Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Whatton
IMB Annual Report 2025 · Published 28 January 2026
HMP Whatton, a Category C prison for sexual offenders, maintained an average population of 836. The IMB praised the safe environment, positive staff-prisoner relationships, and improvements in education and family contact. Key concerns include the persistent challenges faced by IPP prisoners, critical under-resourcing impacting the estate and services, and delays in transfers to Category D prisons. Outdated healthcare facilities and accessibility issues for prisoners with mobility problems also remain significant areas for development.
Positive Findings
HMP Whatton is generally considered a safe environment, with the regime striving for fairness and staff demonstrating care and professionalism, particularly during induction and within the CSU. The Board notes improved outcomes in education and training, positive staff-prisoner relationships, and effective equality and diversity processes. Chaplaincy support is strong, adapting services for those with mobility issues, and a new work coach initiative has shown promising results in preparing prisoners for release. Healthcare services are well-received despite facility issues, and several vocational training programs like horticulture and the paint shop are highly effective.
Key Concerns
Mental Health
Repeated
The problems we referenced in our previous report regarding IPP prisoners persist. There are a large number of IPP prisoner at HMP Whatton and the Board is concerned that they may feel pressure or mental stress, because they are unable to see any future that may make the present tolerable.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The resourcing of the prison, from catering to building repairs and development, is not being met satisfactorily, in the Board’s view. It is apparent that all aspects of funding must meet difficult rising base costs.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
What steps will the Prison Service take to ensure reliable access to chaplaincy facilities for prisoners with mobility issues, given that the stair lift remains unreliable and no progress has been made on repairs since the last report?
Regime/Time Out of Cell
When prisoners arrive at HMP Whatton, problems with follow-on property are common. Items often go missing, and there is no effective system to track them. As a result, prisoners have to go through a long and frustrating process to find their belongings or claim compensation. This causes unnecessary stress for prisoners and extra work for staff.
Healthcare
Repeated
The delivery of medicines to patients at HMP Whatton is significantly impacted by the condition of the healthcare facilities. The department’s infrastructure is outdated, and the Board has expressed ongoing concerns about its fabric in previous annual reports. While major renovation works are scheduled for the upcoming period, these improvements will temporarily strain healthcare operations during implementation.
Healthcare
lengthy queues still occur each morning, sometimes causing prisoners to be late for work or training
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board cannot be certain that prisoners always get the time out of cell to which they are entitled. The group that is most disadvantaged, though, is the unemployed.
Resettlement/Release
There are 17 category D prisoners (who are eligible for an open prison) awaiting transfer. There seems to be limited availability of spaces in category D prisons. ... Eligible prisoners feel that this delays their opportunity for work training prior to release.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing levels within the Care and Separation Unit (CSU) have been consistently good, and staff-prisoner relationships are largely respectful and professional, exhibiting mutual support following a staff death. However, the Board raises concerns about the broader resourcing of the prison, which impacts catering, building repairs, and development. A key worker group has been introduced to support IPP and lifer prisoners, and a work coach has been funded to assist with work and education placements. Recruitment was active for a substance misuse role, and staff shortages occasionally affected the regime.
Healthcare
Healthcare services, provided by Practice Plus Group, are generally satisfactory, with prisoners reporting a pleasant atmosphere and access to a wide range of clinics. However, the healthcare facilities are outdated with issues like leaking ceilings, and planned major renovations are expected to cause temporary strain. While waiting times for hospital consultations are not a concern, daily medicine dispensing still results in lengthy queues, sometimes causing prisoners to be late for work. Mental health support and neurodivergent platforms are improving, but more support is needed in the substance misuse area.
Regime & Daily Life
The prison's regime generally aims for fairness, with a flexible and needs-based approach in the CSU that provides good access to facilities. However, the overall regime is periodically affected by staff shortages, violent incidents, and hospital escorts. Time out of cell varies significantly based on incentive scheme status and purposeful activity engagement, with unemployed prisoners being the most disadvantaged. The Board expresses uncertainty that all prisoners consistently receive their entitled time out of cell.
Applications to the IMB
Prisoners can apply to their IMB about any aspect of their treatment. This table shows application counts by category.
| Category | Current | Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (including transfers) | 45 | 38 | |
| Discrimination | 12 | 10 | |
| Family visits | 25 | 21 | |
| Healthcare | 74 | 62 | |
| Offending behaviour programmes | 22 | 19 | |
| Other | 65 | 53 | |
| Property | 58 | 35 | |
| Respect | 18 | 15 | |
| Total | 350 | 281 | |
| Work, training and education | 31 | 28 |
Recommendations (4)
Other: 1
HMPPS: 2
Governor / Director: 1
3 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The problems we referenced in our previous report regarding IPP prisoners persist. There are a large number of IPP prisoner at HMP Whatton and the Board is concerned that they may feel pressure or mental stress, because they are unable to see any future that may make the present tolerable. Is the Minister planning to consider IPP prisoners’ welfare and wellbeing? If not, can you explain why?
Other
(minister)
Mental Health
Response
On 5 September 2024, the Lord Chancellor announced that the Government would implement reforms we supported in opposition to the IPP licence period in the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024. These commenced on 1 November 2024, when the licences for 1,742 IPP offenders in the community were terminated. The remaining reforms were implemented on 1 February 2025, which reduced the qualifying period for consideration of licence termination and saw around 600 additional referrals made to the Parole Board. The Secretary of State also has two new powers, the power to use “Risk Assessed Recall Review” RARR) for recalled IPP prisoners and the power to disapply a recall. The first enables her to re-release people who have been recalled at any point without referring the case to the Parole Board, where safe to do so. The second enables her to not reset the two-year period after someone is re-released from a recall.
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The resourcing of the prison, from catering to building repairs and development, is not being met satisfactorily, in the Board’s view. It is apparent that all aspects of funding must meet difficult rising base costs. How does the Prison Service plan to ensure that funding will meet the rising costs of food and maintenance so that health and safety standards are maintained?
HMPPS
Estate
Response
I appreciate the Board’s funding request for site and staffing investment. Whilst HMPPS is continually reviewing the investment required across the estate, the proposals will be underpinned by the data collected in recent condition surveys which assessed the fabric, cells, and critical assets at each prison. These will inform long-term forward maintenance registers, which can be prioritised against future capital budgets. HMPPS is currently investing around £47.3 million into HMP Whatton. This includes a programme for fire safety works with an estimated start date of November 2025. A project to replace hot and cold-water pipework supplies across Bravo units 1, 2 and 3, and Plant rooms 1 and 2, commenced in December 2024. I hope the Board will understand that demands for maintenance of the prison estate are much greater than the available funding. Therefore, once a bid for a project is received, HMPPS has to prioritise works very carefully to make best use of that funding, focusing on risk to life and risk to capacity and decency.
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What steps will the Prison Service take to ensure reliable access to chaplaincy facilities for prisoners with mobility issues, given that the stair lift remains unreliable and no progress has been made on repairs since the last report?
HMPPS
Equality
Response
No response.
Recommendation 4
The IMB has observed - and noted - changes in the provision of education and training for prisoners, including bringing in different qualifications with the new PES/education contract. We anticipate that staff will raise standards and improve outcomes for prisoners, in particular the acquisition of life and social skills in preparation for release. How will data be collated to give firm evidence of improvement?
Governor / Director
Education
Other IMB Reports for Whatton
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
15 Jan 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 4
Respect: 3
Activity: 2
Release: 3
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.