This covers complaints involving:

• prisons
• prison officers
• governors
• healthcare in prison
• visits problems
• parole issues
• segregation
• adjudications
• discrimination
• safety failures
• violence
• property loss
• sentence management
• recall issues
• probation complaints
• prison transfer problems
• safeguarding failures

Main authority: HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS)

Official complaints page:
HMPPS complaints procedure

FIRST: Decide if this is a COMPLAINT or an APPEAL

This is critical.

A. COMPLAINT = poor treatment / bad service

Examples:

• officer misconduct
• bullying
• lost property
• medical neglect
• failure to protect
• discrimination
• delayed mail
• delayed visits
• unsafe conditions
• segregation issues
• poor complaint handling
• parole admin failures
• probation failures

This uses the prison complaint route.

B. APPEAL = challenge to a decision

Examples:

• adjudication punishment
• parole refusal
• recall decision
• category decision
• segregation decision
• ROTL refusal
• sentence calculation dispute

This may require:

• internal appeal
• parole review
• judicial review
• solicitor action

Often BOTH complaint + legal challenge are needed.

PART 1 — PRISONER INTERNAL COMPLAINT PROCESS

STAGE 1 — COMP 1 Complaint Form

Most prisons use:

COMP 1

This is the standard prisoner complaint form.

You complete:

• name
• prisoner number
• wing/location
• complaint details
• what outcome you want

Then place it in the locked complaints box.

Prison guidance confirms this process.

About complaint forms:
Making a complaint in prison guide

RESPONSE TIME

Usually:

within 5 working days

If delayed, they should issue an interim reply.

STAGE 2 — COMP 1A Appeal Form

If unhappy with Stage 1:

Use:

COMP 1A

This is the appeal/escalation form.

Both COMP1 and COMP1A should be available on the wing.

SPECIAL RULE

Always keep the detachable receipt slip

This proves the complaint was submitted.

Very important.

PART 2 — COMPLAIN TO THE GOVERNOR

If serious:

Write directly to:

The Governor

Examples:

• violence ignored
• serious staff misconduct
• discrimination
• safeguarding failures
• corruption concerns
• urgent protection issues

Clearly mark:

FORMAL COMPLAINT

Include:

• prisoner number
• dates
• names
• witnesses
• medical evidence
• incident details
• requested action

PART 3 — PRISONS AND PROBATION OMBUDSMAN (PPO)

If internal prison complaints fail:

Escalate to:

Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO)

Official site:
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman

Complaint page:
PPO complaints

IMPORTANT RULE

You MUST first complete:

the full internal prison complaints process

before PPO will investigate. PPO confirms this.

TIME LIMIT

Usually:

within 3 months

after the prison’s final response.

PPO guidance confirms this.

PPO CONTACT DETAILS

Email:
mail@ppo.gov.uk

Address:
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
Third Floor
10 South Colonnade
London
E14 4PU

Phone:
020 7633 4100

Official contact page:
PPO contact details

RULE 39 PROTECTION

Letters to PPO are usually treated as:

Rule 39 Confidential Mail

They should not be opened/read by prison staff.

This is extremely important.

PART 4 — PRISON HEALTHCARE COMPLAINTS

If the issue is:

• medication failures
• GP refusal
• mental health neglect
• self-harm prevention failures
• hospital access issues

Use BOTH:

prison complaint + NHS complaint

because prison healthcare is often NHS-run.

You may also escalate to the NHS complaints route.

PART 5 — PAROLE BOARD COMPLAINTS

If your complaint is about:

• parole admin failures
• hearing delays
• poor handling

Use:

Parole Board for England and Wales complaints procedure

Official page:
Parole Board complaints procedure

This is separate from challenging parole decisions.

PART 6 — PROBATION COMPLAINTS

If the issue is:

• probation officer conduct
• recall handling
• supervision failures
• approved premises issues

Use:

Probation Service complaints route first

Official page:
Probation Service complaints procedure

Then PPO if unresolved.

PART 7 — JUDICIAL REVIEW (High Court)

For unlawful prison decisions:

Examples:

• unlawful segregation
• unlawful recall
• unlawful parole decisions
• serious rights breaches
• dangerous failures by prison authorities

Use:

Judicial Review

This is High Court work and usually needs a solicitor urgently.

Especially important for:

• release issues
• segregation
• human rights breaches
• emergency safeguarding

PART 8 — COMPENSATION CLAIMS

Possible for:

• assault
• negligence
• medical negligence
• unlawful detention
• discrimination
• property loss
• human rights breaches

Often requires:

• solicitor
• pre-action letter
• civil claim
•  

PART 9 — FINAL OMBUDSMAN ROUTE

If still unresolved after PPO:

Possible escalation to:

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Official site:
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Usually requires:

MP referral

Find your MP:
Find Your MP

WHAT TO ASK FOR

Always request:

• safeguarding review
• protection from staff/prisoners
• transfer if necessary
• correction of records
• restoration of property
• compensation
• healthcare review
• independent investigation
• written apology
• urgent governor review
• suspension of unsafe decisions

VERY IMPORTANT RULE

Always send COPIES, not original documents, in case they are not returned.

Never send originals unless specifically required.

Keep:

• complaint slips
• healthcare records
• witness details
• incident reports
• adjudication papers
• legal correspondence
• solicitor letters
• proof of posting
• complaint timeline

This is critical.

Strong Advice

For serious prison cases:

Use BOTH

formal complaint + legal challenge

where appropriate.

Many people wrongly use only one.

Often you need both.