IMB Annual Reports
768 annual reports from Independent Monitoring Boards covering 171 establishments. IMBs provide independent oversight of prisons, immigration removal centres, and secure training centres. Source: imb.org.uk.
768
Reports
171
Establishments
757
With Key Concerns
Establishment Type
Reports by Year
Key Findings
99% of IMB reports flag key concerns.
Independent monitors cover 171 establishments
across prisons, immigration removal centres and secure training centres.
Feltham
PRISON
Concerns
The IMB report for HMP/YOI Feltham (August 2024-September 2025) highlights significant internal restructuring into Feltham A (YOI) and Feltham B (Category C). While commendable progress has been made in staff professionalism, substance-free units, and reduced 'keep aparts', critical concerns persist regarding high staff absence on Feltham A affecting regime, severe probation staffing shortages, and the negative impact of new visa rules on foreign national prison officers. The establishment also faces ongoing issues with estate underinvestment, insufficient purposeful activity, and the prevalence of weapons and drug contraband.
Key concerns identified
- Recruitment and retention of Probation Service staff, significantly impacting resettlement.
- Impact of visa changes on foreign national prison officers, potentially leading to deportations and hindering recruitment.
- Lack of sufficient meaningful activity and time out of rooms for boys on Feltham A, especially weekends/bank holidays.
- The education contract for Feltham A (Shaw Trust) is not fit for purpose.
- Shortage of workshop places and timely delivery of building/renovation projects (e.g., bricks workshop, recycling workshop) on Feltham B.
- Ongoing underinvestment in the structural fabric of the estate, leading to persistent leaks and units taken out of use due to damp/mould.
- Continued prevalence of weapons finds and ongoing issue of drones delivering drugs, with concerns around staff competency and corruption related to weapons.
- Release plans for boys on Feltham A are often finalised very close to release dates, causing distress and anxiety.
- Inconsistent cleanliness in serveries, with vermin issues and poor PPE adherence.
- Impact of visa changes on foreign national prison officers, potentially leading to deportations and hindering recruitment.
- Lack of sufficient meaningful activity and time out of rooms for boys on Feltham A, especially weekends/bank holidays.
- The education contract for Feltham A (Shaw Trust) is not fit for purpose.
- Shortage of workshop places and timely delivery of building/renovation projects (e.g., bricks workshop, recycling workshop) on Feltham B.
- Ongoing underinvestment in the structural fabric of the estate, leading to persistent leaks and units taken out of use due to damp/mould.
- Continued prevalence of weapons finds and ongoing issue of drones delivering drugs, with concerns around staff competency and corruption related to weapons.
- Release plans for boys on Feltham A are often finalised very close to release dates, causing distress and anxiety.
- Inconsistent cleanliness in serveries, with vermin issues and poor PPE adherence.
Feltham
PRISON
Concerns
Staff assaults: 147
HMP/YOI Feltham faces significant challenges, particularly high staff absence severely impacting regime delivery and time out of cell for both young people and adults. The physical environment is in a poor state, with persistent issues like leaking roofs and mould, alongside a worrying increase in violence, including staff assaults on Feltham B, and a rise in contraband finds. While healthcare provision is generally good and staff are commended for their dedication, the lack of purposeful activity, effective key worker sessions, and the closure of the Enhanced Support Unit hinder rehabilitation and overall prisoner wellbeing.
Key concerns identified
- High staff absence significantly impacts regime delivery and time out of room for children and adults.
- Persistent violence, including prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and a worrying increase in staff assaults on Feltham B.
- The poor state of the built environment, including leaking roofs, damp, and mould, remains unaddressed despite previous reports.
- Insufficient purposeful activity, education, and vocational training provision, particularly for the older age group on Feltham B.
- Significant impact of non-associations ("keep-aparts") and gang-related issues on safety, regime, and opportunities for young people.
- Rise in contraband finds, including drugs and mobile phones, with obvious smell of cannabis on units.
- Closure of the Enhanced Support Unit (ESU) on Feltham A, depriving the prison of an important resource for complex needs.
- Lack of key worker sessions limits support and guidance for prisoners, impacting staff-prisoner relations.
- Issues with food provision, including inconsistent servery cleanliness, lack of PPE, and substantial amounts of food going missing.
- Persistent violence, including prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and a worrying increase in staff assaults on Feltham B.
- The poor state of the built environment, including leaking roofs, damp, and mould, remains unaddressed despite previous reports.
- Insufficient purposeful activity, education, and vocational training provision, particularly for the older age group on Feltham B.
- Significant impact of non-associations ("keep-aparts") and gang-related issues on safety, regime, and opportunities for young people.
- Rise in contraband finds, including drugs and mobile phones, with obvious smell of cannabis on units.
- Closure of the Enhanced Support Unit (ESU) on Feltham A, depriving the prison of an important resource for complex needs.
- Lack of key worker sessions limits support and guidance for prisoners, impacting staff-prisoner relations.
- Issues with food provision, including inconsistent servery cleanliness, lack of PPE, and substantial amounts of food going missing.
Feltham
PRISON
Concerns
Feltham, comprising a YOI (A side) and a Cat C prison (B side), faced significant challenges in the reporting year ending August 2023, primarily due to severe staff shortages impacting regime delivery, time out of cell, and purposeful activity. While staff were commended for their dedication, these shortages led to increased incidents on A side and curtailed essential services and rehabilitative programs across both sides. Key concerns also included the inadequate education provision for separated young people, safety in communal showers on B side, and the ongoing issue of lost prisoner property.
Key concerns identified
- Severe staff shortages across both Feltham A and B sides, leading to severely curtailed time out of room and cancellation of education, activities, and key worker sessions.
- Inadequate provision for children with complex mental health needs on A side and for separated young people, including ineffective education and lack of suitable private spaces for wellbeing services.
- Significant safety concerns on B side, particularly assaults in communal showers, which deterred prisoners from attending education and workshops.
- The persistent and poorly managed issue of lost prisoner property, causing significant distress and wasted staff resources.
- Understaffing in the Probation Service, coupled with the national policy against single transfers, severely hampers sentence planning and resettlement for prisoners.
- Ongoing issues with the fabric of the estate, including long-standing leaking roofs and generally desolate exercise yards.
- Inadequate provision for children with complex mental health needs on A side and for separated young people, including ineffective education and lack of suitable private spaces for wellbeing services.
- Significant safety concerns on B side, particularly assaults in communal showers, which deterred prisoners from attending education and workshops.
- The persistent and poorly managed issue of lost prisoner property, causing significant distress and wasted staff resources.
- Understaffing in the Probation Service, coupled with the national policy against single transfers, severely hampers sentence planning and resettlement for prisoners.
- Ongoing issues with the fabric of the estate, including long-standing leaking roofs and generally desolate exercise yards.
Feltham
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 160
Assaults: 135
Staff assaults: 44
HMP/YOI Feltham reported a population of 348 young people and young adults at the end of the reporting year. While physical health and general well-being are met, the prison struggles with serious long-term mental health issues. Safety remains a significant concern, with a notable increase in violence and use of force incidents post-Covid, alongside challenges related to staffing, disrepair of the estate, and the regime's adaptation to larger groups. The IMB identified several key concerns, including inadequate time out of cell, insufficient support for looked after children, and issues with prison fabric and gang culture.
Key concerns identified
- Time out of room (TOR) measurement and ensuring purposeful activity increases.
- Lack of regular statutory visits and inadequate support for 'looked after children' (LACs) on Feltham A, and concerns about LACs entering custody with serious charges.
- Persistent disrepair of prison fabric, including workshops, leaking roofs, and inadequate ventilation preventing in-room showers.
- Increased violence and safety concerns post-Covid, particularly the risk of gang culture mirroring outside prison.
- Delays in the Social Pantry project, impacting staff welfare and catering training for young adults.
- Significant issues with IMB members' access to prison IT facilities, hindering monitoring efficiency.
- Poor visibility of the IMB on in-cell laptops, with inadequate information and lack of encouragement for direct prisoner contact.
- Lack of regular statutory visits and inadequate support for 'looked after children' (LACs) on Feltham A, and concerns about LACs entering custody with serious charges.
- Persistent disrepair of prison fabric, including workshops, leaking roofs, and inadequate ventilation preventing in-room showers.
- Increased violence and safety concerns post-Covid, particularly the risk of gang culture mirroring outside prison.
- Delays in the Social Pantry project, impacting staff welfare and catering training for young adults.
- Significant issues with IMB members' access to prison IT facilities, hindering monitoring efficiency.
- Poor visibility of the IMB on in-cell laptops, with inadequate information and lack of encouragement for direct prisoner contact.
Feltham
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 89
Assaults: 129
Staff assaults: 89
HMP & YOI Feltham faced continued challenges during the reporting year, particularly regarding its dilapidated estate which limited purposeful activity. While Covid-19 restrictions led to a safer environment with reduced violence and self-harm, access to mental health support and effective resettlement planning remained areas of concern. Staff dedication was highly commended amidst these difficulties, but the Board noted significant issues with property handling and the collapse of the Listener scheme.
Key concerns identified
- The poor state of the built environment and dilapidated workshops significantly limit purposeful activity and negatively impact prisoners' living conditions.
- Delays in transferring prisoners with serious mental health needs to appropriate care settings.
- Inadequate progression towards resettlement for young adults on Feltham B due to insufficient funding for infrastructure and opportunities, and last-minute resettlement arrangements.
- The exercise yard on the Care, Separation and Reintegration Unit (CSRU) is unfit for purpose due to chronic pigeon infestation and unhygienic conditions.
- The collapse of the Listener scheme leaves vulnerable prisoners without essential peer support.
- Persistent issues with the loss and delayed return of prisoner property, particularly during transfers and with external partners.
- Delays in transferring prisoners with serious mental health needs to appropriate care settings.
- Inadequate progression towards resettlement for young adults on Feltham B due to insufficient funding for infrastructure and opportunities, and last-minute resettlement arrangements.
- The exercise yard on the Care, Separation and Reintegration Unit (CSRU) is unfit for purpose due to chronic pigeon infestation and unhygienic conditions.
- The collapse of the Listener scheme leaves vulnerable prisoners without essential peer support.
- Persistent issues with the loss and delayed return of prisoner property, particularly during transfers and with external partners.
Feltham
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 140
Staff assaults: 170
HMYOI Feltham's report (Nov 2019-Aug 2020) highlights a challenging period dominated by COVID-19 lockdown. While staff were commended for their dedication and a reduction in violence and self-harm was noted, concerns persist regarding the long-term impact of extreme confinement on prisoners' mental health. Significant issues include deteriorating accommodation, delays in mental health transfers, and insufficient purposeful activity for young adults.
Key concerns identified
- The potential long-term mental, emotional or physical health problems resulting from extreme confinement (up to 23 hours a day) during lockdown.
- The continued deterioration of living accommodation across the site, particularly in Feltham B, with issues of condensation, poor ventilation, mould, rainwater ingress, and open toilets.
- Unacceptable delays in transferring young prisoners with acute mental health problems to more suitable secure settings, exacerbated by the withdrawal of psychology services during lockdown.
- The lack of sufficient education, workshop, and training opportunities for young adult prisoners in Feltham B, despite its designation as a category C training prison.
- The ongoing challenge of contraband, including drugs and mobile phones, entering the prison even during lockdown.
- The serious and unresolved issues surrounding the handling of prisoners’ property, leading to significant delays and losses during transfers.
- The continued deterioration of living accommodation across the site, particularly in Feltham B, with issues of condensation, poor ventilation, mould, rainwater ingress, and open toilets.
- Unacceptable delays in transferring young prisoners with acute mental health problems to more suitable secure settings, exacerbated by the withdrawal of psychology services during lockdown.
- The lack of sufficient education, workshop, and training opportunities for young adult prisoners in Feltham B, despite its designation as a category C training prison.
- The ongoing challenge of contraband, including drugs and mobile phones, entering the prison even during lockdown.
- The serious and unresolved issues surrounding the handling of prisoners’ property, leading to significant delays and losses during transfers.