HMP & YOI Drake Hall

History and role in the women's estate

In shortDrake Hall has been a women's prison since 1974 and is a closed resettlement prison managed within the HMPPS Women's Group.

• MoJ bulletin, 24 August 2026303 / 338Women held against operational capacity

GOV.UK describes it as a prison and young offender institution (YOI) in Eccleshall, Staffordshire, for women aged 18 and over. HMIP's stated task is a resettlement prison for adult and young adult women.

Drake Hall is managed by HMPPS within the Women's Group rather than a geographic prison group, so its officers are part of the women's estate even though the site is in the West Midlands.

Who is held and how the site works

In shortDrake Hall held 313 women at inspection, drawn from across England and Wales and housed mainly in small houses.

• Held (2024)313 womenAgainst a certified capacity of 340
• From outside the West Midlands85%
• No social visits40%Of women, in the previous six months
• High risk of serious harm40%Average 43 new arrivals and 40 releases a month

HMIP noted that general population pressures had made the population more transient and short term than at its previous visit. Inspectors described most women as having their own room.

The prison is made up of 15 houses inside the perimeter, mostly of about 20 women each, with an open unit of up to 25 places outside the fence, from which women can work in the community on temporary licence.

Keele

Induction.

Lancaster

Long-term prisoners and lifers.

Ipswich

A non-vaping house.

St David's

Single rooms for women with social care or mobility needs.

The Hamlet

A Changing Future Opportunities community supporting women who struggle to engage.

What inspectors found in 2024

In shortHMIP rated safety, respect and release preparation good, its highest assessment, and purposeful activity reasonably good.

• SafetyGood
• RespectGood
• Release preparationGood
• Purposeful activityReasonably good

HMIP's unannounced inspection (Chief Inspector's summary dated August 2024, report published 28 October 2024) was the first full inspection since 2020.

The Chief Inspector called Drake Hall a competent and settled prison defined by a rehabilitative ethos, where women were never locked in their rooms, most had plenty of education and work, and most felt safe.

Staffing and relationships on the wings

In shortInspectors said low officer numbers limited one-to-one interaction, but women were positive about staff and the long-serving governor was a strength.

• Band 3 officers at inspection69A very small number on duty at any one time
• Band 3 to 5 officers (FTE)85 / 97Band 3 to 5 officers (FTE) against target, HMPPS workforce statistics 30 June 2026
• Staff saying well-being supported73%HMIP's own staff survey; 80% said priorities were clear

HMPPS had agreed to review the resource to provide more resilience, particularly at weekends. Inspectors said the low number of officers limited one-to-one interactions, but women were positive about their relationships with staff.

• Leadership continuity was a strength: the governor had been in post for almost 10 years
• A May 2023 HMPPS staff survey had raised concerns about aspects of leadership, so the prison group director returned the substantive governor to the prison
• HMIP warned that the governor's imminent departure, with the deputy governor also temporary, posed a risk to the prison's success

Working at Drake Hall

In shortDrake Hall is on the national pay zone with no market supplement as at 3 October 2026, and it is a rural site, so check shift-time transport.

• Market supplementNoneNot on the HMPPS tables as at 3 October 2026
• Starting range£34,928 to £39,334HMPPS, depending on hours (37, with 39 or 41 optional)

Our pay guide and pay band breakdown give the full 2026/27 tables, including later pay points. No Drake Hall-specific officer page was found, so vacancies appear through the national prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk search, and our how to apply guide covers the steps.