HMIP Report, Leyhill

The prison was given a full inspection in July 2026, the full report can be read on the HM Inspectorate of Prisons website, just follow the links below. In their latest report the inspectors said:

HMP Leyhill is a category D open prison for adult men in rural Gloucestershire, run by HM Prison and Probation Service, holding 455 prisoners against an operational capacity of 488. Inspectors rated safety and respect both Good, unchanged, purposeful activity improved to Not Sufficiently Good, up from Poor, and preparation for release improved to Good, up from Reasonably Good. The prison was praised as well led, with experienced and visible leaders who understood its strengths and weaknesses, and a strong rehabilitative culture.

Violence remained rare and the use of force fell from 31 incidents to seven, while the positive rate in random mandatory drug tests dropped sharply from 7.8% to 1.7%. Release on temporary licence gave prisoners a strong incentive to behave well, with a 99.7% completion rate, and health care was highlighted as a particular strength. The grounds remained attractive and well maintained, and support for older prisoners through the Lobster Pot drop-in centre, along with support for veterans, continued to be praised.

Inspectors nonetheless found that the curriculum did not meet prisoners’ needs well enough, with too few substantive qualifications and no self-employment training, leaving Leyhill with the worst post-release employment outcomes of any open prison. Support for disabled prisoners was weakened by broken communal alarms and out-of-date personal emergency evacuation plans, first-night support was inconsistent, and delays in releases on temporary licence were often caused by slow contributions from community probation teams.

Charlie Taylor
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons
October 2026

HMP Leyhill

To read the full reports, go to the HM Inspectorate of Prisons website or follow the links below: