Prison
Cat Short-Term Holding Facility
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
South and East Short Term Holding Facilities (STHF)
IMB Annual Report 2025 · Published 1 July 2025
The South and East IMB report highlights significant concerns regarding the inhumane conditions and inadequate facilities across its Short-Term Holding Facilities. Key issues include severe overcrowding, particularly at Luton and Stansted, where detainees, including vulnerable individuals and families, are held for extended periods without sufficient sleeping provision, privacy, natural light, or exercise areas. The Board also expressed disappointment over persistent maintenance problems, delayed responses to disability access reviews, and the routine, non-compliant use of handcuffs at Luton Airport.
Positive Findings
The Board commended C&C officers for their tact, sensitivity, and multi-language skills in often stressful situations, noting improved transfers to asylum accommodation. The continuous 24/7 Aeromed service at key airports was welcomed, and positive working relationships between C&C and Border Force were observed. Improvements in food preparation and luggage storage at Stansted were also acknowledged, alongside comprehensive vulnerable adult warning forms and child care plans.
Key Concerns
Overcrowding
The Board is very concerned about the size of the accommodation, especially at Luton Airport. On one day in January, the Board observed so many people sleeping on the floor that it was extremely difficult to walk through to the family room.
Overcrowding
Repeated
For the third year in succession, the Board draws the Home Office’s attention to the capacity issues at many of the airports’ STHFs and the fact that the needs of those with mobility, hearing or sight impairment issues are still not being adequately addressed.
Estate/Conditions
In the opinion of the Board, the STHF at the Port of Felixstowe does not provide a humane place for holding people.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
There are a limited number of sleeping mattresses in the STHFs and the Board considers that it is inhumane to require people to sleep on the floor or on chairs.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
People are regularly detained for long periods, sometimes over 24 hours, in STHFs, which are designed to hold people for short periods. The Board considers that it is unacceptable to hold people in detention without adequate provision for rest or sleep.
Estate/Conditions
The STHFs the Board monitors are not residential establishments and do not have adequate facilities for sleeping or exercise and do not offer any privacy.
Equality/Diversity
The Board is very disappointed that the Disability Access Review, which was recommended by the IMB and was carried out between April and August 2023, was only published to the Board in December 2024.
Safety
The Board is very concerned about the lack of privacy afforded to detained persons during the initial induction at some of the STHFs or while being examined by an Aeromed health professional.
Estate/Conditions
The Board continues to be concerned about the length of time it takes to resolve problems associated with the maintenance and repair of airport facilities.
Safety
It has been noted, specifically at Stansted and Luton, that the IS91 (the authority to detain) form does not always identify those with vulnerabilities or medical needs.
Overcrowding
The current size and capacity of the holding rooms at Gatwick North, Luton and Stansted do not allow for multiple families, or a family and other vulnerable adults detained at the same time, to be cared for safely and decently, when these facilities are nearing capacity.
Estate/Conditions
The only access to the family room at Stansted and the toilet facilities for those detained families is through the main holding room, which the Board considers inappropriate.
Estate/Conditions
The Board is very concerned about the lack of commitment to resolving outstanding issues relating to the fabric at each of the STHFs.
Overcrowding
The operating capacity at Luton is 20 and the Board consistently observes more than 20 people per day being held at Luton, peaking at 30 people being held at some time during the day on 22 May 2024. This affects the care being given, as staff are constantly either performing inductions, preparing people to be transferred or escorting to return flights.
Safety
There is limited privacy, particularly for induction, where newly detained persons are asked very personal questions, such as, for example, their gender orientation or whether they have suffered abuse. There is limited private space for Aeromed to provide medical support. Some improvements have taken place at Stansted, where more privacy is offered, but in the other locations these interviews occur behind a curtain, with no soundproofing. The Board considers the above to be a lack of respect to those detained.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board continues to be concerned about the sleeping arrangements at all locations, as there is very limited provision for people of different genders to have separate spaces in which to sleep.
Overcrowding
The Board has remained concerned about the inadequate sizes of most of the holding rooms.
Overcrowding
At Luton, the overall space provided for the holding room is far too small. When the main holding room is at capacity (10), there is only space for five people to lie on the floor to sleep. The Board has observed so many people trying to sleep on the floor that it has been very difficult to walk through the area. The Board questions whether this space meets health and safety requirements.
Estate/Conditions
Concerns about the cleanliness of the floors raises further concerns. Increased cleaning and maintenance have improved conditions following closure, due to health and safety concerns during the year. The STHF was closed for two days in October 2024, due to poor hygiene conditions and an insect infestation.
Food/Catering
There has been no hot food since the facility was reopened after the insect infestation.
Overcrowding
Despite some refurbishment and extension in August 2024 at Stansted, the size and layout of the holding room is inadequate when the facility is at capacity, sometimes with additional detained persons having to be held elsewhere by BF.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The very small family room within the main holding room has no separate access, provides little or no privacy and is barely adequate to hold a family of four. The Board does not consider it humane for families or vulnerable detained persons to have to gain access to the main holding room before they can use the toilet.
Estate/Conditions
On several occasions the Board has reported water on the floors of the toilets at Stansted, likely caused by residents trying to wash in the small washbasins as there are no showering facilities.
Safety
C&C staff at Stansted have commented that single women can find it very intimidating if the family space is full, as the main holding room is very small and some detainees can be very loud, which can be perceived as threatening.
Equality/Diversity
It is disappointing to note that the newly built facility at 2 Ruskin Square does not meet the standards identified in the Disability Access Review, which was carried out between April and August 2023 and which was recently been released to the IMB.
Safety
At 2 Ruskin Square, the two holding rooms are adjacent, with only a clear glass wall separating them. Within weeks of the facility being opened, the Board has been told of women feeling intimidated, as men have been gesticulating at them through this clear glass wall.
Estate/Conditions
The Board remains concerned about the poor portacabin facility at Felixstowe, which is not fit for purpose. It is in a very poor state of repair externally and is intimidating as a place to be taken to for interview. The structure is in a dirty and dilapidated condition, with no disability access. There is a chemical toilet located outside the portacabin, but there are no shower facilities or running hot water. Internally, the portacabin is clean but is very small and cramped and the Board feels strongly that the holding facility should be replaced as soon as possible.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board feel that it is degrading for detained persons to have to ask to go to the toilet, which is a portable chemical toilet adjacent to the secure facility.
Overcrowding
Although the Board recognises there is a safety concern, with having too many sleeping people on the floor, there is equal concern about the decency for those detained overnight who are unable to sleep due to the overcrowded accommodation.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board does not consider it humane to ask people to sleep in a fixed chair with their head on a table or to lie on the floor with a mat and blanket.
Estate/Conditions
The Board continues to see problems in resolving problems with the maintenance and/or repair of the STHFs, which reside with the airport or port owner.
Estate/Conditions
Ongoing maintenance issues: lighting, smoke alarms and toilets at Stansted.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
BT pay phone unable to make outgoing calls at Gatwick North. In November 2024, it was decided that this would not be resolved.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Phone in female holding room often not working at Luton.
Estate/Conditions
The STHF was closed for two days due to poor hygiene conditions and insect infestation at Luton.
Food/Catering
Border Force Officers were not able to serve hot food or drinks to detained individuals, as the STHFs they managed did not comply with UK food safety requirements. This remains unresolved at the end of the Board’s reporting year, in January 2025, and detained people were still only being offered cold food in some locations and, in one location, cold drinks. The availability of food, particularly hot and fresh food, is often limited. Staff report low levels of food supply, which is particularly troubling at Gatwick.
Food/Catering
There has been no hot food, except instant noodles, available at Luton since May 2024, which the Board is concerned about, especially for those people detained for long periods.
Staffing
Occasionally, low staffing levels are reported, usually at night. This restricts the time staff have to make sure detained people are treated fairly and humanely.
Mental Health
Unless such limitations are declared by the individual or are obvious, they may not always be recognised. We are also concerned that the mental health of detained individuals, in what can be a challenging environment, may not always be adequately assessed.
Equality/Diversity
The delayed Disability Access Review raises numerous concerns about the STHFs ability to accommodate people with disabilities. The findings, published in late 2024, showed the STHFs to be largely non-compliant with legislation and included common issues around wheelchair access and provision for sensory impairments e.g. hearing loops and equipment for the visually impaired. Not all facilities had accessible toilet facilities.
Overcrowding
The family holding rooms at Gatwick North, Luton and Stansted are particularly small and cramped. There is effectively no room to sleep at the Gatwick North family room and the family room at Stansted is often used by non-family members.
Overcrowding
The space available for families, single women and vulnerable people continues to be inadequate when there is more than one in resident at the same time.
Safety
Property should be always kept in a secure area and be kept locked. During the year, Board members observed times when these areas have not always been properly secured.
Healthcare
The Board is concerned that records of a person requiring regular medication (e.g. for diabetes) may not be sufficiently highlighted to alert all staff to follow a timetable for those needs.
Other
The Board is particularly concerned where children and vulnerable adults are held in detention for lengthy periods. The Board notes the concerns that have been raised regarding the response of Children’s Services in this regard.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Although coin-operated payphones are available in some holding rooms, they are not always operating correctly. These are generally only available for incoming calls, with officers encouraging detained persons to share the phone number for the payphone during their ‘induction call’. There is generally only one payphone to share among all detained persons and the logistics of using this can be puzzling, especially for those who do not speak English.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board continues to note issues reported by staff and detained persons concerning access to personal mobile phones.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
a rollout of wi-fi technology was being proposed in holding facilities on a trial basis, but regrets that this now appears to have been suspended indefinitely. The Board considers that this issue is being given insufficient attention, given that detained persons are being detained for lengthy periods without being able to make suitable contact with their families.
Resettlement/Release
The Board continues to be concerned with the length of journeys that detained persons experience when they are being removed from the UK.
Safety
The Board remains concerned regarding the routine use of handcuffing at Luton Airport. The Board notes that detained persons are routinely handcuffed when being escorted to flights at Luton. This is unique and not the case at other ports monitored by the Board and it is not compliant with the STHF Rule 11 – Short-term Holding Facility Rules 2018 amended by Short-term Holding Facility (Amendment) Rules 2022.
Other
The Board has observed, from reviewing the daily logs, some lengthy waiting times, in some instances between 16 and 17 Hours for Children’s Services to respond to requests to attend STHFs at ports and airports to provide support for unaccompanied minors.
Resettlement/Release
The Board notes that detained persons (particularly females) are regularly transferred from Lunar House or 2 Ruskin Square to the Manchester area, leaving in the evening and not arriving until after midnight.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The Board noted a positive increase in C&C staffing due to recruitment, with staff possessing diverse cultural backgrounds and language skills, which aids communication. However, concerns remain regarding occasional low staffing levels, particularly at night, and instances where only one staff member oversees an STHF, potentially impacting the quality of care.
Healthcare
Aeromed provides 24/7 healthcare at Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted airports, with staff acting professionally and compassionately. However, there is a significant concern about the lack of privacy for medical consultations and inductions across all STHFs, and the cleanliness of medical areas at Luton. There is no Aeromed cover at 2 Ruskin Square, and a broader concern about identifying mental health conditions among detainees who do not self-identify.
Regime & Daily Life
Detainees in STHFs regularly spend long periods, often overnight or over 24 hours, in conditions unsuitable for extended detention. There is limited space for sleeping, often only on floors or chairs, with inadequate provision for separate sleeping areas for different genders. Most facilities lack natural light, exercise areas, and showering facilities, which the Board considers inhumane and undignified, particularly for vulnerable individuals.
Recommendations (8)
Other: 2
Home Office: 6
Recommendation 1
The Board is very disappointed that the Disability Access Review requested by the Board was not shared with the Board until some 16 months after completion. It is concerning that the newly built facility at 2 Ruskin Square, which could reasonably be expected to comply with all recent legislation, does not meet some of the standards highlighted in this review as noted in 5.1 and 5.3.
Other
(minister)
Equality
Recommendation 2
The Board recommends that the Minister review the accommodation capacity, especially as noted in 4.3 and 5.1 at Luton and Stansted. There are an increasing number of people held overnight at the STHFs, which are not designed for overnight accommodation and, in some places, do not provide a dignified and humane space and where the only hot food available at Luton is instant noodles, which is unacceptable for those held more than 12 or 24 hours.
Other
(minister)
Overcrowding
Recommendation 3
The Board recommends that the Home Office review the capacity of each of the holding rooms.
Home Office
Overcrowding
Recommendation 4
As noted in 5.1, the Board recommends that the capacity at Luton Airport STHF is reviewed urgently, due to the potential impact on the safety of detained persons and staff in the event of a fire. It is not unusual to have more than 20 detained persons in a 24-hour period at Luton Airport, which is the stated capacity.
Home Office
Safety
Recommendation 5
The Board recommends where floor space is sufficient, such as at Gatwick North and South main holding rooms, that the adequate provision of sleeping mattresses should be reviewed, as noted in 5.1.
Home Office
Regime
Recommendation 6
The Board recommends that action should be taken to reduce the number of detained persons staying in airport STHFs overnight and to reduce the number of detained persons held for longer than 24 hours, as noted in 5 and 5.1.
Home Office
Regime
Recommendation 7
As noted in 7.3, the Board recommends that the Home Office review the use of handcuffs at Luton Airport, when residents are moved through public areas, as the Board considers this non-compliant with STHF Rule 11 - Short-term Holding Facility Rules 2018 amended by Short-term Holding Facility (Amendment) Rules 2022.
Home Office
Safety
Response
The Board notes the response of the Minister, in September 2024, that a dynamic risk assessment is conducted before handcuffs are used. The Board is concerned that these assessments may not be conducted at Luton, as all persons that the Board has observed are in handcuff restraints when escorted to a return flight, which would indicate that everyone is of the same risk.
Recommendation 8
The Board recommends that the Home Office considers strengthening the relationship between Border Force and Children’s Services. The Board notes there is no service level agreement between BF and Children’s Services, resulting in some unaccompanied children waiting for 16 or 17 hours for support, as noted in 7.4.
Home Office
Safeguarding