Source · IMB Annual Report
Hull
Year: 2023
Published: 15 Nov 2023
Type: Prison · Cat B, local
Recommendations: 7
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Hull, a Category B local prison, reported generally safe conditions with violence rates below benchmarks and commendable staff-prisoner relationships. However, significant concerns persist regarding systemic overcrowding, inadequate double-cell accommodation, and insufficient catering budgets impacting food quality. Healthcare provision has improved following a change in contractors, but challenges remain with GP availability and access to specialist mental health care, alongside staffing shortages in other key areas.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 2 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 434 | — |
| Prisoner assaults | 190 | 175 |
| Assaults on staff | 43 | — |
| Use of force | 406 | — |
Positive findings
The Board generally finds HMP Hull to be a safe place, with prisoner on prisoner violence and staff assaults being among the lowest in its benchmarking group. Staff-prisoner relationships are commended, with officers demonstrating detailed knowledge of prisoners, particularly in challenging units like segregation and the wellbeing unit. Healthcare provision has significantly improved following a change in contractors, resulting in fewer prisoner applications related to health. Education screening and resettlement efforts have improved, and the upgrade of industries units is a positive step towards aligning with local employment. The prison has also enhanced its complaint response times.
Key concerns
Overcrowding
Repeated
Insufficient capacity within the prison estate which continues to see prisoners housed in double cells which are inadequate both in size and design for this purpose and impinge upon the right to privacy and dignity.
Other
Repeated
Prisoners’ property, particularly on transfer, remains a significant issue for the Board.
Food/Catering
Despite a recent uplift in the daily budget allocation per prisoner for catering, the establishment continues to provide additional funding from other budget allocations. Furthermore, prisoners were found to subsiding their diets with their own personal funds. Will the Prison Service be significantly increasing catering budget allocations in response to increased food supplier costs to ensure a healthy and balanced diet can be provided to each prisoner?
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Significant resourcing challenges within the outside Probation Team result in staff being unable to maintain the level of support needed over the final months and after release.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
further work to address the delivery of key worker performance and support for young adults is planned for the next reporting year. The Governor should therefore ensure sufficient focus is provided to ensure traction in both areas delivers better outcomes for prisoners.
Food/Catering
The Governor should ensure all reasonable steps are taken to improve food quality (notably lunch time offering), whilst continuing to work within very restricted budgetary constraints.
Other
The Governor should address and resolve the present issues where many members of the IMB do not have full access to the required IT systems within the establishment.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Consider the issues of insufficient capacity within the prison estate which continues to see prisoners housed in double cells which are inadequate both in size and design for this purpose and impinge upon the right to privacy and dignity. Repeated | Ministry of Justice | |
| 2 | Prisoners’ property, particularly on transfer, remains a significant issue for the Board. How will the prison service put systems in place to resolve these issues? Repeated | HMPPS | |
| 3 | Despite a recent uplift in the daily budget allocation per prisoner for catering, the establishment continues to provide additional funding from other budget allocations. Furthermore, prisoners were found to subsiding their diets with their own personal funds. Will the Prison Service be significantly increasing catering budget allocations in response to increased food supplier costs to ensure a healthy and balanced diet can be provided to each prisoner? | HMPPS | |
| 4 | Significant resourcing challenges within the outside Probation Team result in staff being unable to maintain the level of support needed over the final months and after release. What is the Prison Service doing to address these resourcing challenges? Repeated | HMPPS | |
| 5 | As per section 3.4 (progress since the last report) further work to address the delivery of key worker performance and support for young adults is planned for the next reporting year. The Governor should therefore ensure sufficient focus is provided to ensure traction in both areas delivers better outcomes for prisoners. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 6 | The Governor should ensure all reasonable steps are taken to improve food quality (notably lunch time offering), whilst continuing to work within very restricted budgetary constraints (see also ‘to the Prison Service). | Governor / Director | |
| 7 | The Governor should address and resolve the present issues where many members of the IMB do not have full access to the required IT systems within the establishment. | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 14 | 10 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 2 | 4 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 5 | 5 |
| Equality | 15 | 6 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 11 | 1 |
| Food and kitchens | 3 | 4 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 21 | 32 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 11 | 24 |
| Miscellaneous | 50 | 17 |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 7 | 5 |
| Property within the establishment | 22 | 18 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 10 | 8 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 8 | 10 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 22 | 25 |
| Total number of applications | 203 | 173 |
| Transfers | 2 | 4 |
Related inspections & investigations
14 Apr 2025
HMIP · IRP
17 Jun 2024
HMIP · Unannounced
Safety 3
· Respect 3
· Activity 1
· Release 3
Other reports for Hull
Report details
- Establishment
- Hull
- Type
- Prison · Cat B, local
- Report year
- 2023
- Published
- 15 November 2023
- Responsible body
- HMP Hull
- Recommendations
- 7
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 2 — Concern
Population
| Operational capacity | 958 |
| CNA (designed for) | 723 |
Service providers
Education
Novus
Facilities Management
GEO Amey
Healthcare
City Healthcare Community Partnership
Resettlement
Humber Care