HMP Risley

Sixty years and several roles

In shortOpened in 1964, Risley was re-roled between September 2024 and August 2025 to hold men convicted of sexual offences only, including foreign nationals.

The IMB notes the prison marked 60 years in operation at the end of March 2025 and calls it one of the largest category C training and resettlement prisons in the country.

The IMB explains that in April 2024 the population was up to 200 foreign nationals, about 400 men convicted of sexual offences and 400 mainstream category C places, which meant running two parallel regimes for safeguarding reasons.

The Prison Service decided to make Risley a fully sex-offender establishment, including foreign nationals. HMIP describes the 2025 re-role as providing for men convicted of sexual offences, including 200 places for foreign national prisoners.

Who is held and the wings

In shortAbout 1,000 men, almost all convicted of sexual offences, in seven residential wings.

• Held, May 20261,013Temporary operational capacity 1,034
• Convicted of a sexual offence1,004
• High or very high risk of harm80%
• Foreign national prisoners126Home Office Immigration Enforcement staff are permanently based in the prison (IMB)

At the May 2026 inspection there were about 113 new arrivals and about 102 releases a month. The IMB counts seven residential wings, 12 workshops, 14 classrooms, two gyms and a library.

A wing

Foreign national prisoners and those subject to immigration rules, plus men convicted of sexual offences.

B wing

First night centre.

C wing

Substance misuse support.

D wing

The Discovery programme wing offering resettlement help.

E wing

Accommodation.

F and G

Semi-independent living units, with F unavailable during a fire safety improvement project.

What inspectors found in May 2026

In shortA calm, ‘generally stable and optimistic’ prison with good safety, but weak activity and release outcomes.

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

HMIP’s unannounced inspection ran from 11 to 21 May 2026 (report published 24 August 2026), with improvement in three of the four tests since 2023. Violence had been declining for about two years, staff assaults and serious incidents were rare, and only 4% of random drug tests were positive.

Ofsted’s overall judgement for education, skills and work was ‘requires improvement’. Notable practice included a key worker team co-located with the offender management unit and a monthly bereavement café.

Staff and culture: findings that matter to applicants

In shortRelationships were generally constructive, but the positive culture was not consistent and staff sickness remained a problem.

• Said most staff treated them with respect80%
• Staff witnessing inappropriate behaviour33%Of respondents in the staff survey
• Key worker team coverage~40%Only 63% of surveyed prisoners found their key worker helpful

HMIP described relationships between staff and prisoners as generally constructive, and many prisoners named individual officers as supportive. However, inspectors said the positive culture was not consistent: some staff made derogatory or dismissive comments, including towards men with protected characteristics.

• High staff sickness continued to affect delivery and had not yet been fully understood or addressed.
• In some areas leadership relied on individuals rather than resilient systems.
• The Deputy Governor had provided continuity through a period that included a change of governor and acting leadership.
• The new governor, in post from March 2026, had set clear priorities focused on safety and public protection.

IMB annual report for 2024-25

In shortThe IMB said the transition to a sex-offender establishment was managed well, though fabric, repairs and activity places remained concerns.

• Self-harm incidents852Down from 1,068 in 2023-24
• Activity place shortfall~300For the population

The IMB’s report for 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, published in April 2026, concluded that the transition to a sex-offender establishment had been managed well and would ease some past difficulties.

• Ageing and degraded fabric on A to D wings, delays to repairs and long-running concern about the maintenance contractor.
• The changed population increased the workload of the offender management unit, partly because finding approved premises for release is harder for men convicted of sexual offences.
• A change of health care provider in April 2024 disrupted some social care and substance misuse provision before being gradually addressed.

Working at Risley

In shortOn the national Band 3 pay scale with no market supplement listed as at 3 October 2026; the role carries distinct training and risk-management responsibilities.

Risley is a public-sector prison on the national Band 3 pay scale with no market supplement listed on the HMPPS pay page as at 3 October 2026; see our pay hub and prison officer pay bands guide for the 2026/27 figures.

• We found no Risley-specific recruitment page on the Prison and Probation Jobs site, so apply through the national route in becoming a prison officer.
• Working with a population held for sexual offences involves distinct training and risk-management responsibilities, which HMIP said staff were still building understanding of.
• Our guide to prison categories explains the resettlement role, and prison officer jobs by region compares other North West options.