Immigration Detention Inspections
HMIP Healthy Establishment assessments of 10 Immigration Removal Centres and Short-Term Holding Facilities. 16 inspections tracked. Data from hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk.
HMIP inspects IRCs using the same Healthy Establishment framework as prisons, scoring Safety, Respect, Activities, and Preparation for removal/release on a 1–4 scale.
5 of 16 inspections recorded safety scores of "Poor" or "Not sufficiently good" — indicating serious concerns about detainee welfare.
Highest-rated facility in the latest inspection is Dungavel House IRC (Safety: 4/4); lowest-rated is Yarl's Wood IRC (Safety: 2/4).
Direction of change: 1 improved, 2 declined in safety since the previous inspection.
Post-2022, HMIP shifted from numbered recommendations to key concerns (up to 15 per report). Across 16 inspections, 109 concerns have been raised. The Home Office responds via Service Improvement Plans.
Score distribution & trend
Facilities at a glance
| Facility | Safety | Respect | Activities | Removal prep | Trend | Last inspected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yarl's Wood IRC | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | Jun 2023 |
| Colnbrook IRC | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | Jan 2025 |
| Morton Hall IRC | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | — | Oct 2019 |
| Tinsley House IRC | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | Apr 2023 |
| Derwentside IRC | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ↑ Improved | Sep 2025 |
| Dungavel House IRC | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | — | Aug 2025 |
| Brook House IRC | — | — | — | — | — | Jul 2025 |
| Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre | — | — | — | — | — | Jan 2025 |
| Harmondsworth IRC | — | — | — | — | — | Feb 2025 |
| Residential short-term holding facilities at Larne House, Manchester and Swinderby STHF | — | — | — | — | — | Jul 2025 |
| Scores: 4 = Good, 3 = Reasonably good, 2 = Not sufficiently good, 1 = Poor. — = not scored (IRP or STHF assessment). | ||||||