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Huntercombe

AI-generated report summary This IMB report for HMP Huntercombe highlights a generally safe environment, yet raises significant concerns about increased assaults and self-harm. Persistent issues with heating, hot water, and cell ventilation negatively impact humane treatment. Challenges in property management, reduced education, and limited resettlement opportunities further underscore areas needing urgent attention.

Year: 2025 Published: 22 Jul 2026 Type: Prison · Cat C Population: 491 Recommendations: 5 Key concerns Positive findings
Original IMB report page ↗ Ministerial response · 2 Sep 2026 ↗

Safety statistics

Incidents during reporting year
IndicatorThis yearPrevious
Deaths in custody0—
Self-harm incidents7363
ACCT cases opened102112
Prisoner assaults6551
Assaults on staff1940
Use of force247229
Drug finds3351

Positive findings

AI-generated summary
The IMB believes HMP Huntercombe is a generally safe environment, noting that individual incidents are handled appropriately by staff. The Board commends the use of specific rehabilitative programmes like Stoic, Getting Court, and Geese Theatre. They were also pleased to see the completion of the new healthcare building and noted the professionalism of staff in areas such as the segregation unit and during use of force incidents. Furthermore, positive staff-prisoner relationships, successful catering training, and effective social video calls for foreign national prisoners were highlighted.

Key concerns

7 items
Safety An increase in both prisoner-on-prisoner assaults (27% rise to 65 incidents) and self-harm incidents (from 63 to 73). Source wording under review
Estate/Conditions Repeated The persistent failure of the central heating and hot water system across the estate, an issue reported in the last four Board annual reports with no permanent solution.
Estate/Conditions Ventilation from the extraction vents in the cells during the very hot summer was totally inadequate in removing stale air. An air quality report found that not one cell met the minimum requirement of around 24 litres per second on air flow.
Other Repeated These can cause stress for prisoners and additional work for staff; when personal items are lost, this can lead to increased frustration and, at times, anger. 5.8.2 In 2025, there were 269 complaints about property (273 in 2024) out of a total of 1274 complaints in the whole prison. 5.8.3 As in previous years, complaints relating to property lost in transit or during transfer continue to reflect, to a significant extent, the lack of effective volumetric control when prisoners are moved between establishments.
Education/Purposeful Activity Repeated Reduced education provision due to funding cuts and staff changes, leading to fewer opportunities for prisoners to engage in meaningful activity and gain qualifications. Source wording under review
Resettlement/Release Repeated Limited opportunities for men at Huntercombe to undertake programmes to prepare for release or to access release on temporary licence (ROTL), exacerbated by high prisoner churn and difficulties in finding suitable employers.
Regime/Time Out of Cell The football pitch has been unavailable for use by prisoners since April 2025.

Recommendations

5 items · 3 repeated

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Ministry of Justice

The Board understands that the work required to update the heating and hot water system at Huntercombe is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice. This issue has been raised in each of the Board’s reports over the past four years. The Board, therefore, seek a clear and definitive timetable from the Minister for when all those at HMP Huntercombe will receive a consistent and reliable supply of hot water and heating?

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Estate

Recommendation 2

Addressee: HMPPS

As requested last year, when will the Prison Service ensure that all prisons consistently follow agreed procedures for all issues? The Board has, again, identified numerous areas where this is not the case, including the management of prisoner property.

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Administration

Recommendation 3

Addressee: HMPPS

As the Board has reported each year since 2021, there remains significant issues about prisoner property at transfer between prisons. As the Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework is obviously not working for prisoners, what is the Prison Service planning to do to look after prisoners’ property in a more effective way?

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Property

Recommendation 4

Addressee: Governor / Director

When will the Governor undertake a review and set out a clear plan, including timescales, to bring the football pitch back into use for the prisoners?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Regime

Recommendation 5

Addressee: Governor / Director

Will the Governor continue to review the available spaces and allocation processes, and set out actions to ensure prisoners have consistent access to meaningful activity while they are at Huntercombe?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Purposeful Activity

Applications to the IMB

CategoryCurrentPrevious
Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions 47 24
Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions 5 7
Equality 4 5

Other reports for Huntercombe

2024 Published 27 Jun 2025 Population 491 · Self-harm 63 · Concerns
2023 Published 5 Jul 2024 Population 470 · Concerns
2022 Published 20 Jun 2023 Population 469 · Self-harm 96 · Concerns
2021 Published 22 Jun 2022 Population 447 · Self-harm 100 · Concerns
2020 Published 6 Aug 2021 Population 420 · Self-harm 115 · Concerns