Source · Deaths in custody
PPO Fatal Incident Reports
6,401 incidents
5,674 published
1,165 recommendations
1,633 self-inflicted
3,373 natural causes
Deaths in custody investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. 26% of deaths are self-inflicted. Source: PPO.
Top recommendation themes
Learning & thematic publications
| Title | Type | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPO response to JSC Inquiry into Children and Young Adults in the Secure Estate | Consultation response | Jun 2026 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 22: Self-inflicted deaths in reception prisons | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 2026 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 21: Segregation | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 2026 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 20: Epilepsy | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Nov 2025 | |
| Annual Report 2024 to 2025 | Annual report | Jul 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Handling of prisoners’ property | Policy into Practice | Mar 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Handling of property complaints | Policy into Practice | Mar 2025 | |
| Complaints Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 11: Property complaints | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 2025 | |
| PPO response to JSC Tackling Drugs in Prison Inquiry | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| PPO response to JHAC Inquiry into Prison Culture | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| PPO response to JSC inquiry into Rehabilitation and Resettlement | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Emergency Response | Policy into Practice | Jan 2025 | |
| PPO response to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024/25 call for evidence | Consultation response | Jan 2025 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 19: Post-release death investigations 2 | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Jul 2024 | |
| Annual report 2022-23 | Annual report | Jul 2024 | |
| Annual Report 2023-24 | Annual report | Jul 2024 | |
| Policy into practice: Use of force | Policy into Practice | Feb 2024 | |
| PPO response to the inquiry into prison population and capacity | Consultation response | Nov 2023 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 18: Self-inflicted deaths of IPP prisoners | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Sep 2023 | |
| Investigating deaths after release from prison – a pilot evaluation | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Jan 2023 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 17: Post-release death investigations | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Jan 2023 | |
| PPO response to the inquiry into the Prison Operational Workforce | Consultation response | Jan 2023 | |
| Annual Report 2021-22 | Annual report | Oct 2022 | |
| Policy into Practice: Use of restraints on escort | Policy into Practice | Sep 2022 | |
| PPO Response to the Inquiry into IPP sentences | Consultation response | Jan 2022 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 16: Second wave COVID-19 related deaths | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Dec 2021 | |
| Annual Report 2020-21 | Annual report | Sep 2021 | |
| PPO responses to the Inquiry into Women in Prison | Consultation response | Aug 2021 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 15: COVID-19 PPO fatal incident investigations | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Feb 2021 | |
| Complaints Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 10: COVID-19 PPO Complaints | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Dec 2020 |
Incidents
| Name | Establishment | Cause | Status | Date of death | Recs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual at Gartree | HMP Gartree | Natural | Published | 17 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Leeds | HMP Leeds | Self-inflicted | Published | 16 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Manchester | HMP Manchester | Natural | Published | 16 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Durham | HMP Durham | Other | Published | 14 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Drake Hall | HMP Drake Hall | Natural | Published | 10 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Morton Hall IRC | IRC Morton Hall IRC | Self-inflicted | Published | 6 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Wandsworth | HMP Wandsworth | Self-inflicted | Published | 6 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Wakefield | HMP Wakefield | Natural | Published | 4 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Altcourse | HMP Altcourse | Self-inflicted | Published | 4 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Northumberland | HMP Northumberland | Self-inflicted | Published | 1 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Leicester | HMP Leicester | Self-inflicted | Published | 1 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Whitemoor | HMP Whitemoor | Self-inflicted | Published | 1 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Bedford | HMP Bedford | Natural | Published | 31 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Usk and Prescoed | HMP Usk and Prescoed | Natural | Published | 30 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Peterborough | HMP Peterborough | Self-inflicted | Published | 28 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Durham | HMP Durham | Self-inflicted | Published | 28 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Woodhill | HMP Woodhill | Natural | Published | 25 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Frankland | HMP Frankland | Natural | Published | 25 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Elmley | HMP Elmley | Natural | Published | 22 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Hewell | HMP Hewell | Other | Published | 17 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Leeds | HMP Leeds | Natural | Published | 14 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Exeter | HMP Exeter | Natural | Published | 12 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at High Down | HMP High Down | Natural | Published | 12 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Humber | HMP Humber | Self-inflicted | Published | 8 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Norwich | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 5 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Whatton | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 4 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Northumberland | HMP Northumberland | Natural | Published | 3 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Altcourse | HMP Altcourse | Other | Published | 2 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Littlehey | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 2 Aug 2014 | — |
| Individual at Wandsworth | HMP Wandsworth | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Holme House | HMP Holme House | Natural | Published | 29 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Exeter | HMP Exeter | Natural | Published | 29 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Wandsworth | HMP Wandsworth | Other | Published | 28 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Leeds | HMP Leeds | Natural | Published | 26 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Holloway | HMP Holloway | Self-inflicted | Published | 22 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Hull | HMP Hull | Natural | Published | 21 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Hull | HMP Hull | Natural | Published | 21 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Manchester | HMP Manchester | Natural | Published | 20 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Hewell | HMP Hewell | Natural | Published | 19 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Wakefield | HMP Wakefield | Natural | Published | 16 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Belmarsh | HMP Belmarsh | Natural | Published | 14 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Whatton | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 13 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Bronzefield | HMP Bronzefield | Natural | Published | 12 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Risley | HMP Risley | Natural | Published | 11 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Gartree | HMP Gartree | Natural | Published | 10 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Whitemoor | HMP Whitemoor | Natural | Published | 8 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Preston | HMP Preston | Natural | Published | 8 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Wymott | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 4 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at North Sea Camp | HMP North Sea Camp | Natural | Published | 2 Jul 2014 | — |
| Individual at Whatton | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 2 Jul 2014 | — |