Escalating prison officer shortage incurring monthly hotel expenses of £1 million

Prison Officer Hotel Stays Soar as Staffing Crisis Hits £1 Million Monthly Bill. Newly Obtained Figures Reveal the Extent of the Prison Officer Hotel Solution.

 

In response to a pressing staffing crisis in UK prisons, hundreds of prison officers are currently residing in hotels, incurring a staggering monthly cost of nearly £1 million, according to data unearthed by The Daily Telegraph. This measure is taken as more than 300 prison officers are routinely dispatched to cover staff shortages across various regions of England and Wales through a program known as "detached duty." These officers are accommodated in hotels while they temporarily fill vacancies within the prison system. This cost has surged significantly, skyrocketing from £1.4 million in 2020 to nearly £6 million in the first half of the current year.

 

Over the past year, the utilization of "detached duty" has doubled, marking a fourfold increase compared to 2019. This alarming trend occurs against the backdrop of overcrowded prisons, with some facilities in England and Wales operating perilously close to capacity. Andrea Albutt, President of the Prison Governors Association, an organization representing prison officers, has voiced concerns about the implications of this transient workforce of itinerant officers on security and order within prisons. She cautioned that a workforce rotating on detached duty for brief periods can disrupt the development of vital inmate-staff relationships that underpin prison safety. She explained, "Prisoners and staff rely on good relationships for their safety. When staff are on detached duty for a few weeks, they don't know the routine, and they're not as invested in the prison. Relationships are compromised, and it affects security."

 

Statistics disclosed in response to a Freedom of Information request paint a revealing picture of this practice. In 2019, an average of 79 prison officers were on detached duty in England and Wales each month. This number dipped in 2020 and 2021 as the prison population decreased during the pandemic but surged back up in 2022 to 164 officers. In January of this year, 272 officers were deployed on detached duty, with the figure steadily climbing to 388 in June. The monthly average hovers at 326 officers.

 

Analysis of the data also suggests that the £6 million figure may potentially be an underestimate. This is because it does not encompass the allowances that staff are entitled to for working away from home or the claims they can file for the time spent traveling.

 

The Johnson Partnership

Nottingham Solicitors

 

01159 419141