The first inmates have now been locked up at HMP Millsike, a newly built Category C resettlement prison in Yorkshire designed to help tackle crime and reduce reoffending as part of the Government’s long-term Plan for Change.
Announced today by the Ministry of Justice, HMP Millsike is the first of four new prisons due to open under a pledge to deliver 14,000 extra prison places across England and Wales by 2031. Its opening marks a key milestone in the government’s efforts to improve public safety by keeping dangerous offenders behind bars.
With space for 1,500 inmates, HMP Millsike is part of a £2.3 billion investment in expanding and modernising the prison estate, backed by an additional £500 million to refurbish existing cells and support vital maintenance across the sector.
Built to Rehabilitate and Reduce Reoffending
Spanning the size of 39 football pitches, HMP Millsike has been purpose-built to support prisoner rehabilitation and reintegration into society. The facility boasts 24 workshops and training centres, giving offenders the opportunity to learn valuable skills and access education that could help them find employment after release.
Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, James Timpson, said:
“HMP Millsike is a vital part of our Plan for Change, building 14,000 new prison places by 2031.
This modern prison has been designed to cut crime. It will force offenders to turn their backs on crime, delivering safer streets and ensuring there are fewer victims in the future.”
The prison will be run by Mitie Care and Custody, with workplace training and education delivered by PeoplePlus.
A Modern Facility with Security at Its Core
Equipped with cutting-edge security measures, the facility features barless reinforced windows to deter drone smuggling, X-ray body scanners, and hundreds of CCTV cameras to prevent contraband entering the premises and to enhance the safety of staff and inmates.
Russell Trent, Managing Director of Immigration and Justice at Mitie Care & Custody, said:
“As the first prisoners arrive at HMP Millsike, our focus is on building safer communities by creating an environment that promotes rehabilitation and helps prisoners break the cycle of reoffending.
Every element of this prison has been designed to ensure prisoners leave qualified, employable, and ready to positively contribute to society.”
Future of the Prison Estate
HMP Millsike is a cornerstone of the Government’s 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy, which was published in December. The plan includes:
- 6,400 places via new houseblocks
- 6,500 places through entirely new prisons
- 1,000 rapid deployment cells
- 1,000 refurbished existing cells
The goal is to modernise the prison system while ensuring that capacity keeps pace with sentencing demands, so that the most serious criminals can always be appropriately detained.
The move aligns with recommendations from the Independent Sentencing Review, and represents a bold step forward in criminal justice reform, aimed at building safer communities across the UK.
