HMP & YOI Parc

The first PFI prison, privately operated

In shortHMP Parc in Bridgend was the first UK prison built under the private finance initiative, and staff are employed by G4S, so HMPPS pay bands and supplements do not apply.

• Operational capacity1,849HMPPS August 2026 bulletin
• Prisoners held1,817On 24 August 2026
• HMPPS rating 2025/262 of 4"Performance of concern"; overall score 56.9%

Parc is a category C resettlement prison holding convicted adult men, young offenders, and convicted and remanded men who have committed sexual offences. It has a separate unit for children aged 15 to 18 (HMYOI Parc), which HMIP inspects separately. See our prison categories guide and, for private operators, how prison pay differs.

• HMIP's 2025 profile lists many specialist units: substance misuse recovery units, a veterans unit, a unit for additional learning needs and neurodiversity, a long-termers and lifers unit, a resettlement unit, a family unit and an enhanced unit.

HMIP inspection, January 2025

In shortHMIP found a serious deterioration at a prison that had long been one of the most successful, with early signs of recovery under a new director.

• SafetyPoor
• RespectNot sufficiently good
• Purposeful activityNot sufficiently good
• Preparation for releaseNot sufficiently good

HMIP's unannounced inspection of the adult prison ran from 6 to 17 January 2025 and was published on 23 April 2025. The population was more than 1,600 men. There were 14 key concerns, eight of them priorities.

• 57% of prisoners said it was easy to get illicit drugs, violence was too high and self-harm had risen by 60%.
• Prisoners working could be unlocked for up to 10 hours a day, but delays in allocating prisoners to work, education or training left many locked up for up to 21 hours.
• G4S, having won the contract, had failed to maintain Parc's former standards but had put plans in place to rectify the situation; replacing windows vulnerable to drone deliveries and enhanced gate security would help.

Review of progress, January 2026

In shortIn January 2026 progress was insufficient on seven of 11 concerns, hampered by a restricted regime caused by staff shortages.

• Concerns followed up11
• Good progress1
• Reasonable progress3
• Insufficient progress7

HMIP returned for a review of progress on 5 to 7 January 2026, published on 16 February 2026. They saw committed leaders and staff making genuine efforts: secure window installation was progressing, partnership working had improved, and a decline in drug use was recorded.

Independent monitoring, 2024/25

In shortThe IMB said Parc ran with insufficient staff capacity, high first-year attrition and vetting delays of more than four months.

The prison's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) covered 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025. The Board noted that Parc is well connected by road and rail and recruits many staff locally.

• Insufficient staff capacity, both in attendance and experience.
• Recruitment was at times buoyant but attrition among new staff was high in their first year, and in some months leavers outnumbered new starters.
• Between July and September 2025 staffing was particularly challenging and the prison ran a restricted regime on most days, made worse by vetting delays of more than four months.
• The Board also reported high levels of violence, rising use of force, and a young people's unit that appeared well led.

The children's unit and working at Parc

In shortHMIP called HMYOI Parc arguably the best young offender institution in England and Wales, but jobs are advertised by G4S and this research did not verify pay or terms.

• Safety, care, purposeful activity, resettlementGoodHMYOI Parc, inspected 9 to 19 March 2026, published 16 June 2026
• Staff morale rated high or very high74%Low turnover; inspected jointly with Estyn, which judged education good overall

Because Parc is run by G4S, it is the operator, not HMPPS, that employs staff.