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Gallery
From Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA where not otherwise stated).
Photo by Andy Gryce via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Photo by Andy Gryce via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
UK Local prison operated by HM Prison & Probation Service. Listed in the GOV.UK Find a prison directory.
Background
HM Prison Grendon is a Category B men's prison, located near the village of Grendon Underwood, in Buckinghamshire, England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service, and is jointly managed with HMP Spring Hill which is situated next to Grendon.
Under the leadership of the excellent governor, Grendon, a therapeutic expertise and skill among the staff were much higher than other prisons, with Prisoners described excellent relationships with staff, who were there to support between leaders from health and prison backgrounds created a seamless, night – including older men or those with medical conditions – either had to put as adjudication, but by standards that were set by prisoners and staff through activity score dropped from good to not sufficiently good. Leaders had
— UK IMB Annual Report (2024) —
Safety: 4.1 Suicide and self-harm, deaths in custody There was one death in custody; the last death in custody in Grendon was in 2019. The Prisons & Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has completed its report, which will be published after the inquest (pending January 2025). There were 39 assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) plans, which was slightly up on the figure of 34 in the previous report. [...]
Respect: 5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food The fire safety improvement project continued during 2024. This required two wings to move consecutively in entirety during the reporting year. Whilst these moves were planned for, there were some issues with wings not being as expected when handed over by the contractors for occupation (e.g. cells not painted adequately; kitchen needing deep cleaning; flooding). [...]
Purposeful activity: The library is popular and well used by the men. The librarian runs literacy classes, with prisoners acting as mentors to men seeking to enhance their literacy skills. The Shannon Trust4 supports this peer-to-peer reading initiative and have trained several new mentors. There is a good range of books aimed at reading levels 1 and 2. The initial academic screening process identifies men who need [...]
Preparation for release: Grendon draws men from across the UK. Consequently, family members who wish to visit relatives in prison are often required to travel a long way. Wing family days are well organised, and men without families visiting seem happy to participate in some way, such as, for example helping to serve refreshments. There were lots of activities for children, which had been preceded by activities in the [...]
Progression: The process of transferring Grendon men to other prisons after their therapy (particularly progressive moves) can be laborious. Once a suitable onward prison has been identified for a Grendon prisoner, the associated one-for-one swap process can be lengthy and complicated, because men need to be fully assessed as suitable for Grendon prior to a transfer, and arranging transport for a one-to-one [...]
Visiting
Visits booked online via the GOV.UK Prison Visits Booking service. Photo ID required. Visit frequency varies by the inmate's IEP level.
Mailing
Format: Prisoner Name & Number, HMP Grendon, HMP Grendon Grendon Underwood Buckinghamshire HP18 0TL See map Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey .. Use Send Money to a Prisoner (GOV.UK) for funds — cash not accepted.
Practical info
The provision of education at Grendon was disappointing, and our purposeful hiatus caused by the pandemic, in which group work was not permitted, but this meant they had paid insufficient focus to education, training and work. Some prisoners told us they were bored in the afternoon and the education provider’s The education provider was simply failing to deliver a service that was good good librarian worked hard to find ways to help prisoners develop some breadth
Known issues
the histories and offences of the prisoners, and assaults and use of force were as adjudication, but by standards that were set by prisoners and staff through
Contact & address
HMP Grendon Grendon Underwood Buckinghamshire HP18 0TL See map Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey ., Buckinghamshire HP18 0TL
Higher risk than 0% of peer facilities in United Kingdom.
Capacity (beds)this: 235 · peers avg: 578 (59%)
Reports
NPM-uk-imb-purposeful-activity1 Jan 2025
Work at Grendon is predominantly therapy in groups or community meetings. Activities in the afternoon focus on education and creative psychotherapies. The lack of staff last year meant that were no land-based activities available, but a new workshop was opened for separating plastics, and with plans to create a small food-packing area to prepare breakfast packs. This is open to men who are OOT. Farms and Gardens now include morning sessions for men who are OOT. An eco- garden has been established using environmentally friendly cultivation methods to augment food for the kitchen. It has been recognised by staff that there are still too many men unoccupied on the wings in the afternoons while-off wing vacancies are not filled. All activities have to be supported or ‘backed’ (see 5.3) according to each community’s constitution. Men require backing to attend education off the wing, and this follows a prescribed process. A wing ‘special’ (see 4.4) can be called in the afternoon and this too can have a material impact on attendance at education. In 21 January, attendance was running at 56%. To improve communication between communities and the activities team, a ‘prisoner workforce planning’ meeting was introduced: attendance in June had improved to over 90% before falling back due staff sickness and disruption as a result of the change in education contracts in October. The core education contracted hours provision across HMP Springhill and neighbouring HMP Grendon has been [...]
OMU staff are allocated to each wing but staffing pressures at the end of the year could mean less presence on the wings and deprioritising of offender assessment system (OASys) reviews. At the end of the year, there were 17 men with an imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence, and 16 men are RAG rated ‘green’ i.e. the men are engaging with their sentence plan and there are no current barriers to progression. Following a negative parole hearing, one man will be supported in January by the IPP Progression Panel made up of his internal and external probation officers and the IPP probation manager. The uptake of visits has been high throughout the year for both social and remote virtual visits. In addition, there are two family days on each wing (except the assessment wing) and three children’s days (at the Christmas event 10 men had families including 16 children). Wings also organise social days and invite professional bodies to attend. The Board heard men making impressive presentations at these events about the therapeutic work at Grendon. In December, there were 64 men who have no contact with family or friends either from physical or video visits. Men are offered support from Prison Advice and Support (PACT) and Prison Visitors (see 5.8). From April, the cost of calls to all UK landlines and mobile numbers was reduced by 20%. This is welcome news for men whose wages have not kept up with the rising costs on their canteen. Two men were released in 2025 and were [...]
4.1 Suicide and self-harm, deaths in custody There were no deaths in custody in 2025. Following the death in custody in 2024, all five recommendations from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman report were implemented. This included changes to how departments and communities record and communicate issues around vulnerable men. Incidents of self-harm remained low, at 17 (28 in 2024). In November 2025, 33% of men had some history of self-harming, with approximately 66% of men recorded as never having self-harmed. In October, razor blades were replaced by electric shavers, which should make a positive contribution to safety, although staff recognise that the removal of razor blades could cause anxiety for some men. There were 30 assessment care in custody teamwork plans (ACCTs, used to support men who are at risk of self-harm and suicide) opened for the year (45 in 2024). Men told Board members that they felt supported by the process. The prison uses an analysis tool to check for quality assurance, and no particular issues were raised. 4.2 Violence and violence reduction, self-isolation There was a total of 316 intelligence reports (IRs, internal reports used to record information which may include significant threat to life, risk of serious harm to persons, or threat to the order and discipline of a prison) under the heading ‘safer custody’. There were five fights/assaults amongst men and two assaults on staff. There were 34 challenge, support and intervention plan referrals [...]
5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food Grendon has undergone a fire safety project for the past six years. D wing was the final wing to be completed, but work continues in other areas including healthcare and reception. The project has caused considerable disruption to all the communities which has been well-managed by men and staff. The handover by contractors of C wing in April was plagued with heating and electrical issues. The handover of D wing went more smoothly, but there were still issues with the night sanitation system, and men were issued with cell pots. Despite repainting across all wings, this has not been a refurbishment project, and many underlying residential issues remain. Throughout the year there were faulty urinals, leaking and blocked toilets, non-functioning showers, and issues with regulating the heating. There are currently temporary boilers on C and D wings. The original pipework and drainage system was not designed for the current population, with sewerage frequently backing up the system on one wing. Cell windows have water pooling on the ledges, which needs rectifying. GFSL (Gov Facilities Services Limited) reported a 29% increase in its ‘reactive’ caseload over the year. There were issues with the night sanitation system preventing men from accessing toilets, which resulted in men being issued with cell pots. The Board reports every year on this degrading mitigation for a system that still fails to meet basic levels of decency, in spite of the [...]
The process of transferring Grendon men to other prisons after their therapy (particularly progressive moves) can be laborious. Once a suitable onward prison has been identified for a Grendon prisoner, the associated one-for-one swap process can be lengthy and complicated, because men need to be fully assessed as suitable for Grendon prior to a transfer, and arranging transport for a one-to-one exchange can be challenging.
Grendon draws men from across the UK. Consequently, family members who wish to visit relatives in prison are often required to travel a long way. Wing family days are well organised, and men without families visiting seem happy to participate in some way, such as, for example helping to serve refreshments. There were lots of activities for children, which had been preceded by activities in the gym. Social visit days on C and D wings had been cancelled (or possibly postponed) in the previous weeks, due to too many wing incidents occurring. Most men who leave Grendon are returned to another prison to continue their sentence. In 2024, 12 men were sent directly to open prisons, a further eight were sent to other prisons, and four men were released. A man who had been granted parole and was due to be released directly from Grendon (which is a rare occurrence) spoke very positively about his experience. It was also good to note that he had a very clear idea of his domestic arrangements post-release. 21 8. The work of the IMB Board statistics Recommended complement of 14 Board members Number of Board members at 8 (which included the start of the reporting period 2 on sabbatical and 2 in training) Number of Board members at 5 (which included the end of the reporting period 2 in training) Total number of visits to the 25 visits to Grendon establishment (35 visits to Springhill) As the Board monitors two prisons and had well-below the expected complement of trained members, it [...]
4.1 Suicide and self-harm, deaths in custody There was one death in custody; the last death in custody in Grendon was in 2019. The Prisons & Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has completed its report, which will be published after the inquest (pending January 2025). There were 39 assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) plans, which was slightly up on the figure of 34 in the previous report. Around two-thirds of these men had self-harmed and approximately a third were identified as being at heightened risk of suicide. A Board member spoke to two men on ACCTs who were ‘out of therapy’ (OOT) and had differing views about the support they received: one positive and the other negative. The latter said he was not receiving the support he would have received if he was in the wider prison estate. Following the installation of in-cell phones (Jan 2024), men were able to access the Samaritans helpline more easily and more confidentially. Previously, men had to request access to the wing’s portable Samaritan phone, which had a limited range, and meant it was not always possible to have an in-cell conversation. There have been various instances across the year of cell-bell alarms not working correctly on different wings at different times. Fixing these issues as they arise is a priority for the prison. 4.2 Violence and violence reduction, self-isolation Levels of violence amongst men and staff remained low, with a low number of challenge, support and intervention plans (20 between April [...]
5.1 Accommodation, clothing, food The fire safety improvement project continued during 2024. This required two wings to move consecutively in entirety during the reporting year. Whilst these moves were planned for, there were some issues with wings not being as expected when handed over by the contractors for occupation (e.g. cells not painted adequately; kitchen needing deep cleaning; flooding). Men complained to the Board about lack of maintenance on the wings (e.g. broken tiles in toilets, damaged walls due to leaking pipes, analogue TV channels playing up, unreliable showers, lack of hot water, etc). This general sense of lack of care by contractors contributed towards a lowering of community morale. The wings were often so hot (with no ability to regulate the heating) that windows were opened - wasting energy and money. One man noted a temp of 26oC in his cell. There was flooding in one of the wings, which had leaked into some of the cells and caused damage to some residents’ property. The toilets on one of the floors were out of action and 24 portable toilets had been sourced at short notice. Men were offered the option of changing wings, but they said they wanted to stay and fix ‘their’ wing, and this specific issue was resolved with officers and men working together. Rats have been a problem on wings at various points across the year and, on occasion, in the kitchen area. Consequently, rat control experts’ visits were increased and building modifications were made to [...]
The library is popular and well used by the men. The librarian runs literacy classes, with prisoners acting as mentors to men seeking to enhance their literacy skills. The Shannon Trust4 supports this peer-to-peer reading initiative and have trained several new mentors. There is a good range of books aimed at reading levels 1 and 2. The initial academic screening process identifies men who need support with their literacy and numeracy. All who need it are entered into a supportive programme to improve their skills. The librarian is well connected and has organised reading groups, with help from the University of Bath and the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Creative writing workshops are led by published authors from outside the prison. Contributions by workshop participants are edited and occasionally published. Other examples of activities to improve literacy skills included: • New books at reading levels 1 and 2, designed for people with dyslexia, are to arrive soon; funded by BACO5. • The Shannon Trust has now trained 11 new mentors. • Monthly prison reading groups facilitated on a Saturday, with a virtual reading group organised for G wing. • Book offering for ‘first nighters’. • Poet in residence selects poems for group discussion. • The National Literacy Trust arranged for a variety of authors to give talks in the prison. • The National Literacy Trust has provided a ‘scribe’ to support a man who is unable to read or write so he can create his own book. Buckinghamshire [...]
Under the leadership of the excellent governor, Grendon, a therapeutic
community in Buckinghamshire, continued to be a unique, pioneering jail.
Prisoners, many of whom were serving indeterminate or life sentences and who
had extremely troubled pasts, made remarkable progress in an environment in
which therapy ran through every aspect of life in the prison. The levels of
expertise and skill among the staff were much higher than other prisons, with
the well-trained and supported officers critical to its success. Therapy was not
limited to the hour-long daily sessions but was woven into almost all activities.
Prisoners described excellent relationships with staff, who were there to support
them through an often long and painful journey to make sense of their past and
learn to regulate their emotions and behaviour in the future. Close cooperation
between leaders from health and prison backgrounds created a seamless,
therapeutic offer, with a shared set of goals and values across the different
disciplines.
These achievements happened despite taking place in a building which looked
old and, in places, dilapidated. A programme of refurbishment was slowly
improving the fabric of the jail, including the showers, but there continued to be
night sanitation which meant that prisoners who needed to use the lavatory at
night – including older men or those with medical conditions – either had to put
up with long waits, or use a plastic pot, some of which did not even have a lid.
There were no sinks in the cells, so prisoners were unable to wash their hands.
The prison was one of the safest in the country, which was remarkable given
the histories and offences of the prisoners, and assaults and use of force were
very rare. Discipline was maintained not through traditional prison systems such
as adjudication, but by standards that were set by prisoners and staff through
democratic meetings in which sanctions could be imposed. Prisoners were
allocated jobs on the wing as part of their responsibility to the community, but
many complained that the part-time wages were not adequate for those who
had no other source of income, with recent price rises giving them even less to
spend.
Some of the outdoor areas of the prison were neglected; gardens had become
overgrown and paving was cracked or crumbling. This was a missed
opportunity to involve more prisoners in maintenance.
The provision of education at Grendon was disappointing, and our purposeful
activity score dropped from good to not sufficiently good. Leaders had
understandably focused on reinstating the therapeutic community after the
hiatus caused by the pandemic, in which group work was not permitted, but this
meant they had paid insufficient focus to education, training and work. Some
prisoners told us they were bored in the afternoon and the education provider’s
own assessment showed there was a widespread hunger to do vocational
training, even for those who had substantial time left to serve.
The education provider was simply failing to deliver a service that was good
enough, and this was not helped by ongoing vacancies. The teaching of reading
was non-existent, except through a third-sector organisation, although the very
good librarian worked hard to find ways to help prisoners develop some breadth
in their reading. The wing for prisoners with learning difficulties provided an
adapted therapeutic programme to support prisoners, but the environment did
not reflect their needs. For example, notices on the wall contained dense print
and there was no use of adaptations such as a visual timetable. Many prisoners
rarely went outside, and despite the inspection taking place in good weather,
only a quarter were using the exercise yard. Prisoners were inexplicably not
allowed to use the wing gardens that contained some good quality exercise
equipment. Opportunities for team sports were limited and nothing had replaced
