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HMP Lowdham Grange

Lowdham Grange is a men's prison located near Nottingham. HMPPS places it in the "Category B" functional group. Band 3 prison officer pay here starts at £37,131 on a 39-hour contract (2026/27 rates). Its operational capacity of 842 ranks 6th of 14 in East Midlands (1 = largest).

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

HMP Lowdham Grange at a glance

  • Its operational capacity of 842 ranks 6th of 14 in East Midlands (1 = largest).
  • Among the 8 prisons in the HMPPS "Category B" functional group with a published capacity, it ranks 3rd by size.
  • Its latest full HMIP inspection (report published 17 June 2025) graded safety "poor" and purposeful activity "not sufficiently good"; a later HMIP review report followed on 22 June 2026.
  • GOV.UK gives its nearest station as: Lowdham.
Type
HMP
Holds
Men
Run by
HMPPS (public sector)
Nation
England
Region (geographic)
East Midlands
HMPPS prison region
Long term & High Security NorthWorkforce statistics, June 2026
Town / county
Lowdham, near Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Postcode
NG14 7DA
HMPPS functional group
Category BA 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
842As at 24 August 2026
Latest HMIP report published
22 June 2026
Nearest railway station (GOV.UK)
Lowdham

Official description (GOV.UK/SPS/NI Justice): “Lowdham Grange is a men's prison located near Nottingham.” Official page.

Returned to public sector (HMPPS) from 2024 after Sodexo step-in; see GOV.UK press releases "Ministry of Justice takes over running of HMP Lowdham Grange" and "HMP Lowdham Grange contract to transition to public sector control".

From PFI prison to public sector

In shortA category B training prison near Nottingham, privately run from 1998 and fully operated by HMPPS since August 2024 after a troubled contract handover.

  • Opened1998Operated by Serco on a 25-year contract until August 2023
  • Public sector sinceAugust 2024HMPPS took interim control in December 2023
  • Capacity888 menFive houseblocks, 14 wings, mostly single cells

HMP Lowdham Grange is a category B training prison for adult men at Lowdham, near Nottingham, about nine miles north-east of the city.

HMIP's 2025 report says it opened in 1998 and was operated by Serco on a 25-year contract until August 2023, when the contract passed to Sodexo, awarded in February 2023. It was the first time a privately run prison had changed contractor.

From August 2024 the establishment has been fully operated by HMPPS with no private provider on site, according to HMIP. The prison belongs to the long-term high security estate.

  • HMIP: the original prison opened with two houseblocks, two more were added in 2007 and the fifth in 2009
  • IMB 2025/26: nearly all prisoners are serving long sentences, many life or IPP, and a significant number have been convicted of offences such as murder, drug supply, violence and gang-related activity
  • Two wings were closed for refurbishment for several months, reducing capacity by around 130

The contract handover

  1. 1998Opened

    Operated by Serco on a 25-year contract.

  2. February 2023Contract awarded to Sodexo
  3. August 2023Contract passes to Sodexo
  4. December 2023HMPPS takes interim control

    Per the Ministry of Justice press release of 22 May 2024.

  5. 22 May 2024Move to public sector agreed

    The Ministry and Sodexo agreed terms, with a settlement from Sodexo covering the cost of the step-in and additional operating costs through February 2028.

  6. August 2024Fully operated by HMPPS

2025 full inspection: poor outcomes, and why HMIP did not escalate

In shortSafety and respect were poor, and activity and release preparation not sufficiently good; HMIP chose not to issue an Urgent Notification because HMPPS was already supporting the prison.

  • SafetyPoorFell from not sufficiently good in 2023
  • RespectPoorFell from not sufficiently good in 2023
  • Purposeful activityNot sufficiently good
  • Preparation for releaseNot sufficiently good
  • Prisoners feeling unsafe40%HMIP survey
  • Random drug test positive rate40.6%Over the previous ten months

HMIP's full inspection (fieldwork 3 to 14 March 2025) was reported on 17 June 2025. The Chief Inspector decided against issuing an Urgent Notification to the Secretary of State because HMPPS was already aware of the failings and was providing significant ongoing support, and a new governor, in post since March 2025, understood the challenges.

HMIP concluded that the prison was "fundamentally failing" to fulfil its purpose as a category B training establishment, but that inspectors left with some hope the chaos seen at recent visits had started to subside, provided the governor kept receiving support to rebuild her senior team and equip middle managers.

Concerns and the main strength

Concerns

  • Violence had increased and use of force had trebled since the last inspection
  • Self-harm was the third highest among category B trainers
  • Prisoners could not rely on staff, who were poorly supervised and very inexperienced
  • Key work barely happened
  • Health care was among the worst inspectors had seen in recent years
  • In roll checks 43% of prisoners were locked in cells during the working day

Strength

  • The physical environment: all prisoners had single cells and the prison was not overcrowded

Review of progress, May 2026

In shortStaffing and drug testing improved and education made significant progress, but self-harm and use of force were worse.

  • Officers in first two years45%Full staffing against profile
  • Drug test positivity25%Down from 41%
  • Segregation use230Down from 288 over 12 months
  • Use of forceUp 79%Since the full inspection

HMIP's independent review of progress took place on 11 to 13 May 2026 and was published on 22 June 2026. According to HMIP's web summary, the prison had achieved full staffing against its profile, and 45% of officers were within their first two years of service.

Six experienced "New Colleague Mentors" provided structured support through a year-long learning programme, and an expanded peer mentoring programme was helping inexperienced officers, although senior officers remained less experienced and middle managers' visibility on residential units was not yet at the level needed.

Better and worse

Better

  • Drug test positivity fell from 41% to 25%
  • Use of the segregation unit fell from 288 to 230 over 12 months
  • Ofsted found significant improvement in education and work: attendance had almost doubled and maths achievement was above the national average
  • Careers fairs had started and dedicated resettlement managers were supporting people nearing release
  • HMIP highlighted two resettlement offender managers meeting the needs of every prisoner nearing release, and a music initiative by the charity Maverick Sounds

Worse

  • Self-harm had risen by around 50% and remained higher than at comparable prisons
  • Hospital-level self-harm incidents had doubled from 46 to 94
  • Use of force had increased by 79% since the full inspection
  • PAVA spray had been drawn about 90 times and used in 60 incidents

What the IMB and staff data add

In shortThe IMB credits stable leadership and better gatehouse security but remains concerned about staff shortages and absenteeism; staffing was 275 against a target of 285.

  • Band 3 to 5 officers275 FTEBand 3 to 5 staffing against a target of 285 at 30 June 2026 (HMPPS workforce statistics)

The IMB's report for 1 February 2025 to 31 January 2026 (published July 2026) says the prison has continued to make progress after the contractor problems, which it says left it, on Ministry of Justice measures at the time, the worst prison in the country.

Education is provided by Novus, and healthcare since July 2025 by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust after the previous provider withdrew.

The Board's view

Credits

  • A stable, focused leadership team and stronger leadership in the segregation unit
  • Increased gatehouse security appears to have cut contraband entering that way
  • Induction is better regulated

Concerns

  • Staff shortages and high absenteeism, which cause short-notice regime restrictions
  • Prisoner-on-staff assaults and self-harm remain serious concerns
  • Prisoners say new and inexperienced staff make it harder to get help
  • Communication barriers with foreign national custody officers on short-term work visas, noting that the government has recruited staff from overseas to address workforce shortages
  • Prisoners dislike the "cohorting" regime introduced across high-security prisons, which limits mixing and out-of-cell time

Working here

In shortOfficers are HMPPS employees on the national bands, in the national pay zone with no market supplement, and the prison is one in recovery with a young workforce.

Since August 2024 officers at Lowdham Grange have been HMPPS employees on the same national bands as other public prisons, and the prison is in the national pay zone with no market supplement on the HMPPS list (checked 3 October 2026): see prison officer pay bands and the pay page.

Nearby HMPPS prisons such as Whatton and Ranby are on the same national pay scale, so a move between them does not change the pay zone or supplement position.

  • There is no establishment-specific recruitment page on prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk, so use the national route in how to become a prison officer
  • GOV.UK gives the address as Old Epperstone Road, Lowdham, Nottingham NG14 7DA, and says the nearest station is Lowdham
  • GOV.UK describes around 890 prisoners across 14 wings in single cells with a free visitors' car park

Officer pay at HMP Lowdham Grange

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 Lowdham Grange, 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 Lowdham Grange (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 Lowdham Grange

Capacity, performance and staffing

At 24 August 2026: operational capacity 842, population 718 (85%), certified normal accommodation in use 888. HMPPS monthly population bulletin.

HMPPS performance rating, 2025/26

RatingPerformance of serious concern
Overall score48.3%
Functional groupCategory B

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

Officer staffing against target

At 30 June 2026: 275 FTE Band 3 to 5 officers against a target of 285 (-10, hours-adjusted). A gap against target is not a count of advertised vacancies. HMPPS workforce statistics, June 2026.

Category B is HMPPS's functional-group label for the prison's role, not any prisoner's security category. Official wording: “B (training)”. See prison categories explained or all Category B prisons.

Latest inspection

HMIP's most recent report on Lowdham Grange was published 22 June 2026 (independent review of progress / review visit); that is the publication date, not the visit date.

safetypoor
respectpoor
purposeful activitynot sufficiently good
preparation for releasenot sufficiently good

Grades from the latest full inspection report, published 17 June 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, 13 share its "poor" safety grade and 53 its "not sufficiently good" 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 Lowdham Grange and how to apply

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

Postcode: NG14 7DA. View on a map. Nearest railway station, per GOV.UK: Lowdham.

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 (Category B)

Compare Lowdham Grange side by side in the prison finder

Related guides

HMP Lowdham Grange: frequently asked questions

How much does a prison officer earn at HMP Lowdham Grange?

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

What category is HMP Lowdham Grange?

HMPPS lists it in the "Category B" functional group, a label for the prison's role rather than the category of each prisoner. GOV.UK/HMIP wording: "B (training)".

How many prisoners can HMP Lowdham Grange hold?

Operational capacity 842, population 718 at 24 August 2026 (HMPPS bulletin).

When was HMP Lowdham Grange last inspected?

HMIP's latest report, published 22 June 2026, is a progress review. Grades at the latest full inspection (17 June 2025): safety poor, respect poor, purposeful activity not sufficiently good, preparation for release not sufficiently good.

How do I apply to work at HMP Lowdham Grange?

There is no Lowdham Grange 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 Lowdham Grange?

GOV.UK gives: Lowdham.

Who runs HMP Lowdham Grange?

HMPPS, the public sector, has run Lowdham Grange since August 2024. It was run by Serco from 1998 to August 2023 and then by Sodexo, but HMPPS stepped in during December 2023 after safety and security concerns and took over fully when the Ministry of Justice and Sodexo agreed terms, announced on 22 May 2024.

What did inspectors find at Lowdham Grange in 2025 and 2026?

HMIP's 2025 inspection (published 17 June 2025) rated safety and respect poor, and purposeful activity and preparation for release not sufficiently good. A review of progress in May 2026 (published 22 June 2026) found full staffing and better drug-test and education outcomes, but higher self-harm and use of force. HMIP noted that 45% of officers had under two years' service.

Does Lowdham Grange pay a market supplement?

No. Lowdham Grange is not on the HMPPS market supplement list, as checked on 3 October 2026, and sits in the national pay zone. Officers are HMPPS employees on the national Band 3 scale. The only East Midlands prison listed for a Band 3 supplement is Stocken, at 2,000 pounds a year.

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 May 2026 review of progress is taken from HMIP's web summary, which was internally inconsistent about which year's ratings were quoted; the 2025 full-inspection PDF was used as the authority for the 2025 ratings, and the 2026 percentages (staffing, drug testing, use of force) were not re-checked in a PDF; No establishment-specific recruitment page for Lowdham Grange; How HMPPS's prison group arrangements for Lowdham Grange have changed since 2025 was not verified.