
Related
Read prison categories explained for how Category A to D and the functional groups fit together, the UK prisons list, the Category A prisons guide, or compare sites in the prison finder.
Other functional groups
Category C Resettlement prisons: FAQs
What is a Category C Resettlement prison?
Category C resettlement prisons typically focus on preparing men for release, often into the area around the prison. The label is HMPPS's functional group from its 2025/26 performance ratings: it describes a prison's role, not the security category of each prisoner.
Which prisons are in the Category C Resettlement group?
Brinsford, Brixton, Five Wells, Fosse Way, Lancaster Farms and Risley.
Do Category C Resettlement prisons pay officers more?
3 in the National zone, 1 in the Inner London zone. Band 3 entry pay on 39 hours runs from £37,131 (Risley) to £43,453 (Brixton) once any supplement is counted. None carries a market supplement.
Are any Category C Resettlement prisons privately run?
Yes: HMP Five Wells (G4S) and HMP Fosse Way (Serco), with operators confirmed from recent HMIP reports and contract announcements. Their staff are employed by the operator, not HMPPS.
How big is the Category C Resettlement group?
6 establishments with an operational capacity of 6,561 across those with an itemised figure (24 August 2026).