Prisons left in disrepair for months and allow tidal wave of drugs inside lock-ups, report finds

Broken X-ray scanners and smashed window grilles leave prisons exposed to drug deliveries using drones and other methods.

A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) said HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has "significantly underspent on security measures."

The NAO identified that the poor state of defence systems has made prisons across the country vulnerable to drones.

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Around half of all prisoners had a drug problem as of April 2025, and easy access to substances is said to be crippling HMPPS's ability to keep control and rehabilitate offenders.

The NAO'S head, Gareth Davies, said: "The proliferation of illicit drugs in prisons undermines rehabilitation, damages health, and destabilises prison environments, yet too many of the basic controls and interventions are not being done well enough – from repairing critical security equipment to aligning health and operational priorities.

"Our recommendations are designed to help the prison and health services direct resources to where they can have the greatest impact on this serious problem."

The NAO said HMPPS spent only 75 per cent of its £100 million security investment programme budget between 2019-20 and 2021-22, with the largest underspend in gate security.

Prison governors have reported not having enough money to fix broken security equipment, the watchdog said, with X-ray scanners not being repaired for many months and window security improvements taking several years.

Tom Wheatley, president of the Prison Governors Association, said inmates will "bend, break and burn" window grilles to allow drugs and other contraband to be delivered.

He said: "The grilles are not being immediately replaced, and those cells are not being taken out of action because we can’t afford to do that and because prisons are full.

"That cell is now vulnerable to contraband being delivered through the window, but there’s very little you can do about it."

He added: "The prison governors have no money in their budget for the maintenance of prison buildings. Prison buildings are maintained by the Ministry of Justice."

Prisons minister Lord Timpson said: "This report exposes yet further failings in the prison system we inherited, with underinvestment in security contributing to the unacceptable levels of drugs behind bars.“We are taking decisive action to grip this crisis, investing £40 million to bolster security, including anti-drone measures like reinforced windows and specialist netting to keep contraband out.

"But I know more must be done. That is why we’re also boosting the support provided to offenders to overcome their addictions, funding substance-free units and deploying specialist staff across the estate to tackle drug use."

According to a separate report, the probation service is being pushed to the brink of collapse.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the number of prisoners recalled is at an all-time high.

Probation staff have been left feeling "alienated" under the strain of heavy workloads, with officers estimated to have been working on average at 118 per cent capacity for several years, the PAC said.