Altcourse Prison

Overview

A privately operated Category B local prison for adult men. HMP Altcourse serves courts across Merseyside and Cheshire and operates as a high turnover reception and resettlement prison.

Capacity and population

Monthly snapshot: 24 August 2026

Operational capacity is the capacity reported for this prison in the same monthly bulletin.

Official monthly spreadsheet · Ministry of Justice publication

Prisoner profile

HMP Altcourse holds adult men, including remand and sentenced prisoners. It is a high turnover reception prison serving Merseyside and Cheshire courts, with prisoners also received from further afield, including Bolton. In July 2026, nearly one third of the population were recalled to custody on licence.

Accommodation

The prison has seven residential units divided into 15 wings. The establishment has a certified normal accommodation figure of 790 places, while the operational capacity is higher because much of the accommodation is shared.

Residential units and wings

Providers and services

Healthcare

Healthcare is provided by Practice Plus Group. Mental health care is provided by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. Dental care is provided by Time for Teeth.

HMIP’s July 2026 progress review found improvements in healthcare staffing, governance, access and medicines management. Routine GP waits were reported as three days, with same day emergency appointments available six days a week. However, prisoners requiring transfer to secure mental health hospitals continued to experience serious delays.

Education and skills

Education and vocational training are provided by Novus. The most recently verified offer includes English, ESOL, mathematics, welding, art and a personal trainer course. The prison also uses short English and maths courses designed for prisoners with short stays.

Construction qualifications had ended by July 2025.

Substance misuse support

Substance misuse treatment is provided by Phoenix Futures. HMP Altcourse has a recovery wing and a substance free living wing.

Illicit drug use remained a serious concern in the July 2026 HMIP progress review, despite some improvement in positive mandatory drug test results.

Social care

There is an adult social care pathway involving the prison, Liverpool City Council and specialist housing support. HMIP reported in July 2025 that some prisoners had unmet care needs and were awaiting assessment. Recoop also provides peer support for older prisoners.

Chaplaincy and faith services

Multifaith chaplaincy provides pastoral and statutory support. The 2024-25 IMB report recorded Living with Loss, Bible study and the Storymode rap course, although the July 2025 HMIP inspection described the faith course offer as limited.

Library

A small library is run by Novus. Each residential unit had two 30 minute library sessions each week at the July 2025 inspection. The library supports reading initiatives, wing reading champions and Shannon Trust literacy mentors. A small library was also available in the care and separation unit.

Gym and physical activity

Each residential unit has several weekly gym sessions, with weekday sessions for full time workers. The sports hall includes weights, fixed equipment, games space and a cardio suite. Outdoor football is also available, although staffing pressures have sometimes affected access.

HMIP recorded targeted library and gym sessions for some neurodivergent prisoners, Recoop activities for people aged over 50, and veterans’ activities.

Employment and workshops

The prison provides work, workshops and industry activity, alongside education and vocational training. In July 2025, HMIP found that workshops were underused and that many work and industry roles did not consistently lead to qualifications or record skills gained. Ofsted reported reasonable progress on activity spaces, allocations and skills recognition in July 2026.

Resettlement and release support

Seetec provides commissioned rehabilitative services on site for prisoners returning to Cheshire and Merseyside. Ingeus provides Greater Manchester support one day each week.

Resettlement support includes pre release careers coaching, interview preparation, CV support, resettlement boards, and access to housing, financial and substance misuse support. DWP staff are available through the employment hub by appointment.

Accommodation outcomes remain a concern. HMIP reported in July 2026 that 20% of prisoners were released homeless.

Programmes and activities

Visiting this prison

Visiting times

Social visits are one hour.

Monday and Wednesday:
10:30am to 11:30am. Visitors should arrive by 9:30am for searches from 10am.

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday:
9am to 10am - arrive from 8am; searches from 8:30am.
10:30am to 11:30am - arrive from 9:30am; searches from 10am.
2:30pm to 3:30pm - arrive from 1:30pm; searches from 2pm.
4pm to 5pm - arrive from 3pm; searches from 3:30pm.

Check the prison’s visitor information page before travelling, as arrangements can change.

How to book

The prisoner must add each visitor to their approved visiting list. Domestic social visits are booked by the prisoner through the prison booking system, normally between 3 and 14 days before the visit. The prisoner should tell the visitor the confirmed date and time.

Legal, official, first, double and family day visits may have different arrangements. Contact the prison for those visits.

Identification and visit rules

Visitors must be on the prisoner’s approved visiting list and bring accepted photographic identification. Arrive in time for the required security checks. The prison has a dress code and security rules. Visitors should check the current visitor information before travelling and should not bring prohibited items into the prison.

If a visitor needs a medical exception to a prison rule, they should bring supporting medical evidence or certification.

Visitors centre

The external visitors’ centre is provided by SIG Safe Ground. It offers practical support for visitors and family focused support services. Refreshments are available in the visitors’ centre and visits hall. Visitors need £1 for a locker; payment arrangements differ between the two locations, so check current information before travelling.

No current provider confirmed direct Visitors’ Centre telephone number has been identified. Contact the prison switchboard on 0151 522 2000 if assistance is needed.

Directions and public transport

By train: travel from Liverpool Central on the Northern Line Kirkby service to Fazakerley station. The prison is then reachable on foot via Longmoor Lane, Lower Lane and Brookfield Drive.

By bus: use services from Liverpool city centre interchanges towards Fazakerley Hospital or Longmoor Lane. Allow at least 45 minutes from the city centre.

By car: the prison can be reached from M57 Junction 4 or from Liverpool city centre. Check Merseytravel before travelling for current public transport information.

Parking

Visitors should allow time to park. Disabled parking is limited. No reliable current information was found about general parking capacity, charges or a parking booking system.

Accessibility

Disabled parking is limited. Visitors who need a medical exception to a prison rule should bring supporting evidence. The prison does not publish a detailed accessibility specification for the Visitors’ Centre, so visitors with access needs should contact the prison switchboard before travelling.

Family support

SIG Safe Ground provides family support through the external Visitors’ Centre, including practical support, family counselling and family focused interventions.

The family offer reported by HMIP includes baby massage, antenatal classes, support for neurodivergent children, individual and family counselling, support groups, and the Fathers Inside, Man Up? and Nurturing courses.

Video and telephone contact

Secure social video calls are available through Purple Visits. Visitors must use the Purple Visits app, complete identity checks and be on the prisoner’s approved visiting list. Current call length and available slots should be checked in the app because local arrangements can change.

Prisoners can also use authorised telephone systems, subject to prison rules and the telephone numbers approved on their account.

Useful current operational pages: visitor information, official visitor booklet, directions, and Purple Visits.

History and leadership

HMP Altcourse opened in 1997 as a privately operated prison. It is in Fazakerley, Liverpool, and serves courts across Merseyside and Cheshire. G4S managed the prison from opening until the current Sodexo contract began on 1 June 2023.

It is a Category B local prison for adult men, with reception and resettlement functions. The prison has a high turnover population and receives both remand and sentenced prisoners.

The establishment has seven residential units divided into 15 wings, together with healthcare, separation, education, workshop, sports and visiting facilities.

Independent reports

HM Inspectorate of Prisons reports