Government pays out over £50k for injury complaints made by prisoners at HMP Aylesbury

These incidents included compensation claims made by prisoners who were injured by staff members at the Buckinghamshire institution.

Legal Expert has released findings showing the number of injury claims made by prisoners at the institution during a five-year period.

Between 2020 and 2024, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has paid out a total of £51,147 for injury claims made by prisoners at HMP Aylesbury, with the majority described as ‘staff-on-prisoner.’

In 2020, the MoJ forked out £12,000 settling prisoner-on-prisoner injury claims related to inmates at HMP Aylesbury.

Next year, £5,000 was paid to settle staff-on-prisoner claims, as well as a further £31,000 the year after and £2,500 in 2023.

An extra £647 was also paid in 2022 in compensation for prisoners’ claims classed as ‘other personal injury.’

Legal expert has linked the injury incidents to the record overcrowding being experienced in prisons throughout the UK.

According to the latest data released by the Government, here are only just over 1,000 spaces left in men’s prisons.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "Our jails are overcrowded, have been neglected for too long, and our hardworking staff are over-stretched. By addressing this crisis, we can begin the work of improving prison conditions to reduce the need for compensation claims and ensure taxpayer money is spent more effectively.

“The Government is investing in prison maintenance and security, and prisoners who are violent towards staff or other prisoners will face the full consequences of their actions.”

National figures, also obtained by Legal Expert via Freedom of Information requests, show that an eye-watering £9.8m was paid out in compensation during the same time period.

The most common injuries were from prison bunk beds - resulting in £4.5m being paid to inmate claimants since 2022.

Some £2.8m was paid in damages settling claims related to slips, trips and falls and a further £446K was paid for asbestos-related injuries.

Legal Expert solicitor Lucy Parker said: “Prisoners, like anyone else, have a right to their safety while incarcerated.

“When they are injured due to negligence, whether it's at the hands of an officer, a slip and fall, or inadequate safety measures, they have the right to seek compensation and to get legal advice on their case.”