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Leeds

AI-generated report summary HMP Leeds, a local reception prison, faced significant challenges during the reporting year, including a critically high number of self-inflicted deaths and issues with overcrowded, poorly maintained cells. Staff shortages frequently led to regime curtailment and late prisoner arrivals from courts. Despite these concerns, there was a positive reduction in self-harm incidents and illicit item finds, and the IMB commended the dedication of healthcare, education, and CSU staff, especially in managing complex needs.

Year: 2025 Published: 8 Jul 2026 Type: Prison · Cat local Recommendations: 10 Key concerns Positive findings
Original IMB report page ↗ Ministerial response · 2 Sep 2026 ↗

Safety statistics

Incidents during reporting year
IndicatorThis yearPrevious
Deaths in custody138
Self-harm incidents748954
Prisoner assaults297289
Assaults on staff155111
Drug finds811952

Positive findings

AI-generated summary
The IMB notes a significant reduction in self-harming incidents, from 954 to 748, and commends the quick actions of staff in saving lives. The education department staff are praised for their commitment and varied curriculum. Staff in both the Complex Needs Unit (CNU) and Care and Separation Unit (CSU) are recognised for their professionalism, tolerance, compassion, and teamwork. The library is well-used, and book clubs are popular, with the recycling workshop also offering employment opportunities on release. Improvements have been made to the departure lounge, and initiatives to encourage family visits are popular.

Key concerns

14 items
Safety Repeated The large number of self-inflicted deaths in custody at the prison continues to be a critical concern for the IMB.
Regime/Time Out of Cell The late arrival of prison transport when prisoners are being moved to other establishments or from the courts is a serious concern, leading to frustration and challenging situations for staff.
Estate/Conditions Repeated The IMB must highlight as unacceptable the continuing issue of prisoners sharing cramped cells, in which they eat, sleep, wash and use the toilet, compounded by recurrent defects with toilets.
Estate/Conditions Repeated Prisoners continue to report that cells are too hot in summer and too cold in winter. The IMB agrees with this.
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 CNU and the CSU, is a major concern for the IMB, worried that people with a need for psychological care may not be prioritised for transfer.
Substance Misuse The presence of illicit substances remains a concern, with prisoners reported to be under the influence periodically.
Regime/Time Out of Cell Repeated Frequently during the reporting year, it was necessary to curtail the normal regime in the wings as a consequence of staff shortages, resulting in reduced time out of cells.
Resettlement/Release Late release of prisoners, especially where no accommodation, work or other support has been identified, is a risk factor likely to lead to early recall or reoffending, with 32% of prisoners having no suitable accommodation upon release.
Education/Purposeful Activity Many prisoners are not brought to education classes on time, presumably because of pressures on staff escorts, which can be very disruptive to prisoners’ learning.
Education/Purposeful Activity Repeated The education budget for HMP Leeds was reduced by 40% (in common with a majority of other prisons within the Yorkshire and Humber region), which is deleterious to the provision of education to prisoners.
Estate/Conditions Repeated There is a need for a real terms increase in funding to address the backlog in necessary maintenance at HMP Leeds, which has been repeated from the previous reporting year.
Overcrowding Repeated Overcrowding in the prison creates pressure in all areas.
Safety Repeated Staff are not always following correct procedure, particularly in relation to prisoners on assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) documents and/or procedures in the CSU.

Recommendations

10 items · 9 repeated

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Ministry of Justice

Is the Minister satisfied that all necessary resources are being delivered to significantly reduce self-inflicted deaths, in the content of increasing deaths year-on year?

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
Regrets deaths and noted that the prison is receiving enhanced support under the cluster death support process.

Recorded status:

Topic: Safety

Recommendation 2

Addressee: Ministry of Justice

As repeated from the previous reporting year, there is a need for a real terms increase in funding to address the backlog in necessary maintenance at HMP Leeds. When will the Minister deliver this?

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
Funding secured for a series of critical upgrades to enhance security including fire alarm system upgrade. Specific projects have progressed but in the context of funding that limits staff hiring. Cuts were made in the education budget.

Recorded status:

Topic: Estate

Recommendation 3

Addressee: Ministry of Justice

Overcrowding in the prison creates pressure in all areas. As such, can the Minister give an assurance that the impact of the Sentencing Act 2026 will be to reduce the number of prisoners being held in HMP Leeds?

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
Government will take forward majority of Gauke recommendations.

Recorded status:

Topic: Overcrowding

Recommendation 4

Addressee: Ministry of Justice

During the reporting year, the IMB were told by prison teachers that the education budget for HMP Leeds was reduced by 40% (in common with a majority of other prisons within the Yorkshire and Humber region). Why was this level of cut delivered to education services during the budgeted year and does the Minister not think that this level of cut is deleterious to the provision of education to prisoners?

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Education

Recommendation 5

Addressee: HMPPS

What criteria is being used to determine the roll out of digitalisation across the prison estate and when will it be implemented in HMP Leeds? Can you confirm that being a cluster prison does not in itself accord priority for digitalisation?

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
Selection of a range of prison types to design and test software prototypes. Response did not make reference to when HMP Leeds may by digitised.

Recorded status:

Topic: Regime

Recommendation 6

Addressee: HMPPS

Certain Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) reports delivered during the reporting year, on occasion, have referenced the need for staff to be properly trained and resourced. As self-inflicted death have continued to increase during this reporting year, what are you doing to ensure that staff levels are taken into account the particular circumstances of the prison, including additional non-effective time for staff training?

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
Non-effective staffing levels were too high. Regime management plan was not sufficiently implemented. Information given on the current training provision but not specific to HMP Leeds.

Recorded status:

Topic: Staffing

Recommendation 7

Addressee: HMPPS

During the reporting year, staff (officers and healthcare) morale was badly affected by the continuation of self-inflicted deaths from the preceding reporting year. What resources did you supply to support the local management team to support those staff members?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Staffing

Recommendation 8

Addressee: HMPPS

The IMB has continued to see 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 HMPPS 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 put pressure on the NHS to reduce the time prisoners are having to wait before being transferred?

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
Recognises that there are delays in transfer to secure mental health estate. Expect that the Mental Health Bill will improve matters by requiring a 28 day time limit for patients with a mental disorder.

Recorded status:

Topic: Mental Health

Recommendation 9

Addressee: Governor / Director

During the reporting year, the prison operated a restricted regime via a regime management plan for 53 days and an additional nine days for staff training. What is being done to ensure that 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?

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
Staff shortages and the need for staff training have continued to result in the need to restrict regime.

Recorded status:

Topic: Regime

Recommendation 10

Addressee: Governor / Director

Certain PPO reports highlight concerns that staff are not always following correct procedure, particularly in relation to prisoners on assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) documents (which are used to support prisoners who are at risk of self–harm and suicide) and/or procedures in the CSU. Is the Governor monitoring that this is being actively addressed?

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
Training has improved and swift disciplinary action was taken in relation to staff not following the correct procedure.

Recorded status:

Topic: Safety

Applications to the IMB

CategoryCurrentPrevious
Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions 18 20
Canteen, facility list, catalogues 6 7
Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions 14 15
Equality 2 9
Finance, including pay, private monies, spends 7 22
Food and kitchens 13 16
Health, including physical, mental, social care 39 41
Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions 21 17
Miscellaneous 36 44
Property during transfer or in another facility 19 13
Property within the establishment 19 25
Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell 12 8
Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation 15 14
Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying 61 52
Transfers 2 3

Related inspections & investigations

23 Mar 2026 HMIP · IRP
14 Jul 2025 HMIP · Unannounced Safety 1 · Respect 2 · Activity 1 · Release 2
18 Jul 2023 HMIP · IRP
20 Jun 2022 HMIP · Unannounced
25 Nov 2019 HMIP · Announced
— PPO fatal incident Colin Gaines
— PPO fatal incident Colin Mann
— PPO fatal incident Gary Davies · Self-inflicted
— PPO fatal incident Zacaria Gauji · Self-inflicted
— PPO fatal incident Scott Dutson
9 Sep 2025 PFD Brian Burrows · Suicide (from 2015)
23 Jun 2021 PFD Wayne Boughen · State Custody related deaths
23 Apr 2021 PFD Guy Paget · State Custody related deaths
10 Aug 2016 PFD Thomas Jordan · State Custody related deaths
10 Aug 2016 PFD Thomas Jordan · Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths; State Custody related deaths

Other reports for Leeds

2024 Published 17 Jul 2025 · Concerns
2023 Published 3 Dec 2024 · Concerns
2022 Published 6 Sep 2023 · Self-harm 547 · Concerns
2020 Published 11 Aug 2021 · Self-harm 675 · Concerns