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HMP North Sea Camp

North Sea Camp is an open prison for men aged 18 and over in Boston, Lincolnshire. HMPPS places it in the "Open" functional group. Band 3 prison officer pay here starts at £37,131 on a 39-hour contract (2026/27 rates). At 300 places it is the smallest of the 14 establishments we list in East Midlands with a published capacity.

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

HMP North Sea Camp at a glance

  • At 300 places it is the smallest of the 14 establishments we list in East Midlands with a published capacity.
  • Among the 11 prisons in the HMPPS "Open" functional group with a published capacity, it ranks 10th by size.
  • Its latest full HMIP inspection (report published 30 August 2023) graded safety "good" and purposeful activity "reasonably good".
  • GOV.UK gives its nearest station as: Boston.
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
Boston, Lincolnshire
Postcode
PE22 0QX
HMPPS functional group
OpenA 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
300As at 24 August 2026
Latest HMIP report published
30 August 2023
Nearest railway station (GOV.UK)
Boston

Official description (GOV.UK/SPS/NI Justice): “North Sea Camp is an open prison for men aged 18 and over in Boston, Lincolnshire.” Official page.

A borstal built from a tented camp

In shortAn open category D prison on the edge of The Wash, founded as a borstal in 1935 and an adult men's open prison since 1988, holding a complex population.

  • Founded1935As a borstal; re-roled as an adult male open prison in 1988
  • Prisoners serving for sexual offencesMore than halfMany serve indeterminate sentences (HMIP)
  • Rehabilitation houses76 placesSelf-catering, most about a quarter of a mile outside the main prison

North Sea Camp is an open category D prison for men aged 18 and over at Freiston, near Boston in Lincolnshire, on the edge of The Wash. The IMB places it six miles east of Boston, bordering the North Sea.

History, from HMIP's 2023 report

  1. 1935Opened as a borstal

    The first staff and trainees came from HMP Stafford and set up a tented camp while they built permanent buildings.

  2. 1979Sea bank completed

    They also built a new sea bank to reclaim land from The Wash.

  3. 1988Re-roled as an adult male open prison

The population and site

In shortMany serve indeterminate sentences, more than half for sexual offences, in four main units plus rehabilitation houses and a working farm.

HMIP records that many prisoners are serving indeterminate sentences and more than half are in prison for sexual offences, held alongside people convicted of other offences. The IMB's 2025/26 report says a good number are subject to multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) and that comprehensive risk assessment is a core part of management.

  • Four main residential units: Witham, Welland, Haven and Jubilee 1
  • Self-catering rehabilitation houses offering 76 places, most about a quarter of a mile outside the main prison
  • A large working farm with livestock and horticulture, including capacity for 59 polytunnels
  • Workshops, a gym, healthcare unit and a playing field open in summer evenings

The 2023 inspection

In shortSafety was good and the other three tests reasonably good, with the buildings, maths and English, family ties and public protection as the main concerns.

  • SafetyGood
  • RespectReasonably good
  • Purposeful activityReasonably good
  • Rehabilitation and release planningReasonably good
  • Men held296Against a certified capacity of 300

HMIP's unannounced inspection ran from 22 May to 2 June 2023 and was published on 30 August 2023. The Chief Inspector concluded North Sea Camp was again a very safe institution, with violence very rare, absconds and release-on-temporary-licence failures very infrequent, and positive staff-prisoner relationships underpinned by good peer support and consultation.

About 60 prisoners took part in paid work or resettlement activity outside the prison each day, and there were 1,300 temporary release days in April 2023.

Concerns and positive practice

Concerns

  • Almost all prisoners lived in shared cells that were far too cramped, with not enough room for even a table or chair
  • The governor was frustrated at delays and impediments in securing investment, in part linked to flood-risk concerns at a site next to the North Sea
  • Maths and English provision was not good enough and Ofsted rated education as requires improvement
  • Support for family ties was still poor
  • Public protection arrangements had significant failings, with departments not communicating properly
  • The range of temporary release placements was too narrow

Highlighted by the report

  • A pre-release "Home Leave Preparation" group
  • Evening classes for those who work out of the prison by day
  • An employment hub offering drop-in advice

Staffing and culture

In shortAlmost all departments were fully staffed in 2023 and the IMB's 2025/26 report still finds the prison safe, though accommodation and end-of-life care are gaps.

For a candidate, the most relevant line in the inspection is that almost all departments were fully staffed. HMIP said everything in the prison was helped by that, alongside a strong local culture, good communication and consultation, and a governor who offered confident, balanced leadership.

The inspectors observed that leaders and staff took a reasoned, case-by-case approach to non-compliance and that there was no evidence of rushing to return non-compliant prisoners to closed conditions.

A large influx of shorter-term prisoners, part of a national programme to fill spaces in the open estate, had been handled carefully, though it had caused some tension in the balance between prisoners convicted of sexual offences and others.

Working in an open prison

  • Prisoners are never locked up, so it is a very different job from a closed training or local prison
  • Officers' work is based on relationships, supervision and risk assessment rather than on locks and routines

Getting there and applying

In shortBoston is the closest station and the prison arranges transport for booked visits; pay is the national scale with no market supplement, and staffing was 55 against a target of 58.

  • Band 3 to 5 staffing55 FTEBand 3 to 5 staffing against a target of 58 at 30 June 2026 (HMPPS workforce statistics)

North Sea Camp is in the national pay zone with no market supplement on the HMPPS list (checked 3 October 2026); see prison officer pay bands.

  • GOV.UK gives the address as Croppers Lane, Freiston, Boston PE22 0QX
  • The closest railway station is Boston, and the prison arranges transport to and from the station when a visit is booked
  • A visitor car park is just before the prison entrance

Applying

  • There is no establishment-specific recruitment page on prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk, so follow the national route in how to become a prison officer; local adverts appear on the Justice Jobs portal when vacancies arise
  • Read prison categories explained if you are interested in open prisons
  • Compare it with Sudbury in Derbyshire, which is the East Midlands' other open men's prison, at HMP Sudbury

Officer pay at HMP North Sea Camp

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 North Sea Camp, 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 North Sea Camp (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 North Sea Camp

Capacity, performance and staffing

At 24 August 2026: operational capacity 300, population 295 (98%), certified normal accommodation in use 300. HMPPS monthly population bulletin.

HMPPS performance rating, 2025/26

RatingOutstanding performance
Overall score85.6%
Functional groupOpen

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

Officer staffing against target

At 30 June 2026: 55 FTE Band 3 to 5 officers against a target of 58 (-2, hours-adjusted). A gap against target is not a count of advertised vacancies. HMPPS workforce statistics, June 2026.

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

Latest inspection

HMIP's most recent report on North Sea Camp was published 30 August 2023 (full inspection report); that is the publication date, not the visit date.

safetygood
respectreasonably good
purposeful activityreasonably good
preparation for releasereasonably good

Grades from the latest full inspection report, published 30 August 2023.

Of the 122 prisons with full HMIP grades, 36 share its "good" safety grade and 22 its "reasonably good" purposeful-activity grade. 27 of the 122 had no test below "reasonably good".

Read the HMIP report

Working at HMP North Sea Camp and how to apply

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

Postcode: PE22 0QX. View on a map. Nearest railway station, per GOV.UK: Boston.

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 (Open)

Compare North Sea Camp side by side in the prison finder

Related guides

HMP North Sea Camp: frequently asked questions

How much does a prison officer earn at HMP North Sea Camp?

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

Does HMP North Sea Camp 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 North Sea Camp?

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

How many prisoners can HMP North Sea Camp hold?

Operational capacity 300, population 295 at 24 August 2026 (HMPPS bulletin).

When was HMP North Sea Camp last inspected?

HMIP's latest report, published 30 August 2023, is a full inspection. Grades at the latest full inspection (30 August 2023): safety good, respect reasonably good, purposeful activity reasonably good, preparation for release reasonably good.

How do I apply to work at HMP North Sea Camp?

There is no North Sea Camp 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 North Sea Camp?

GOV.UK gives: Boston.

What is North Sea Camp prison?

North Sea Camp is an open category D prison for men aged 18 and over at Freiston, near Boston, Lincolnshire. It opened in 1935 as a borstal and became an adult men's open prison in 1988. HMIP says many prisoners serve indeterminate sentences and more than half are held for sexual offences.

What did HMIP find at North Sea Camp?

HMIP's unannounced inspection (May and June 2023, published 30 August 2023) rated safety good and respect, purposeful activity and rehabilitation and release planning reasonably good. Strengths were very low violence, good staff-prisoner relationships and full staffing; priority concerns were cramped shared cells, maths and English provision, family ties and public protection.

How do I get to North Sea Camp?

The nearest railway station is Boston. GOV.UK says the prison arranges transport to and from the station when you book a visit, and there is a visitor car park just before the prison entrance. The address is Croppers Lane, Freiston, Boston, Lincolnshire PE22 0QX, and the IMB places it six miles east of Boston.

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 three years old (report published 30 August 2023); no follow-up review was found; No establishment-specific recruitment page for North Sea Camp; The status of the cell and accommodation refurbishment HMIP called for beyond the IMB's shower project (due by 2027) was not verified.