An inspection of Brook House Immigration Removal Centre has revealed significant concerns about the welfare of detainees and the centre’s ability to manage its population effectively.
The facility, located near Gatwick Airport, housed around 330 detainees from over 60 countries during the inspection. About 40% of detainees had no prior custodial experience.
While the removal centre is meant to detain people until they can be removed from the UK, the report revealed that 10 detainees were held for over a year, with one individual held there for more than 500 days.
The mental health of detainees was highlighted as a critical concern, with nearly half of respondents reporting mental health needs and 35% stating they had felt suicidal while in detention.
The report highlights a worrying rise in violence and self-harm since the previous inspection, attributed in part to an influx of ex-prisoners in 2023 due to overcrowded prisons. However, inspectors concluded that longstanding systemic issues were the primary drivers of instability.
Conditions at Brook House resemble those of a prison, despite the expectation that immigration detention should impose minimal restrictions. Inspectors described the environment as crowded and under-resourced, with insufficient staff to manage an increasingly vulnerable population.
A 2023 inquiry into Brook House highlighted concerns around a ‘toxic culture’ and breaches of human rights within the centre. Dr. Rachel Bingham from the charity Medical Justice told the inquiry that the conditions at Brook House created a ‘perfect storm’ for abuse and ill-treatment of vulnerable individuals. Kate Eves, the chair of that inquiry, emphasised that ‘the events that occurred at Brook House cannot be repeated’.
Despite these challenges, the new report noted some improvements, including expanded recreational activities, job opportunities, and increased communication with detainees through an active Home Office engagement team. However, these measures are overshadowed by what inspectors described as a failure to distinguish immigration detention from criminal imprisonment.
