| General Details | Inspections |
| Regimes | Visits and getting there |
| Work and Education | Local News |
General Information
| Name of Prison | HMP Elmley |
| Address: | Church Road Eastchurch Sheerness Kent ME12 4DZ |
| Other contact details: | |
| Web Site: | |
| Email: | |
| Main switchboard: | 01795 802000 |
| At Risk hotline: | |
| Fax: | 01795 802001 |
| Visits booking number: | 0300 060 6605 |
| Visits booking email: | socialvisits.elmley@hmps.gsi.gov.uk |
| Visits booking web site: | www.gov.uk/prison-visits. |
| Type of Prison: | Male Cat B/C/D |
HMP Elmley is part of a group of prisons known as the Sheppey Cluster, all of which are located on the Isle of Sheppey. It is run by HMPS and has a capacity of 1137, the #1 governor is Gary Price, who has been in charge since February 2025
Elmley, on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, opened in 1992 as part of the “Sheppey Cluster” alongside HMP Swaleside and HMP Standford Hill. It is a Category B/C/D establishment for adult men, and has grown over the years to capacity for around 1,250 with the addition of a sixth residential block.
At its most recent inspection, in February 2026, HM Inspectorate of Prisons found leaders had made progress on three of four priority concerns: partnership working with police and physical security had improved, a significant number of cells had been refurbished, and prisoner consultation forums were well attended. Inspectors still found staffing shortfalls affecting the day-to-day regime, staff-prisoner relationships and the level of assaults and use of force, inconsistent outcomes for newly arrived prisoners, and room for improvement in the quality of individual learning plans.
Overall this points to a prison making some genuine headway from a difficult starting point; families may want to ask how a prisoner has settled in, particularly in their early days, alongside using the practical visiting and contact details above.