HMP Millsike

A new prison, built to a standard design

In shortMillsike is a new, privately run category C prison that received its first prisoners on 23 April 2025.

• MoJ bulletin, 24 August 20261,119 / 1,158Men held against operational capacity

GOV.UK describes Millsike as a privately run male prison in the village of Full Sutton, near York, with Mitie as the operator. The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) says it is a category C prison for training, resettlement and rehabilitation, run by Mitie Care & Custody in partnership with the Forward Trust and People Plus.

The IMB says the prison is built to the same design as HMP Fosse Way and HMP Five Wells, has six houseblocks, and is the first prison in the UK to run solely on electricity.

Who is held and what services are provided

In shortMillsike holds a mixed population arranged by houseblock, with services split between the Forward Trust, People Plus and Aramark.

Originally two houseblocks were designated for prisoners convicted of sexual offences and four for the general population; this was revised to three houseblocks for each group. A care and separation unit has space for 17 prisoners.

The visits hall includes a children's play area and outside space, and there are facilities for closed visits, social video calls and legal visits. The IMB also noted positive feedback from prisoners on the physical standard of the accommodation and facilities.

The Forward Trust

Delivers a desistance programme based on narrative therapy, an incentivised substance free living community, a family and relationships unit offering parenting and relationship interventions, and the visitors centre.

People Plus

Runs education, vocational training and resettlement activity.

Aramark

Provides the kitchen and canteen.

No HMIP report yet: what independent monitors say

In shortThere is no HMIP report for Millsike yet, and the IMB calls its first year very challenging, with an unsafe start and high staff attrition.

We found no HM Inspectorate of Prisons report for Millsike in the Inspectorate's published feed as at 3 October 2026, and HMPPS has not published a performance rating or functional group for the prison in the sources we reviewed.

The most detailed independent account is therefore the IMB annual report for 1 April 2025 to 30 April 2026, published in September 2026.

The IMB is a statutory body of local volunteers that monitors every prison, and it is not an inspectorate; its views are those of the Board.

Escalation, a new director and a restricted regime

In shortAfter the IMB escalated concerns in December 2025, a new interim director took the prison back to basics from February 2026.

The IMB's annual report prints the letter and the Minister's reply, which said that new prisons can take up to four years to meet their full potential but should maintain stability and make incremental improvements.

The letter, signed by the IMB chair, stressed that staff on site were working extremely hard in challenging circumstances and that the Board's concerns were about systemic issues in how new prisons are opened, not about individual officers. It reported, among other things, restricted regimes, long roll checks and delays in reception.

• The IMB reported improving staff morale and some improvements in safety
• Shortages of trained officers persisted, and opening further houseblocks under the commercial agreement risked more regime curtailment
• At the end of the reporting year self-harm levels were similar to other category C prisons, according to the Board

Working here: private-sector pay and terms

In shortMillsike officers are employed by Mitie Care & Custody, not HMPPS, so our public sector pay data does not apply and no salary is quoted.

Our pay data for public sector prisons, including the Fair and Sustainable pay bands, pay zones and market supplements, does not apply. We have not verified Mitie's current pay, shift patterns or application process from an official Mitie source, so we do not quote a salary.