HMP & YOI Downview

A women's prison with a complicated history

In shortDownview is a women's closed training prison, reopened in 2016 after a complicated history, holding mostly women serving long sentences.

• Held, February 2026302 womenOperational capacity 356 (IMB 2024-25)
• New receptions47 a monthOn average
• Released508In the previous 12 months

HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) describes Downview as a women's closed training prison. The IMB's 2024-25 report says it is a women's closed prison and young offender institution for sentenced prisoners aged 18 and over, which does not serve the courts.

At the February 2026 inspection most women were serving sentences longer than four years, and HMIP noted an increase in the number serving life. The wider context is in the women's prisons guide.

• An induction wing with peer workers and general population wings.
• An incentivised substance-free living unit and an enhanced population.
• A resettlement wing with peer mentors.
• A 16-cell unit for transgender women, which held seven prisoners at the inspection; HMIP says those residents were located there following risk assessment by an HMPPS complex case board.

HMIP's February 2026 inspection

In shortDownview was rated good for safety and reasonably good on the other three tests in February 2026, described as a safe, decent, well-run prison.

• SafetyGoodUp from reasonably good in 2021
• RespectReasonably goodUp from not sufficiently good
• Purposeful activityReasonably good
• Preparation for releaseReasonably good

HMIP inspected between 2 and 12 February 2026 and published on 18 May 2026. The Chief Inspector called it a safe, decent, well-run prison where most women had opportunities to get out of their cells and into meaningful activity, and said inspectors left with some optimism if the staffing situation can be resolved.

• Healthy prison tests, 2026: safety good; respect reasonably good; purposeful activity reasonably good; preparation for release reasonably good.
• 10 key concerns, five of them priorities: some officers abrupt or dismissive, delays moving unwell women to hospital under the Mental Health Act, long-term health conditions, too few resettlement and offender management staff, and lack of sustainable accommodation on release.
• Notable practice: an on-site hair and beauty shop for Black and Asian women, and OMU staff pre-booking passenger assist for vulnerable women travelling long distances on release.

Staff-prisoner relationships: strengths and a persistent weakness

In shortHMIP called relationships generally excellent but let down, as at the previous inspection, by some rude or dismissive officers.

• Women saying staff respectful64 per centNo difference from similar prisons
• Named officer very or quite helpful75 per centOf those with a named officer

HMIP's own words matter here. It said relationships between prisoners and staff were generally excellent, but that the prison was let down, as at the previous inspection, by some officers who were rude or dismissive to the women in their care.

Key work was described as excellent, with the same officer delivering each session and a focus on practical and emotional support, though sessions needed to be delivered more regularly.

Staffing and the IMB's view

In shortThe IMB's 2024-25 report took a more mixed view: healthy staffing and falling inexperience, but inconsistent officers and rising applications to the Board.

• Officers under a year's service18 per centEnd of the period, down from 25 per cent
• Applications to the Board481Up 140 per cent in two years
• Recategorisation reviews overdueAround 60Offender management unit chronically short-staffed (HMIP)

The Independent Monitoring Board's annual report for 2024-25, published in September 2025, says staffing levels remained healthy through the year, much of the time at or above target. The HMPPS workforce figure in the 'At a glance' block above is a separate, later measure at 30 June 2026.

The Board said many applications concerned basic issues wing staff could have resolved. It said it regularly saw effective officers, but inconsistently across the prison, and that prisoners learnt which officers to approach.

Working here and getting there

In shortDownview is in the outer London pay zone with a £2,000 a year non-pensionable market supplement as at 3 October 2026.

• Market supplement£2,000 a yearNon-pensionable, 3 October 2026
• Outer London start£41,290 to £43,29039-hour week; the top reflects the supplement

See the pay bands page and the London pay guide. We found no Downview-specific recruitment page, so apply via how to become a prison officer.

• GOV.UK's visitor page, last updated on 6 July 2026, names Belmont and Sutton as the closest railway stations and says there is a visitors' car park including Blue Badge spaces.
• That is guidance for visitors rather than staff, so check commuting separately and confirm any staff parking with the prison.
• The prison officer jobs by region guide and the commuting costs guide may help you compare options.