HMP Belmarsh

At its last full inspection (June 2024; report published September 2024), inspectors found outcomes for prisoners were poor for purposeful activity; reasonably good for safety, respect and preparation for release. It held 717 people at the time, against an operational capacity of 773. An independent review of progress was published in May 2025.

Read our story Read the inspection report

Healthy prison tests: inspectors grade four areas from 1 (poor) to 4 (good).

1. May 2025 · Independent review of progressFollow-up visit assessing progress against the key concerns from the previous full inspection. Read the report (HM Inspectorate of Prisons, opens external site) ↗
2. September 2024 · Full inspectionSafety: reasonably good · Respect: reasonably good · Purposeful activity: poor · Preparation for release: reasonably good Read our story
3. May 2022 · Independent review of progressFollow-up visit assessing progress against the key concerns from the previous full inspection. Read the report (HM Inspectorate of Prisons, opens external site) ↗
4. November 2021 · Full inspectionSafety: not sufficiently good · Respect: reasonably good · Purposeful activity: poor · Rehabilitation and release planning: reasonably good Read our story

News

HMP Belmarsh safer but purposeful activity still poor, inspectors find

Inspectors judged the south-east London prison safer than in 2021 and reasonably good in three of four tests, but found too few men in work or education and many locked up during the working day.

Prison News staff16 Sep 2024

News

HMP Belmarsh kept more than half its prisoners locked up 23 hours a day, inspectors found

A report published in November 2021 rated purposeful activity at the south-east London prison as poor and found self-harm nearly four times higher than in 2018, though relationships and health care had improved.

Prison News staff14 Nov 2021