Prison
Cat local
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Leeds
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 17 July 2025
HMP Leeds, a local reception prison with an operational capacity of 1110, reported 8 deaths in custody during 2024, six of which were self-inflicted. Overcrowding, persistent staff shortages leading to regime curtailments, and significant delays in transferring prisoners with severe mental health issues were key concerns. Despite these challenges, the Board highlighted positive staff-prisoner relationships, efforts in drug rehabilitation, purposeful activity, and initiatives to maintain family contact.
Positive Findings
HMP Leeds saw a reduction in self-harming incidents and maintained increased time out of cell during the year. The IMB commended generally positive staff-prisoner relationships and the proactive efforts of the DARS team in drug rehabilitation. Facilities like the well-equipped gym, comprehensive library, and the Q-Branch maintenance team positively contributed to the prisoner experience. The prison's family engagement strategy, including 'parents and tots' sessions and Storybook Dads, was also praised.
Key Concerns
Safety
Repeated
The large number of self-inflicted deaths in custody at the prison continues to be a critical concern for the Board.
Safety
ACCT document checks on prisoners known to be at risk of self-harm and suicide may not have been accurately logged in all cases.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The late arrival of prison transport when prisoners are being moved to other establishments or from the courts is also a serious concern.
Overcrowding
Repeated
The IMB must, again, highlight as unacceptable the continuing issue of prisoners sharing cramped cells, in which they eat, sleep, wash and use the toilet.
Estate/Conditions
recurrent defects with toilets in some parts of the prison (principally in the CSU), whereby, whilst awaiting repair, the water supply is turned off and only turned on briefly by staff after lavatories have been used.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The IMB continues to be concerned about the lack of clarity and progress for IPP (Imprisonment for Public Protection) prisoners generally.
Mental Health
Repeated
The large number of prisoners with severe mental health issues, especially in the complex needs unit (CNU) and the care and separation unit (CSU), is a major concern for the Board. The IMB is concerned that people with a need for psychological, rather than prison care, may not be prioritised for transfer because prison is perceived as a ‘safe environment’ by the NHS.
Substance Misuse
Repeated
The presence of illicit substances remains a major concern, with frequent reports of prisoners being ‘under the influence’.
Safety
drug testing equipment had very quickly failed and that repair or replacement had not always been satisfactorily addressed by manufacturers.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
On occasion during the reporting year, it was necessary to curtail regime in wings as a consequence of staff shortages.
Resettlement/Release
Late release of prisoners, especially where no accommodation, work or other support has been identified, is a risk factor that is likely to lead to early recall or reoffending, in the Board’s view.
Overcrowding
Repeated
Overcrowding in the prison creates pressure in all areas.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
there is a need for a real terms increase in funding to address the backlog in necessary maintenance at HMP Leeds.
Staffing
PPO reports on certain deaths in custody that occurred in the reporting year make reference to the need to ensure staff are properly trained and resourced.
Mental Health
Repeated
The IMB has seen no improvement in the extent to which prisoners who have been assessed as requiring treatment in secure mental health facilities are quickly removed to those facilities.
Safety
Repeated
Staff are not always following correct procedure, particularly in relation to ACCT prisoners.
Board Commentary
Staffing
There are many newly qualified staff who, whilst committed, lack experience in dealing with challenging prisoner behaviour. A national team of experienced senior officers were deployed for three months to deliver training and support. Staff shortages in the second half of the reporting year led to a rolling programme of regime curtailment, reducing time out of cell. The IMB noted that prisoners often do not know their key worker, an issue the key worker strategy aims to address.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision at HMP Leeds is delivered by Practice Plus Group, offering a wide range of services including GPs, mental health teams, and dental care. The mental health team faced considerable pressure, receiving 3,557 referrals during the year. A major concern remains the significant delays, often lasting months, in transferring prisoners requiring secure mental health hospital care, with no clear process from NHS England. The Complex Needs Unit (CNU) provides a vital, intensive environment where vulnerable prisoners often show significant improvement.
Regime & Daily Life
The IMB expressed ongoing concern about prisoners sharing cramped, outdated cells in a Victorian-era prison, where they eat, sleep, and use toilets with limited privacy and often inadequate temperature regulation. Recurrent defects with toilets, especially in the CSU, exacerbated these issues. Due to staff shortages in the latter half of the year, a rolling programme of regime curtailment was introduced, significantly reducing prisoners' time out of cell and their access to association and activities, leading to increased poor behaviour.
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 laundry, clothing, ablutions | 20 | 17 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 7 | 0 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 15 | 9 | |
| Equality | 9 | 7 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 22 | 12 | |
| Food and kitchens | 16 | 8 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 41 | 28 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 17 | 14 | |
| Miscellaneous | 44 | 22 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 13 | 15 | |
| Property within the establishment | 25 | 18 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 8 | 12 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 14 | 6 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 52 | 29 | |
| Transfers | 3 | 11 |
Recommendations (10)
Other: 4
HMPPS: 4
Governor / Director: 2
6 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Is the Minister satisfied that all necessary resources are being delivered to significantly reduce self-inflicted deaths?
Other
(minister)
Safety
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Is the Minister aware that there is a need for a real terms increase in funding to address the backlog in necessary maintenance at HMP Leeds?
Other
(minister)
Estate
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can the Minister give an assurance that the IPP Action Plan will be actively pursued by the Government?
Other
(minister)
Resettlement
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can the Minister give an assurance that he will actively support the outcome of the Gauke review to reduce the number of men being sent to the prison and prioritise the reduction in the backlog of court cases waiting to be heard (and, thereby, reduce the number of remand prisoners being held in the prison)?
Other
(minister)
Overcrowding
Recommendation 5
What criteria are being used to determine the roll out of digitalisation across the prison estate and when will it be implemented in HMP Leeds?
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 6
What is the Prison Service doing to ensure that staff levels are taking into account the particular circumstances of the prison, including additional non-effective time for staff training?
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 7
During the reporting year, there was a noticeable increase in ‘out of area’ prisoners coming into the prison. This exacerbated the already high level of churn that the prison experiences, which negatively impacts the extent to which prison officers can build positive relationships with prisoners. What is being done to address this?
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The IMB has seen no improvement in the extent to which prisoners who have been assessed as requiring treatment in secure mental health facilities are quickly removed to those facilities. Does the Prison Service agree that, whilst the prison may be a safe place to hold those prisoners, it is not an appropriate place to do so and what is it doing to coordinate with the NHS to reduce the time prisoners are having to wait before being transferred?
HMPPS
Mental Health
Recommendation 9
During the reporting year, there were a number of days when the prison operated a restricted regime, resulting in prisoners having no exercise or association. This was due to staff shortages. What is being done to ensure this does not continue and, in particular, why are staff levels not being increased to take into account historic levels of staff not being available for work?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Certain Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) reports highlight concerns that staff are not always following correct procedure, particularly in relation to ACCT prisoners. Is the Governor monitoring that this is being actively addressed?
Governor / Director
Safety
Other IMB Reports for Leeds
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
23 Mar 2026
IRP
14 Jul 2025
Unannounced
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.
Prevention of Future Deaths Reports
Coroner PFD reports issued to this establishment.