High Security prisons
The high security estate holds the prisoners who present the greatest risk, including those categorised as Category A. The High Security group has 5 prisons in our dataset: 5 run by HMPPS. By designation they are 5 HMP. This is HMPPS's role label for the prison, not the security category of any individual prisoner.
- Prisons
- 5 All publicly run
- Operational capacity
- 3,083 Itemised sites, 24 Aug 2026
- Market supplements
- 0 HMPPS pay page, 3 Oct 2026
- Regions
- 4 Geographic regions
The High Security group in numbers
Across the 5 sites with an itemised figure, HMPPS reports an operational capacity of 3,083 and a population of 2,990 (97%) at 24 August 2026. The largest is HMP Frankland at 846; the smallest is HMP Whitemoor at 458; the highest occupancy is HMP Whitemoor at 100% of its operational capacity.
Of the 5 HMPPS-run prisons, 5 in the National zone. All start Band 3 officers on £37,131 (39 hours, entry pay point). None carries a market supplement.
HMPPS's 2025/26 performance ratings cover 5 of them: 5 good. The highest overall score is 75.0% (Frankland) and the lowest is 59.9% (Wakefield).
5 prisons have an HMIP report on record; 5 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 0 poor. 1 had every test at reasonably good or better (Frankland). 2 were graded poor on at least one test (Wakefield, Whitemoor). The newest report is Wakefield (June 2026) and the oldest is Frankland (July 2024).
Staffing against target (Band 3 to 5, hours-adjusted FTE, 30 June 2026) is published for 5 of them: 339 FTE short in total, with Full Sutton furthest below (-108). A gap is a staffing measure, not advertised vacancies.
Geographically the group is spread across Yorkshire and the Humber (2), North East (1), West Midlands (1), East of England (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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frankland | 846 | 96% | 3 of 4, 75.0% | reasonably good | July 2024 | £37,131 |
| Wakefield | 648 | 97% | 3 of 4, 59.9% | not sufficiently good | June 2026 | £37,131 |
| Full Sutton | 594 | 98% | 3 of 4, 72.2% | reasonably good | July 2024 | £37,131 |
| Long Lartin | 537 | 96% | 3 of 4, 65.5% | not sufficiently good | June 2026 | £37,131 |
| Whitemoor | 458 | 100% | 3 of 4, 64.7% | good | February 2026 | £37,131 |
All High Security prisons
| Prison | Region | Town | Type | HMPPS group | Run by | Capacity | Band 3 entry, 39h | Supplement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMP Frankland | North East | Brasside, Durham | HMP | High Security | Public (HMPPS) | 846 | £37,131 | None |
| HMP Full Sutton | Yorkshire and the Humber | Full Sutton, near York | HMP | High Security | Public (HMPPS) | 594 | £37,131 | None |
| HMP Long Lartin | West Midlands | near Evesham | HMP | High Security | Public (HMPPS) | 537 | £37,131 | None |
| HMP Wakefield | Yorkshire and the Humber | Wakefield | HMP | High Security | Public (HMPPS) | 648 | £37,131 | None |
| HMP Whitemoor | East of England | March | HMP | High Security | Public (HMPPS) | 458 | £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
High Security prisons: FAQs
What is a High Security prison?
The high security estate holds the prisoners who present the greatest risk, including those categorised as Category A. 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 High Security group?
Frankland, Full Sutton, Long Lartin, Wakefield and Whitemoor.
Do High Security prisons pay officers more?
5 in the National zone. All start Band 3 officers on £37,131 (39 hours, entry pay point). None carries a market supplement.
Are any High Security prisons privately run?
No. All are publicly run.
How big is the High Security group?
5 establishments with an operational capacity of 3,083 across those with an itemised figure (24 August 2026).