Source · Deaths in custody
PPO Fatal Incident Reports
6,488 incidents
5,759 published
1,642 recommendations
1,658 self-inflicted
3,411 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Report 2025 to 2026 | Annual report | Jul 2026 | |
| 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 21: Segregation | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 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 20: Epilepsy | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Nov 2025 | |
| Annual Report 2024 to 2025 | Annual report | Jul 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Handling of property complaints | Policy into Practice | Mar 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Handling of prisoners’ property | Policy into Practice | Mar 2025 | |
| Complaints Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 11: Property complaints | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 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 | |
| PPO response to JSC Tackling Drugs in Prison Inquiry | 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 2023-24 | Annual report | Jul 2024 | |
| Annual report 2022-23 | 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 |
Incidents
| Name | Establishment | Cause | Status | Date of death | Recs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual at Usk and Prescoed | HMP Usk and Prescoed | Natural | Published | 16 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Stafford | HMP Stafford | Natural | Published | 15 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Altcourse | HMP Altcourse | Homicide | Published | 14 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Nottingham | HMP Nottingham | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Wormwood Scrubs | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Self-inflicted | Published | 13 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Elmley | HMP Elmley | Self-inflicted | Published | 12 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Lewes | HMP Lewes | Natural | Published | 12 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Holme House | HMP Holme House | Self-inflicted | Published | 8 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Featherstone | HMP Featherstone | Self-inflicted | Published | 5 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Northumberland | HMP Northumberland | Natural | Published | 3 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Frankland | HMP Frankland | Natural | Published | 2 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Gartree | HMP Gartree | Natural | Published | 1 Nov 2014 | — |
| Individual at Pentonville | HMP Pentonville | Other | Published | 31 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Thameside | HMP Thameside | Natural | Published | 31 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Portland | HMP Portland | Self-inflicted | Published | 24 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Peterborough | HMP Peterborough | Natural | Published | 23 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Birmingham | HMP Birmingham | Natural | Published | 22 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Long Lartin | HMP Long Lartin | Natural | Published | 20 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Rochester | HMP Rochester | Homicide | Published | 19 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Liverpool | HMP Liverpool | Natural | Published | 15 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Woodhill | HMP Woodhill | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Nottingham | HMP Nottingham | Natural | Published | 14 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Leyhill | HMP Leyhill | Natural | Published | 13 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Wandsworth | HMP Wandsworth | Natural | Published | 11 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Leyhill | HMP Leyhill | Natural | Published | 11 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Brixton | HMP Brixton | Self-inflicted | Published | 11 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Forest Bank | HMP Forest Bank | Natural | Published | 10 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Preston | HMP Preston | Natural | Published | 8 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Preston | HMP Preston | Self-inflicted | Published | 2 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Hull | HMP Hull | Natural | Published | 1 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Rochester | HMP Rochester | Natural | Published | 1 Oct 2014 | — |
| Individual at Long Lartin | HMP Long Lartin | Self-inflicted | Published | 26 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Norwich | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 26 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 23 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Whatton | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 20 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Highpoint | HMP Highpoint | Self-inflicted | Published | 20 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Gartree | HMP Gartree | Natural | Published | 17 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Lewes | HMP Lewes | 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 Altcourse | HMP Altcourse | Self-inflicted | Published | 4 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Wakefield | HMP Wakefield | Natural | Published | 4 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Leicester | HMP Leicester | Self-inflicted | Published | 1 Sep 2014 | — |
| Individual at Northumberland | HMP Northumberland | 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 | — |