(HARMONDSWORTH, UNITED KINGDOM) — More than 100 people held in UK immigration removal centres published a report on January 9, 2026 alleging they have been subjected to extreme physical, psychological, and emotional abuse at Harmondsworth and Brook House.
Summary of detainees’ allegations
detainees accused guards of intimidating, humiliating, and physically assaulting people in custody. They also described what they said were severe failings in healthcare inside the two centres.
The report, produced by detainees and published by news outlets including Byline Times on January 9, 2026, said some people were denied access to legal representation and held in what detainees called “arbitrary and discriminatory” detention.
Detainees reported that fear and uncertainty were driving a rapid deterioration in mental health, and that suicidal thoughts were “alarmingly common.”
Home Office response
A UK Home Office spokesperson said:
“We take the welfare and safety of people in our care very seriously and it is vital that detention and removals are carried out with dignity and respect.”
The spokesperson’s statement did not address the specific allegations in the detainee report.
Specific allegations on healthcare
The January 9 report set out multiple allegations concerning healthcare, including claims that serious medical needs were ignored or dismissed.
- Detainees wrote that severe mental health issues went untreated.
- One account described a Syrian man with bullet wounds who was allegedly denied hospital treatment for weeks and given only paracetamol.
The report echoed concerns about unmet health needs and described repeated failures to respond to both physical and mental health problems.
Allegations of forced transfers and legal barriers
several detainees alleged they were taken to France against their will under what the report called a “One In, One Out” scheme, described as a reciprocal agreement between the UK and France. They said transfers happened before legal claims could be processed.
The report also described legal obstacles:
- Many people were reportedly unable to obtain legal representation while detained.
- Detainees characterised detention decisions as arbitrary and discriminatory, linking those claims to the distress described inside the centres.
Context: prior inspections and inquiries
These allegations add to longstanding scrutiny of UK detention conditions and follow earlier official findings about Harmondsworth and Brook House.
- Independent inspectors previously described conditions at Harmondsworth as the “worst inspectors have ever seen” in July 2024, citing “dilapidated” living areas and pervasive drug use.
- A public inquiry into Brook House previously identified 19 instances of mistreatment that violated the European Convention on Human Rights, including the “inappropriate use of force” and a “toxic” staff culture.
- The Home Office acknowledged “failings in both oversight and governance to protect the welfare of detained individuals.” This acknowledgment was made on September 19, 2023, in the context of earlier reports of abuse at Brook House.
Independent and international findings
Conditions in detention—particularly healthcare and oversight—have repeatedly featured in official and independent assessments.
- UK independent inspectors, including HMI Prisons, published detailed findings on Harmondsworth, including the July 2024 assessment cited above.
- The charity Medical Justice, in an annual review in 2025, reported:
- 82% of its assessed clients in UK detention were survivors of torture
- 91% exhibited symptoms of PTSD
- The charity also said clinical safeguards frequently failed to trigger detainees’ release
Table: Medical Justice (2025) snapshot
| Stat | Figure |
|---|---|
| Survivors of torture (assessed clients) | 82% |
| Clients with PTSD symptoms | 91% |
- The U.S. Department of State’s annual human rights assessment said: “Prison and detention center conditions were overcrowded, with limited purposeful activities for detainees, low quality healthcare, and minimal rehabilitation opportunities.” The assessment appears in a report accessible through the State Department’s website.
Impact and recurring themes
The detainee report framed abuse allegations as both physical and emotional, describing humiliation and intimidation alongside claims of assault.
- It portrayed an environment in which people feared sudden decisions about their cases.
- Uncertainty about outcomes was described as feeding mental distress.
- By focusing on Harmondsworth and Brook House, the report revived attention on two facilities that have repeatedly been cited in inspections and inquiries.
Wider context on detention policy scrutiny
The report’s publication comes as detention policies and conditions remain contentious in multiple countries, with scrutiny often focusing on:
- Healthcare
- Oversight
- Safeguards for vulnerable people
The State Department’s assessment of the UK pointed to overcrowding, limited activities, low-quality healthcare, and minimal rehabilitation opportunities in prisons and detention centres.
Separately, the assessment referenced a U.S. debate over immigration detention conditions, noting that in the United States, DHS faced scrutiny in January 2026 over record-high detention levels and reports of “deteriorating conditions” in ICE facilities, with 32 deaths in custody reported for the preceding year (2025).
Current status and significance
Harmondsworth and Brook House remain focal points for campaigners, inspectors, and official reviews. Repeated questions persist over how detention is managed and how health and welfare are protected.
The January 9, 2026 detainee report added fresh testimony to those concerns, describing a daily reality of fear, humiliation, and unmet medical needs in UK Immigration Removal Centres.
More than 100 detainees in UK removal centres have published a report alleging systemic physical and psychological abuse. The document cites severe healthcare neglect, limited legal access, and a culture of intimidation at Harmondsworth and Brook House. Despite official assurances of safety, independent findings from HMI Prisons and Medical Justice corroborate a deteriorating environment marked by high trauma rates, toxic staff culture, and dilapidated infrastructure.
