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HMP Morton Hall

Morton Hall is a prison in Swinderby, near Lincoln, for men aged 18 and over. HMPPS places it in the "Category C Foreign National" functional group. Band 3 prison officer pay here starts at £37,131 on a 39-hour contract (2026/27 rates). Its operational capacity of 353 ranks 11th of 14 in East Midlands (1 = largest).

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

HMP Morton Hall at a glance

  • Its operational capacity of 353 ranks 11th of 14 in East Midlands (1 = largest).
  • Its latest full HMIP inspection (report published 26 February 2024) graded safety "good" and purposeful activity "not sufficiently good".
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
Swinderby, near Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Postcode
LN6 9PT
HMPPS functional group
Category C Foreign NationalA 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
353As at 24 August 2026
Latest HMIP report published
26 February 2024

Official description (GOV.UK/SPS/NI Justice): “Morton Hall is a prison in Swinderby, near Lincoln, for men aged 18 and over.” Official page.

From RAF base to immigration centre to prison

In shortA closed category C resettlement prison for foreign national men, reopened in December 2021 after serving as an immigration removal centre, one of only three such prisons in the country.

  • Prisoners' time left to serve3 to 33 monthsAccording to GOV.UK
  • Full capacity353Not reached until mid-2023 (IMB)
  • Deported directly, 202551%IMB; also 8% on Home Office bail and 18% transferred to an IRC

Morton Hall is a prison in Swinderby, near Lincoln, that holds adult foreign national men in category C resettlement conditions with between 3 and 33 months left to serve, according to GOV.UK.

HMIP adds that a prisoner's Home Office status shapes what happens at the end of a sentence: in 2023, 37% of prisoners were deported directly from the prison and 18% were released in the UK, while the IMB reports 51% deported in 2025, 8% leaving on Home Office bail and 18% transferred to an IRC.

  • Prisoners live in one of five units with single cells, set among lawned grounds
  • Fry and Windsor have ensuite cells over two floors
  • Sharman, Johnson and Torr are ground-floor blocks with shared toilets and showers
  • A care and separation unit with six cells

History, from HMIP's 2024 report and the IMB

  1. 1985Opened as a prison

    The site was originally a Royal Air Force base; new accommodation was added in 1996.

  2. 2001Refitted to hold women
  3. March 2009Immigration removal centre (IRC)

    For male detainees.

  4. July 2021IRC closed
  5. 24 July 2021Reopened formally

    But took no prisoners until December 2021, then only in small batches (IMB).

  6. December 2021Closed category C prison for foreign national men

    One of only three such prisons in the country.

  7. Mid-2023Full capacity of 353 reached

What inspectors found, 2023-24

In shortSafety and respect were good, HMIP's highest assessment; purposeful activity and preparation for release were not sufficiently good.

  • SafetyGood
  • RespectGood
  • Purposeful activityNot sufficiently good
  • Preparation for releaseNot sufficiently good

HMIP's first inspection since the reopening took place from 30 October to 9 November 2023 and the report was published on 26 February 2024.

The Chief Inspector described a calm jail with a good induction, an encouraging and respectful culture which senior leaders had cultivated, violence and use of force lower than at comparable prisons, positive relationships between staff and prisoners, and clean, decent accommodation in welcoming grounds.

The governor and deputy had both been in post for several years. Staff told inspectors the expectation of respect was continuously reinforced.

Strengths and shortcomings

Strengths

  • A calm jail with a good induction
  • An encouraging and respectful culture
  • Violence and use of force lower than at comparable prisons
  • Clean, decent accommodation in welcoming grounds

Shortcomings: regime and release preparation

  • Time out of cell ranged from all day on some units to as little as three hours on others, restricted by a shortage of activity places
  • Just under half the population was fully engaged in activity; Ofsted rated education, skills and work as requires improvement, criticising the lack of ambition in the curriculum
  • Contact with offender managers was infrequent, progress to open conditions was rare, and no one had been released on temporary licence
  • Delays in Home Office decisions meant many prisoners were held beyond their earliest removal or release dates
  • About two-thirds of notifications authorising immigration detention (IS91s) were issued later than the 30-day target

Working with a foreign national population

In shortLanguage, nationality and immigration status shape the daily work, and HMIP flagged missing psychological treatment and staff training gaps; the IMB's 2025 report is mixed.

Language, nationality and immigration status shape much of the daily work, from key work to interpretation. The Lincolnshire Action Trust provided family support, with a worker meeting first-time visitors, and HMIP described a gym course combining exercise with the study of Stoic philosophy as notable positive practice.

HMIP's concerns and the IMB's 2025 view

HMIP's two concerns for staff

  • No provision for psychological treatment, a major gap for a population disproportionately likely to have experienced torture and modern slavery
  • Most staff had not received training in safeguarding or in the specific needs of foreign national prisoners
  • In one case the prison had failed to identify a confirmed victim of modern slavery

IMB, calendar year 2025 (published 4 August 2026)

  • Key work sessions increased in 2025 and scored well on quality
  • Reception improved at recording language, nationality and ethnicity, and complaints turnaround was much improved
  • Self-harm incidents rose 74% (care plans opened rose 27%, though numbers remain quite low), use of force rose, violence stayed low, and positive drug tests declined

Getting there and applying

In shortReach it via Swinderby station, 15 minutes' walk away; pay is the national scale with no market supplement, and staffing was 119 against a target of 125.

  • Band 3 to 5 officers119 FTEBand 3 to 5 staffing against a target of 125 at 30 June 2026 (HMPPS workforce statistics)

Morton Hall is on the national pay scale with no market supplement on the HMPPS list (checked 3 October 2026): see prison officer pay bands.

  • GOV.UK gives the address as Eagle Road, Swinderby, Lincoln LN6 9PT
  • The nearest railway station is at Swinderby, about a 15-minute walk away, with Newark Northgate nine miles and Lincoln twelve miles
  • The visitors' car park includes Blue Badge spaces

Applying

  • There is no establishment-specific recruitment page for Morton Hall; follow the national process in how to become a prison officer
  • Because most candidates have never worked with foreign national prisoners, read prison categories explained to understand what a resettlement prison is meant to do, and how it differs from the training prisons elsewhere in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire

Officer pay at HMP Morton Hall

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 Morton Hall, 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 Morton Hall (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 Morton Hall

Capacity, performance and staffing

At 24 August 2026: operational capacity 353, population 335 (95%), certified normal accommodation in use 353. HMPPS monthly population bulletin.

HMPPS performance rating, 2025/26

RatingGood performance
Overall score73.8%
Functional groupCategory C Foreign National

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

Officer staffing against target

At 30 June 2026: 119 FTE Band 3 to 5 officers against a target of 125 (-5, hours-adjusted). A gap against target is not a count of advertised vacancies. HMPPS workforce statistics, June 2026.

Category C Foreign National is HMPPS's functional-group label for the prison's role, not any prisoner's security category. Official wording: “C (resettlement, foreign national men)”. See prison categories explained or all Category C Foreign National prisons.

Latest inspection

HMIP's most recent report on Morton Hall was published 26 February 2024 (full inspection report); that is the publication date, not the visit date.

safetygood
respectgood
purposeful activitynot sufficiently good
preparation for releasenot sufficiently good

Grades from the latest full inspection report, published 26 February 2024.

Of the 122 prisons with full HMIP grades, 36 share its "good" safety grade and 53 its "not sufficiently good" purposeful-activity grade.

Read the HMIP report

Working at HMP Morton Hall and how to apply

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

Postcode: LN6 9PT. View on a map. GOV.UK gives no railway station for this prison.

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 C Foreign National)

Compare Morton Hall side by side in the prison finder

Related guides

HMP Morton Hall: frequently asked questions

How much does a prison officer earn at HMP Morton Hall?

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

Does HMP Morton Hall 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 Morton Hall?

HMPPS lists it in the "Category C Foreign National" functional group, a label for the prison's role rather than the category of each prisoner. GOV.UK/HMIP wording: "C (resettlement, foreign national men)".

How many prisoners can HMP Morton Hall hold?

Operational capacity 353, population 335 at 24 August 2026 (HMPPS bulletin).

How do I apply to work at HMP Morton Hall?

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

What is HMP Morton Hall?

Morton Hall is a closed category C resettlement prison for adult foreign national men at Swinderby, near Lincoln. It reopened as a prison in December 2021 after being an immigration removal centre from 2009 to 2021, and is one of three prisons of this type, with a capacity of 353 and prisoners who have between 3 and 33 months left to serve.

How did HMP Morton Hall do at its last inspection?

HMIP's first inspection since reopening (October and November 2023, published 26 February 2024) rated safety and respect good and purposeful activity and preparation for release not sufficiently good. Inspectors praised the respectful culture and calm atmosphere but criticised limited activity places, no release on temporary licence and little contact with offender managers.

Is Morton Hall near a railway station?

GOV.UK says the nearest train station is Swinderby, about a 15-minute walk away. Alternatives are Newark Northgate (9 miles) and Lincoln (12 miles). The prison is at Eagle Road, Swinderby, Lincoln LN6 9PT, and visitors have a car park with Blue Badge spaces.

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 HMIP inspection is over two and a half years old (report published 26 February 2024); no follow-up review was found; No establishment-specific recruitment page for Morton Hall; Whether concerns such as release on temporary licence and psychological provision have since been addressed was not verified.