HMP Cardiff

Built in 1827, serving south-east Wales

In shortA public sector, category B Victorian reception and resettlement prison for adult men, serving the courts of south-east Wales.

• Operational capacity777HMPPS August 2026 bulletin
• Prisoners held711On 24 August 2026; certified normal accommodation in use: 508
• New prisoners received3,497A year, around 291 a month (HMIP 2024 profile)
• Self-declared mental health problem70%220 prisoners receiving support for substance use

HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) records that HMP Cardiff was built in 1827 and is predominantly of Victorian build. New wings were added in 1996, and a healthcare centre with a 22-bed inpatient facility opened in 2008. HMIP says it sits within the HMPPS Wales prison group.

A reception prison takes people straight from court, so much of its work is about managing arrivals, remand prisoners and recalls. About 125 prisoners are released into the community each month. HMIP described Cardiff as a frontline institution, receiving men from the streets and managing considerable day-to-day risk.

• GOV.UK mentions around 800 prisoners in six units, mixing single and shared cells.
• It lists a gym and learning in subjects such as English, Welsh and maths.
• Our categories guide explains what the HMPPS "Reception" label means.

The 2024 inspection in plain English

In shortAll four healthy prison tests were reasonably good in 2024: a calm, settled prison with strong staff relationships but serious overcrowding and drug problems.

• Healthy prison tests4 of 4Reasonably good; purposeful activity had slipped from 2019
• Sharing cells designed for oneNearly two-thirds
• Said drugs easy to get40%About a quarter active drug users per mandatory testing
• Fall in men self-harming38%Since the previous inspection

HMIP inspected without notice between 29 January and 5 February 2024 and published the report on 8 May 2024 (it was updated on 29 April 2026 to correct a definition).

The Chief Inspector described a calm and settled prison performing better than similar prisons against most safety measures, with relatively low violence, no self-isolating prisoners and falling use of force.

• Six priority concerns, including self-inflicted deaths follow-up, drug availability, long-term health condition care, teaching and curriculum, and education reporting.

What the Independent Monitoring Board reported for 2024/25

In shortThe IMB welcomed falls in self-harm, force and violence, but flagged healthcare staffing and vetting delays as recruitment problems.

The Board also welcomed the successful roll-out of in-cell laptops under the Launchpad project. It reiterated concerns about heating and hot water, lack of space to eat out of cell, and accessibility for prisoners with mobility needs.

• Staffing remained a major problem in healthcare, particularly nursing.
• Vetting delays were a hindrance in recruiting both prison staff and IMB members.
• The Board asked the Minister to address right-to-work status for prison staff so they could remain employed, and noted attempts to revise the prison's staffing profile to support the key worker scheme.

Performance rating, staffing and pay

In shortHMPPS rated Cardiff 2 of 4 for 2025/26; it is on national pay with no market supplement listed and no Cardiff-specific recruitment page.

• HMPPS rating 2025/262 of 4"Performance of concern"; overall score 65.1%
• Officers, 30 June 2026241 FTEBand 3 to 5, hours adjusted; target 250
• ShortfallAbout 9
• Market supplementNone listedHMPPS pay page, checked 3 October 2026

The rating is a more recent snapshot than the 2024 inspection and should be read as a separate measure; the two do not have to match.