HMP & YOI Portland

A convict prison that became a borstal and then a training prison

In shortPortland opened in 1848 as a convict prison and is now a category C training and resettlement prison that also operates as a YOI for young adult men aged 18 to 25.

It is a designated training and resettlement prison for men with a home in Avon, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire and, over the last two years, further afield, and it also operates as a YOI for young adult men aged 18 to 25.

Of the two Isle of Portland prisons, it is the one that takes young adults; our page on HMP The Verne covers the neighbouring prison.

Who is held and how it is organised

In shortPortland held 514 men at the January 2026 inspection, in Victorian-style wings named after naval figures.

• Held, January 2026514Against an operational capacity of 534
• New prisoners a yearAbout 900728 released in the previous year
• Young men96Men aged 18 to 21; 146 aged 18 to 25

The IMB’s report for April 2024 to March 2025, published in December 2025, adds that Collingwood was re-purposed during the year to focus on young men with neurodivergent-related challenges attending a 12-week programme. HMPPS’s figures for 24 August 2026 show 529 prisoners against an operational capacity of 537.

Benbow, Raleigh, Drake and Nelson

Standard units of 80 to 83 places each.

Grenville

The induction unit with 62 single cells.

Collingwood

A 35-place unit for a young adult project.

Beaufort

Built in 2006, with 126 places for the enhanced and incentivised substance-free living groups.

• Charities operating in the prison included the Samaritans, Barnardo’s, the Shaw Trust, Key4Life, the Shannon Trust, Turning Point and the 100 & First Foundation, which provides the prison’s rugby academy and resettlement services.

What inspectors found in January 2026

In shortHMIP called it an encouraging report about a prison with committed staff and improving leadership, but safety and release preparation were not sufficiently good.

• SafetyNot sufficiently good
• RespectReasonably good
• Purposeful activityReasonably good
• Preparation for releaseNot sufficiently good

HMIP inspected unannounced on 13 to 29 January 2026 and published its report on 20 April 2026. The Chief Inspector called it an encouraging report, but one hampered by entrenched issues such as the prison’s relative remoteness and the age of its infrastructure. The previous full inspection was in July and August 2022.

• Relationships: staff-prisoner relationships were a strength, but only two-thirds of surveyed prisoners knew who their key worker was.
• Regime: the reintroduction of full-time work meant most prisoners spent longer out of their cells, though time out of cell for those without full-time activity remained limited at weekends.
• Training: the prison’s own programme included rail track maintenance and digger, dumper and roller operation courses, funded by the prison group director after the education contract changed.

Leadership and staffing

In shortHMIP was unusually positive on leadership and low attrition, but warned that vetting delays and weak gate security were risks.

• Staff supporting the governor’s priorities91%Of staff survey respondents
• Band 3 to 5 officers (FTE), 30 June 2026148Full-time-equivalent Band 3 to 5 officers against a target of 161

The governor, in post since June 2023, headed a senior team that had completely changed since 2022 and had summarised his vision as the three Rs (right approach for the right person at the right time).

HMIP said staff attrition was low, but warned that considerable delays in national security vetting were jeopardising the pipeline of new starters and, if unresolved, would lead to officer shortfalls and lost progress.

Working at Portland

In shortHMPPS runs one recruitment page covering Portland and The Verne; Portland is in the national pay zone with no market supplement.

• HMPPS performance rating2 of 42025/26; overall score 57.3%; published 30 July 2026

Portland is in the national pay zone with no market supplement on the HMPPS list we checked on 3 October 2026, so the standard Band 3 figures on our pay and prison officer pay bands pages apply. See how to become a prison officer.

• The page describes the Isle of Portland as the southernmost point of the Jurassic coast and an area of outstanding natural beauty.
• Portland has its own on-site training facility where new staff may complete initial training.
• It lists partnerships with Weston College offering courses in bricklaying, maintenance, horticulture and painting.
• Applicants choose a preferred prison but placement depends on operational need.
• It lists a mentor and buddy system, an on-site gym and staff networks including Pride in Prisons.
• GOV.UK gives the nearest railway station as Weymouth, from where a bus runs to the Isle of Portland, with a taxi rank at the station and a visitors’ car park.