HMP Wandsworth facing 'grim and dysfunctional' conditions

HMP Wandsworth continues to face significant challenges, with prisoners enduring "unsafe, overcrowded, unsanitary and squalid conditions" according to the prison's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) in its 2025/26 report. Campaigners from the Wandsworth Prison Improvement Campaign (WPIC) have labelled the South London facility "grim and dysfunctional" as a result of these ongoing issues.

Persistent infrastructure failures

The IMB report highlighted persistent problems with the prison's heating and hot water systems. A "loss of service" in November last year necessitated the ordering of 1,500 extra coats, 1,000 blankets, and 2,000 instant noodles for inmates. These issues are expected to continue until the prison's plumbing and heating infrastructure is fully replaced. WPIC noted that these problems occur against a backdrop of "continuing overcrowding, ageing infrastructure, poor management of repairs and refurbishment and unacceptably high levels of sickness and unauthorised absence amongst the staff."

Further examples of systemic failures cited by WPIC include a six-month delay in replacing a dishwasher and a wing remaining closed for refurbishment for 20 months with little apparent progress. The Nightingale healthcare unit was also unable to offer dentistry services because a dentist's chair could not fit through the door.

Staffing shortages impact daily life

Staffing levels at HMP Wandsworth remain a critical concern. The IMB report found that, on average, one third of staff were absent or unavailable each day. This chronic shortage of personnel directly affects the number of prisoners who can participate in daily activities and education programmes, with staffing levels often described as "dangerously inadequate".

Prisoners are frequently confined to their cells for extended periods, with the report indicating that men are often locked up for up to 22 hours a day. Nearly 40 per cent of prisoners were allocated to no activity at all, according to the IMB's findings.

Reductions in violence and self-harm

Despite the challenging conditions, the report did note a decrease in certain negative indicators. Violence levels fell overall, with incidents of self-harm dropping from 726 in 2024/25 to 530 in the reporting period. Prisoner-on-staff assaults also decreased from 354 to 222, and the use of force by staff reduced from 1,705 incidents to 1,286.

Matthew Andrews, IMB chair, acknowledged the "commitment of a strong senior management team and a core of dedicated staff" for achieving these improvements, even amidst "ongoing and chronic staff shortages". He noted that significant management challenges persist, particularly in a remand prison with a high proportion of foreign nationals and inmates experiencing mental health issues.

Ministry of Justice response

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice stated that the government is "pulling every lever to restore order" in prisons. While acknowledging the "signs of progress at HMP Wandsworth" noted in the report, the spokesperson conceded that "more needs to be done". An independent review led by former Home Secretary Amber Rudd is underway, aiming to deliver safer prisons, enhance public safety, and reduce reoffending.

WPIC also highlighted the experiences of families, who report difficulties in obtaining information about inmates and poor conditions during visits, including unclean lavatories. The campaign group stressed the importance of family support in reducing reoffending and called for basic respect and assistance for visitors.