Manchester inspection report 2025

Summary

HMP Manchester is a category B training prison, with space for up to 744 longterm prisoners. In addition, it has a specialist function in that it holds small number of category A prisoners, mainly those still going through the court process, and has a close supervision centre, part of a system that holds some of the most disruptive prisoners. At the time of this inspection the prison was holding more than 30 category A prisoners. Many of those held posed a very high risk of harm to others, with 36% serving indeterminate sentences, mainly life. We last inspected Manchester in 2021, when we found that outcomes against our healthy prison test of respect were reasonably good, but that they were not sufficiently good for safety, purposeful activity or preparation for release. At this inspection we found a significant deterioration, with outcomes in safety, respect and purposeful activity so poor that I invoked an Urgent Notification to the Secretary of State.

Inspection ratings