Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Warren Hill
IMB Annual Report 2025 · Published 13 November 2025
HMP Warren Hill is a well-run Category C prison for men serving life or IPP sentences, consistently demonstrating a high commitment to safety and positive staff-prisoner relations. While the prison excels in healthcare provision, purposeful activity, and support for neurodiverse prisoners, key challenges include the ongoing cancellation of ROTL, uncertainty surrounding prison expansion and kitchen facilities, and the potential impact of future education budget cuts. The Board urges action on these issues to further enhance rehabilitation and resettlement outcomes for prisoners.
Positive Findings
HMP Warren Hill continues to be a well-run, safe, and secure prison with good staff-prisoner relations. The IMB commends the clean residential units and well-maintained grounds, as well as good healthcare facilities. They welcome new relationships with local employers and the development of the Willow Unit for independent living. Positive aspects include high HMIP safety ratings, effective self-harm and violence reduction strategies, and good efforts in diversity and inclusion, pastoral care, and key worker provisions. Education and purposeful activity, including arts, music, and vocational training, are generally good and well-resourced.
Key Concerns
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The Minister should urgently re-consider the cancellation of ROTL at HMP Warren Hill, as it is felt that its reintroduction would aid rehabilitation and resettlement of prisoners.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Concerns remain over the proposed expansion of the prison with approximately 90 RDCs (rapid deployment cells) being added, and whether ancillary provision will be proportionally increased.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Uncertainty remains about whether new kitchen facilities will be provided solely for the Warren Hill site as part of the proposed expansion programme.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Concerns were expressed over the proposal to reduce the education budgets in prisons by approximately 35% overall, and how HMPPS proposes to mitigate this reduction to ensure educational outcomes for prisoners are maintained.
Estate/Conditions
A definite picture of future building works, including proposed kitchen provisions, and a detailed, funded project plan are needed to eliminate current uncertainty, as current RDC and kitchen projects have been very 'stop - start'.
Healthcare
Plans are needed to accommodate elderly prisoners in a more purposeful way, including making physical adaptations to the prison to be age-friendly and ensuring appropriate care packages are in place for prisoners with social care needs, given the increasing age profile of the prisoner population.
Staffing
The opportunities offered by the Governance Review, such as joint training, working, and development opportunities across both sites along with improved opportunities for prisoners, need to be fully exploited.
Resettlement/Release
Further follow-up work is needed to assess the effectiveness of the Warren Hill regime against the high recall rates.
Resettlement/Release
The work of the EAB (employment advisory board) should be further supported and enhanced so that prisoners have genuine work and industrial experience recognising the ROTL comments.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
A variety of avenues should be explored to enhance the use of IT in prison to equip and assist prisoners on their release.
Board Commentary
Staffing
A staffing review is underway due to the single governance model with HMP Hollesley Bay, which has caused some minor disquiet among staff, though it has not impacted prisoners. Staff-prisoner relationships are mutually respectful, though visibility could be improved on some units. Key workers provide an essential service, holding meaningful sessions and demonstrating in-depth understanding of prisoner risks and progression targets. The combined safety team has expanded with additional custodial managers and officers.
Healthcare
Healthcare, provided by Practice Plus Group, operates from modern facilities and delivers in-depth health assessments to all new arrivals within 24 hours. A full-time GP service, opticians, dentists, and physiotherapy/podiatry referrals are available. Staff are present most of the day, with NHS 111 and ambulance services covering out-of-hours. Mental health support is provided by a dedicated team working with 22.5% of the population in crisis, offering group sessions and mental health first aid training. Social care needs are assessed by Suffolk County Council, but future-proofing is needed for the increasing older prisoner population and associated personal care requirements.
Regime & Daily Life
Warren Hill operates a full regime, with prisoners unlocked for most of the day (7.45am to 7.30pm). The working week includes nine activity sessions, with Friday afternoons and weekends for leisure. Prisoners have good access to the gym, exceeding the usual entitlement, and the sports field is well-used, including popular Parkrun events. Work opportunities are varied, with some excellent provisions like welding and horticulture, contributing to prison industries and commercial contracts.
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 | |
| Discipline | 21 | 18 | |
| Equality | 0 | 0 | |
| Family and legal visits | 4 | 2 | |
| Finance and benefits | 10 | 11 | |
| Food | 18 | 10 | |
| Healthcare | 37 | 30 | |
| IMB Complaints and general | 19 | 15 | |
| Offender Management Unit (OMU) | 7 | 8 | |
| Property | 41 | 39 | |
| Regime | 9 | 12 | |
| Release | 3 | 1 | |
| Religious | 0 | 1 | |
| Security | 5 | 5 | — |
| Staff | 29 | 24 | |
| Total | 261 | 240 | |
| Work and Education | 12 | 16 |
Recommendations (10)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 5
Governor / Director: 4
4 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
As in last year’s annual report, will the Minister urgently re-consider the cancellation of ROTL at HMP Warren Hill, as it is felt that its reintroduction would aid rehabilitation and resettlement of prisoners?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Response
Lord Timpson (Minister of State for Justice) replied to the 2023-2024 HMP Warren Hill IMB Board in November 2024, expressing sympathy for the review of ROTL arrangements and recognising its value. However, the suspension has not yet been reversed and will not be progressed until HMPPS implements new release measures planned for January 2026.
Recommendation 2
Repeated
In the last annual report, some concerns were expressed over the proposed expansion of the prison, with approximately 90 RDCs (rapid deployment cells) being added to the establishment. Will the ancillary provision be proportionally increased? This concern remains, although assurances have been given.
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
In a similar vein, there remains some uncertainty about whether new kitchen facilities will be provided solely for the Warren Hill site. Will a new kitchen solely for the Warren Hill site be provided as part of the proposed expansion programme?
HMPPS
Estate
Response
The issues related to the proposed kitchen and catering facilities were noted in the previous year's response, along with the expectation that a ‘series of bids’ are made to secure the finance to overall improve the site.
Recommendation 4
The Board had received a warning during the reporting year that there would be reductions in the education budget for 2025-2026. However, some surprise and concerns were expressed over the proposal to reduce the education budgets in prisons by approximately 35% overall. How does HMPPS propose to mitigate this reduction to ensure educational outcomes for prisoners are maintained?
HMPPS
Education
Response
The importance of education and training was recognised in the previous year's response.
Recommendation 5
Furthermore, it would be helpful to have a definite picture of the future building works, including the proposed kitchen provisions so that more detailed planning can be undertaken. The current kitchen and rapid deployment cell (RDC) projects have been very 'stop - start'; could a detailed project plan and funded project plan be presented to the prison to eliminate the current uncertainty?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 6
The IMB recognises that the age profile of the prisoner population is increasing. What is the Governor’s/HMPPS’s plan to accommodate elderly prisoners in a more purposeful way, including making physical adaptations to the prison to be age-friendly and ensuring appropriate care packages are in place for prisoners with social care needs?
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 7
Will the opportunities offered by the Governance Review be fully exploited? For example, joint training and working and development opportunities across both sites along with improved opportunities for prisoners, again across both sites?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 8
Further follow-up work is developed so that the effectiveness of the Warren Hill regime can be assessed against the recall rates.
Governor / Director
Resettlement
Recommendation 9
The work of the EAB (employment advisory board) is further supported and enhanced so that prisoners have genuine work and industrial experience recognising the ROTL comments addressed to the Minister above.
Governor / Director
Resettlement
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
A variety of avenues are explored to enhance the use of IT in prison to equip and assist prisoners on their release.
Governor / Director
Education
Other IMB Reports for Warren Hill
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.