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HMP Leicester

Leicester prison is a men’s prison in the centre of Leicester. HMPPS places it in the "Reception" functional group. Band 3 prison officer pay here starts at £37,131 on a 39-hour contract (2026/27 rates). Its operational capacity of 303 ranks 13th of 14 in East Midlands (1 = largest).

HMPPS prison officer jobsWork out my take-home hereCompare with other prisons

HMP Leicester at a glance

  • Its operational capacity of 303 ranks 13th of 14 in East Midlands (1 = largest).
  • Among the 30 prisons in the HMPPS "Reception" functional group with a published capacity, it ranks 30th by size.
  • Its latest full HMIP inspection (report published 17 November 2025) graded safety "not sufficiently good" and purposeful activity "poor"; a later HMIP review report followed on 21 September 2026.
  • GOV.UK gives its nearest station as: Leicester.
Type
HMP
Holds
Men
Run by
HMPPS (public sector)
Nation
England
Region (geographic)
East Midlands
HMPPS prison region
East MidlandsWorkforce statistics, June 2026
Town / county
Leicester, Leicestershire
Postcode
LE2 7AJ
HMPPS functional group
ReceptionA role label, not each prisoner's security category
Officer pay zone
National (all other locations)
Band 3 market supplement
None listedHMPPS pay page, 3 October 2026
Operational capacity
303As at 24 August 2026
Latest HMIP report published
21 September 2026
Nearest railway station (GOV.UK)
Leicester

Official description (GOV.UK/SPS/NI Justice): “Leicester prison is a men’s prison in the centre of Leicester.” Official page.

A Victorian city-centre local prison

In shortA compact, high-turnover local reception prison for adult men serving Leicester and Leicestershire courts, built in 1874.

  • Built1874Behind a gatehouse dating from 1825; visits hall and administration block added in 1990
  • Operational capacity332HMIP 2025; the IMB quotes a recently increased 334
  • Receptions2,236 a yearAround 190 a month, rising to over 200 a month from April 2025 (HMIP)
  • Local to LeicestershireAbout 90%IMB

HMP Leicester is a local reception prison for adult men, serving the courts of Leicester and Leicestershire. The IMB says most prisoners are on remand, convicted and awaiting sentence, or recently sentenced, with a minority recalled for breach of licence.

The prison was built in 1874 on a three-acre site next to the Leicester Royal Infirmary. GOV.UK gives the address as 116 Welford Road, with Leicester the nearest railway station.

  • One long main wing with four galleried landings, where two prisoners usually share a cell
  • A care and separation unit and an induction unit
  • The Welford unit for vulnerable prisoners, in a separate building
  • HMIP records a Parsons unit for prisoners in full-time employment
  • Until December 2025 according to the IMB, a My Recovery Unit for substance misuse

The 2025 full inspection

In shortRespect and preparation for release stayed reasonably good, but safety fell to not sufficiently good and purposeful activity to poor.

  • SafetyNot sufficiently goodFell
  • Purposeful activityPoorFell
  • RespectReasonably goodRemained
  • Preparation for releaseReasonably goodRemained
  • Drug test positive rate29%

HMIP's full inspection took place on 5 and 18 to 25 August 2025 and the report was published on 17 November 2025, with the Chief Inspector's foreword dated October 2025. At the time 328 men were held.

Concerns and strengths as stated by HMIP

Concerns

  • Recorded violence was too high; the prison had the highest assault rate among comparable reception prisons
  • Persistent delays in providing substance misuse support, and use of force well above similar prisons
  • Many main-wing cells had damaged flooring and windows and poor ventilation, and prisoners lived in overcrowded conditions
  • Time out of cell was limited, particularly at weekends (under two hours a day on Saturdays and Sundays)
  • Attendance at education and work was too low
  • Health care was fragile, with high staff vacancy rates

Strengths

  • Good staff-prisoner relationships
  • Much improved staff retention, supported by clear leadership, better communication and regular welfare initiatives
  • Strong access to social visits including evening and weekend sessions
  • A refurbished gym open seven days a week
  • Co-located offender management, public protection and resettlement teams with employment and resettlement hubs and a departure lounge

September 2026 review of progress

In shortA full complement of officers and better retention, with violence and drug testing down, but living conditions and Mental Health Act transfers lagged.

  • ViolenceDown 18%Assaults on staff had halved
  • Drug test positive rate21%Down from 29%, lower than at comparable prisons
  • Still in overcrowded conditions63%Despite a temporary reduction in capacity

HMIP carried out an independent review of progress on 10 to 12 August 2026 and published its report on 21 September 2026.

It reports a new governor bringing fresh impetus and clearer priorities, and says the prison had achieved a full complement of prison officers, improved retention rates and a more experienced workforce, with staff positive about the direction of the prison.

Progress on violence, use of force, long-term health condition management, daily regime and all four Ofsted themes was judged reasonable; substance misuse and health partnerships were judged good.

Where progress lagged

Living conditions: insufficient progress

  • 63% of prisoners were still in overcrowded conditions, despite a temporary reduction in capacity
  • Many cells had damaged furniture and fittings
  • A refurbishment programme was scheduled for late 2026

Mental Health Act transfers: no meaningful progress

  • Only two of four recent transfers met the 28-day target

Staffing and working here

In shortOne of the clearer staffing improvement stories in the region: 133 officers against a target of 138, national pay with no supplement, and no car parking at the prison.

  • Band 3 to 5 officers133 FTEBand 3 to 5 staffing against a target of 138 at 30 June 2026 (HMPPS workforce statistics)
  • IMB band three figure106.6Against a target of 108, with 13% officer turnover, as at 31 January 2025

Leicester is one of the clearer staffing improvement stories in the region. The IMB's report notes that the staffing situation was reasonably settled with a nearly full complement of band three officers for most of the year, though it says parts of the report reuse the previous year's wording.

Both HMIP and the IMB link better retention to leadership, communication and staff welfare activities.

  • There is no establishment-specific recruitment page on prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk, so applications go through the national route described in how to become a prison officer
  • Pay is on the national scale with no market supplement listed (checked 3 October 2026); see prison officer pay bands and the regional jobs guide
  • GOV.UK states there is no car parking at the prison, with pay-and-display spaces nearby and in the city centre, so factor commuting into any decision
  • Compare with the newer, privately run Fosse Way on the other side of the city

Officer pay at HMP Leicester

National (all other locations) zone; Band 3 rates from 1 April 2026, including the 20% unsocial hours allowance.

Band 3, 39 hours, entry£37,131No market supplement listed
Band 3, 37 hours, entry£34,928Trainee contract
Band 3, 41 hours, top pay point£41,417Highest Band 3 option here
Band 3 prison officer pay at HMP Leicester, 2026/27 (£ a year, base rates before supplement)
Contract hoursEntry (pay point 1)Maximum (pay point 3)
37 hours (trainee contract) incl. 20% unsocial hours£34,928£36,778
39 hours (2 additional committed hours)£37,131£39,097
41 hours (4 additional committed hours)£39,334£41,417

PSPRB 25th Report, Appendix E. No supplement listed on the HMPPS jobs site, 3 October 2026.

Other grades at HMP Leicester (2026/27, £ a year)
GradeContractFromUp to
Band 2 Operational Support Grade37 hours incl. 25% unsocial hours£31,761£31,761
Band 4 Supervising / Specialist Officer37 hours incl. 20% unsocial hours£41,328£41,328
Band 5 Custodial Manager39 hours incl. 2 pensionable committed hours£47,327£49,600

Supplements apply to Band 3 only. PSPRB 25th Report, Appendix E.

Supplements are paid at other East Midlands prisons: Stocken (£2,000).

Turn these into take-home with the pay calculator, or see what the journey costs with the commute cost calculator. Band 3 pay explained.

Open the calculator pre-filled for Leicester

Capacity, performance and staffing

At 24 August 2026: operational capacity 303, population 282 (93%), certified normal accommodation in use 211. HMPPS monthly population bulletin.

HMPPS performance rating, 2025/26

RatingPerformance of concern
Overall score56.3%
Functional groupReception

Scale 4 (outstanding) to 1 (serious concern). HMPPS prison performance ratings 2025/26.

Officer staffing against target

At 30 June 2026: 133 FTE Band 3 to 5 officers against a target of 138 (-5, hours-adjusted). A gap against target is not a count of advertised vacancies. HMPPS workforce statistics, June 2026.

Reception is HMPPS's functional-group label for the prison's role, not any prisoner's security category. See prison categories explained or all Reception prisons.

Latest inspection

HMIP's most recent report on Leicester was published 21 September 2026 (independent review of progress / review visit); that is the publication date, not the visit date.

safetynot sufficiently good
respectreasonably good
purposeful activitypoor
preparation for releasereasonably good

Grades from the latest full inspection report, published 17 November 2025; the later report above is a follow-up review that does not re-grade the tests.

Of the 122 prisons with full HMIP grades, 42 share its "not sufficiently good" safety grade and 38 its "poor" purposeful-activity grade. Only 41 of those 122 prisons were graded "poor" on at least one test, and this is one of them.

Read the HMIP report

Working at HMP Leicester and how to apply

There is no Leicester-specific page on the HMPPS jobs site; adverts are listed by location. Read the live advert for closing dates and assessment-centre details.

Postcode: LE2 7AJ. View on a map. Nearest railway station, per GOV.UK: Leicester.

Other prisons in East Midlands and similar prisons

These establishments are in the same county or region (14 listed in East Midlands). See all of them in one table.

Similar by HMPPS functional group (Reception)

Compare Leicester side by side in the prison finder

Related guides

HMP Leicester: frequently asked questions

How much does a prison officer earn at HMP Leicester?

From £37,131 a year on 39 hours at the entry pay point, rising to £39,097 (National zone, 2026/27).

Does HMP Leicester pay a market supplement?

No: it is not on the HMPPS list (checked 3 October 2026). In East Midlands the listed prisons are Stocken (£2,000).

What category is HMP Leicester?

HMPPS lists it in the "Reception" functional group, a label for the prison's role rather than the category of each prisoner.

How many prisoners can HMP Leicester hold?

Operational capacity 303, population 282 at 24 August 2026 (HMPPS bulletin).

When was HMP Leicester last inspected?

HMIP's latest report, published 21 September 2026, is a progress review. Grades at the latest full inspection (17 November 2025): safety not sufficiently good, respect reasonably good, purposeful activity poor, preparation for release reasonably good.

How do I apply to work at HMP Leicester?

There is no Leicester page on the HMPPS jobs site, so use the general HMPPS prison officer page, where adverts are listed by location.

What is the nearest train station to HMP Leicester?

GOV.UK gives: Leicester.

What is HMP Leicester for?

HMP Leicester is a local reception prison for adult men serving the courts of Leicester and Leicestershire. The IMB says most prisoners are on remand, convicted awaiting sentence, or recently sentenced, with some recalled. It was built in 1874 and has one main wing, an induction unit, a segregation unit and a separate unit for vulnerable prisoners.

Has staffing improved at Leicester?

HMIP's review of progress, published 21 September 2026, said the prison had a full complement of prison officers, improved retention and a more experienced workforce. HMPPS workforce statistics show 133 full-time equivalent Band 3 to 5 officers against a target of 138 at 30 June 2026, so it was five below target at that date.

Is parking available at HMP Leicester?

No. GOV.UK states the prison has no car parking, though pay-and-display spaces are available nearby and in the city centre. The prison is at 116 Welford Road, Leicester LE2 7AJ, opposite Leicester Royal Infirmary, and the nearest railway station is Leicester.

Sources and method

Data as at 3 October 2026; see our methodology. Independent of HMPPS, the Ministry of Justice and the POA; not legal or financial advice. Out of date? Tell us.

Not verified for this prison: The September 2026 review of progress is taken from HMIP's web summary because the report PDF link was not retrievable; The IMB's staffing figures (106.6 against 108, 13% turnover) are dated 31 January 2025 in a report that says it reuses some of the previous year's wording; No establishment-specific recruitment page for Leicester; The late 2026 refurbishment programme is mentioned by HMIP but its scope and timing are not detailed in a source we could open.