London Gatwick Airport, Gatwick

Brook House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC)

United Kingdom

Status

In use

2023

Type: Immigration detention centre (Administrative)

Custodial Authority: UK Visas and Immigration

Management: Serco (Private For-Profit)

Detains: Adult men, Asylum seekers (administrative), Undocumented migrants (administrative)

Capacity Reported population Deaths at facility
448
395

1 April 2011

Yes

17 November 2023

United Kingdom

23,970

Migration Detainees

1

Deaths in Detention

To country overview

Opened in 2009, Brook House is a privately-managed male-only immigration detention centre in the grounds of Gatwick Airport. Previously run by G4S, as of May 2020 the centre is managed by Serco on behalf of the Home Office. The centre has a history of mistreatment complaints. In particular, in 2017 the facility made headlines when a BBC "Panorama" episode broadcast covert footage showing staff mocking, abusing, and assaulting immigration detainees. The episode also revealed widespread self-harm and suicide attempts within the facility. In 2022, an unannounced inspection by HM Inspectorate of Prisons found a facility that was overcrowded, exposing detainees to "unacceptably long" detention periods, and an environment wholly unsuitable for immigration detainees.

FACILITY NAMES
Brook House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC)
Location

Country: United Kingdom

City & Region: London Gatwick Airport, Gatwick, Europe

Latitude, Longitude: 51.1522168043, -0.1874542236

Contact Information
Brook House IRC Perimeter Road
South London
Gatwick Airport Gatwick RH6 0PQ
UK Tel: 01293 566500 Tel: 01293 566559 (to arrange visits) Fax: 01293 566590

MANAGEMENT & BUDGET

Center Status

Status In use

2023

Status In use

2020

Status Last documented use

2016

Status In use

2015
Facility type

Category Filter Administrative

Type Immigration detention centre

2011
National typology

Name Immigration Removal Centre (IRC)

2015
Management

Name Serco

Type Private For-Profit

2020

Name G4S Group

Type Private For-Profit

2016

Name G4S Group

Type Private For-Profit

2013

Name G4S Group

Type Private For-Profit

2011
Custodial Authorities

Agency UK Visas and Immigration

Ministry Home Office

Ministry Typology Interior or Home Affairs

2011
Outsourced services and non-state actors

Provider Practice Plus

Service Health care

2024

Provider Serco

Service Education or training

2022

Provider Mitie

Service Detainee transport

2022

Provider Practice Plus Group

Service Health care

2022

Provider G4S Group

Service Health care

2016

Provider Tascor

Service Detainee transport

2013

Provider G4S Group

Service Health care

2013

Provider G4S Group

Service Education or training

2013

Provider G4S Group

Service Management

2013

Provider Reliance

Service Detainee transport

2011

Provider Saxonbrook Medical (Crawley)

Service Health care

2011

Provider G4S Group

Service Education or training

2011
Operating Period

Year of Entry 2009

DETAINEES

Demographics

Name Adult men

2022

Name Adult men

2019

Name Adult men

2011

Name Adult men

2010
Categories of detainees

Name Asylum seekers (administrative)

2019

Name Asylum seekers (administrative)

2011

Name Undocumented migrants (administrative)

2011
Countries of Origin

Country #1 Albania

Country #2 India

Country #3 Poland

Country #4 Romania

Country #5 Bangladesh

2023

Country #1 Albania

Country #2 Brazil

Country #3 Romania

Country #4 Afghanistan

Country #5 India

2022

SIZE & POPULATION

Capacity (specialised migration-related facility)

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 448

2023

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 450

2022

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 448

2019

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 448

2016

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 448

2013

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 426

2011

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 426

2010
Facility Occupancy Rate (year)

Percentage 47

2020
Facility Average Daily Population (year)

Number 95

2020

Number 242

2019

Number 292

2018
Total Migration Detainees: Entries + Remaining from Previous Year

Number 2716

2022
Migration Detainee Entries

Number 2570

2022
Reported Single-Day Migration Detainee Population at Facility (day)
Number
Date
395
1 April 2011
421
30 May 2013
406
20 September 2011
239
29 December 2019
344
16 June 2022
316
30 September 2023
262
30 September 2022
Number of men detained on single day
Number
Date
262
30 September 2022
189
31 March 2023
161
31 December 2022
Reports of Detainee Overpopulation at Facility

Reported Overpopulation No

2019

LENGTH OF DETENTION

Detention Timeframe (long, medium, short)

Length Medium-term (4-20 days)

2022

Length Long-term (more than 20 days)

2022

Length Long-term (more than 20 days)

2019

Length Long-term (more than 20 days)

2011
Overstays

Reported Overstays Yes

2019

Reported Overstays Yes

2013

OUTCOMES

Percentage of Detainees Released (year)

Percentage 53

2020

Percentage 44

2019
Percentage of Detainees Transferred (year)

Percentage 19

2019
Percentage of Detainees Deported (year)

Percentage 37

2019

CONDITIONS

Overall Inspection Score

Minimum Standards (“Good,” “Acceptable,” or “Meets Standards”)

2019
Inadequate conditions

Overcrowding

2022

Ventilation

2022

Recreation

2022

Access to telephones

2022

Medical care

2019

Escorts and Removals

2013

Ventilation

2013

Showers and toilets

2013

Hygiene

2013

Medical care

2013

Food provision

2013

Freedom of movement within facility

2013

Outdoor exercise

2013

Escorts and Removals

2011

Ventilation

2011

Cell space

2011

Showers and toilets

2011

Food provision

2011

Recreation

2011

Freedom of movement within facility

2011

CARCERAL INDICATORS

Carceral Environment

Yes

2022
External Security Regime

Secure

2011

STAFF

Mistreatment Reports

Yes

2019

Yes

2017

Yes

2013

SEGREGATION

Gender Segregation

Not Applicable

2019

Not Applicable

2011
Age Segregation

Not Applicable

2019

Not Applicable

2011
Legal Segregation

Not Applicable

2019

Not Applicable

2011
Family Segregation

Not Applicable

2019

Not Applicable

2011

CELLS

Security/Isolation Cells

Yes

2019

COMMUNAL SPACE & ACTIVITIES

Outdoor Space

Yes

2019
Hours Outdoor Space Accessible

8

2019
Activities/Education for Children

Yes

2019
Skills Development for Adults

Yes

2019
Language Classes

Yes

2019
Possibility to Prepare Own Meals

Yes

2019
Remunerated Work

Yes

2019

HEALTH

Medical Screening upon Arrival (within 48 hours)

Yes

2024

Yes

2019
Psychological Evaluation upon Arrival

Yes

2019
Doctor on Duty

At least once a week

2019
Nurse on Duty

Daily

2024

At least once a week

2019
Psychologist Visits

No regular visits

2024

No regular visits

2022

At least once a week

2019
Reports of Deaths
Name of deceased individual
Date of death
N.A.
17 November 2023
N.A.
Reports of self-harming
Self harm reported
Incident/Report date
Yes
31 December 2020
Yes
29 December 2019
Yes
2 January 2013

MONITORING & ACCESS

Lawyer Access

Yes

2019
Monitors & Civil Society Access
Access?
Type of Institution
Obsv. Date
Yes
National non-governmental groups
2020
Yes
International Committee of the Red Cross
2020
Yes
National ombudsman or human rights institution
2020
Yes
National non-governmental groups
2013
Yes
Bar associations or similar
2013
Family Access

Yes

2019

Yes

2013

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Access to Telephones

Yes

2019
Free Outgoing Local Calls

Yes

2019
Receiving Calls

Yes

2019
Computer Access

Yes (unrestricted)

2019
Internet Access

Yes (with restrictions)

2019
Access to Personal Cell Phones

Yes (with restrictions)

2019