Source · IMB Annual Report
Hindley
Year: 2025
Published: 1 May 2026
Type: Prison · Cat C
Recommendations: 4
Key concerns
Positive findings
The Board is increasingly concerned about the prison not always feeling safe, due to rising levels of violence, affecting both prisoners and staff, and the availability of illicit substances. The national problem of overcrowding in prisons impacted on HMP/YOI Hindley, which was operating at very near or full capacity throughout the year. As highlighted in previous annual reports, the Board remains concerned about the insufficient number of available activity places, which support progress towards successful rehabilitation
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 2 | — |
| Prisoner assaults | 350 | 315 |
| Assaults on staff | 98 | — |
| Use of force | 725 | 703 |
Positive findings
Overall, the Board considers the health and wellbeing needs of prisoners are being satisfactorily met at HMP/YOI Hindley. Regular, anecdotal informal feedback to the Board from the men in receipt of healthcare over the past year indicates a general satisfaction with the standard of healthcare services. There is good cross prison co-operation, particularly between catering, PE and healthcare staff, working closely for the benefit of prisoners despite severe budget constraints. Worthy of commendation is the high standard of other wellbeing related services provided via the gym and physical fitness team, chaplaincy services and the Partners of Prisoners Service (POPS).
Key concerns
Safety
The increased number of assaults on both prisoners and staff, with a peak in the second quarter of the year (48 in 2024 rising to 70 in 2025).
Safety
Repeated
Drugs, mobile devices and weapons continuing to be readily available.
Safety
The lack of security and searching at the main gate.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Insufficient number of available activity places, which support progress towards successful rehabilitation
Resettlement/Release
introduction of early release schemes to manage the national capacity crisis in prisons at relatively short notice meant that many men left Hindley unprepared for their release
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is planned to enhance gate security and reduce this route for illicit items getting into the prison? | Ministry of Justice | |
| 2 | Will the Prison Service review funding allocations and provide sufficient funds to meet Hindley’s activity and educational needs? | HMPPS | |
| 3 | How is the Governor proposing to ensure that lockdowns of this length no longer occur? | Governor / Director | |
| 4 | How is this to be improved? | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 6 | 3 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 13 | 5 |
| Equality | 1 | 9 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 2 | 2 |
| Food and kitchens | 3 | 10 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 18 | 6 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 9 | 4 |
| Miscellaneous | 0 | 1 |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 14 | 10 |
| Property within the establishment | 6 | 3 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 5 | 5 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 20 | 8 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 12 | 16 |
| Transfers | 3 | 3 |
Related inspections & investigations
Other reports for Hindley
Report details
- Establishment
- Hindley
- Type
- Prison · Cat C
- Report year
- 2025
- Published
- 1 May 2026
- Responsible body
- HMP Hindley
- Recommendations
- 4
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 1 — Serious concern
Population
| Operational capacity | 582 |
Service providers
Education services
Novus
Employment, Training and Education (ETE) services
Achieve North West Connect
Healthcare
Spectrum
Initial Advice and Guidance services
The Growth Company
Maintenance
Amey
Mental healthcare
Greater Manchester mental health NHS foundation trust
Psychosocial services
Change, Grow, Live
Resettlement services
Seetec