Guidance

Detained individuals' cash on escorts (accessible version)

Updated 13 September 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procedure-when-escorting-detainees-with-cash/detainees-cash-on-escorts-accessible-version

09 2024

Document details

  • Process: To outline the guidance to be taken by Detainee Custody Officers when escorting detained individuals with cash.
  • Implementation date: 09 2024
  • Review date: 09 2026
  • Version: 4

Contains mandatory instructions

  • For action: All Home Office staff and contracted service providers operating in immigration removal centres, short-term holding facilities and escorting suppliers.
  • For information: N/A
  • Author and unit: Sunil Patel, Detention Services
  • Owner: Fiona Larkin, Head of Escorting Operations
  • Contact point: Detention Services Order Team: DSOConsultation@homeoffice.gov.uk
  • Processes affected: The handling of detained individuals’ cash during escorts
  • Assumptions: N/A
  • Notes: N/A

Instruction

Introduction

1. This Detention Services Order (DSO) outlines the guidance to be followed by Detainee Custody Officers (DCO) when escorting detained individuals with cash in their possession.

2. All references in this DSO to “centre” include immigration removal centres, residential short-term holding facilities and pre-departure accommodation.

3. This guidance does not apply to residential holding rooms (RHRs) or non-residential short-term holding facilities.

4. Two different Home Office teams operate in IRCs:

  • Detention Services Compliance team (Compliance team)
  • Immigration Enforcement Detention Engagement team (DET)

The Compliance team are responsible for all on-site commercial and contract monitoring work. The DETs interact with detained individuals face-to-face on behalf of responsible officers within the IRCs. They focus on communicating and engaging with people detained at IRCs, serving paperwork on behalf of caseworkers and helping them to understand their cases and detention.

There are no DETs at RSTHFs, or the Gatwick PDA. Some of the functions which are the responsibility of the DET in IRCs, are instead carried out by the contracted service provider and overseen by the International and Returns Services (IRS) Escorting Contract Monitoring Team (ECMT) in RSTHFs. In the Gatwick PDA, the local Compliance Team cover the role of detained individual engagement.

Purpose

5. The purpose of this DSO is to ensure that escorting officers know of the circumstances in which the discharging officer must remove cash from the detained individual prior to escort. It is also for the information of other DCOs operating from reception and discharge areas of centres.

Procedures

6. Cash will normally be removed from detained individuals on transfer between centres; on escort to a bail hearing; on initial detention; and on removal.

7. When removing cash from an individual, staff should take extra care to clearly explain that the cash will be returned to the resident on transfer or release. This should include the use of a translator if necessary to ensure comprehension.

8. This must be placed in a clear sealed property bag with a serial number and the corresponding seal number recorded on the detained individuals’ property record cards.

9. At the point of departure, cash will be handed to the escorting officers by the discharging officers, in a clear sealed property bag prior to the escort taking place. The total amount should be recorded on the sealed bag and endorsed by the discharging officer.

10. A formal record of the handover should be made on the Escort Handover Details page of the Person Escort Record (PER) and the cash in a sealed bag should be, where such a box is available, secured in the specially provided cash box fitted to the escort vehicles.

11. In rare circumstances, a detained individual should be allowed to keep a small amount of their cash in their possession. The amount of cash is decided on a case-by-case basis by the discharging officer (this amount should not include coins). This guidance must be used in conjunction with DSO 06/2012 Management of Property.

12. Detained individuals on escort from a centre for any other reason (e.g., interview at an embassy) and where they are returning to the same location will not be allowed to take cash, unless there is a clear requirement for the detained individual to have cash in their possession. In such cases, only the required amount will be allowed.

Self-audit

13. An annual self-audit of this DSO is required by contracted service providers to ensure that the processes are being followed. This audit should be made available to the Home Office on request.

Revision history

Review date Reviewed by Review outcome Next review
September 2013 Phil Schoenenberger Amended process details. September 2015
March 2015 Frances Hardy Amended branding. March 2017
September 2017 Jose Domingos Reformat October 2019
June 2020 S Ali Minor update to wording June 2022
September 2024 S Patel Minor content changes and formatting and self-audit inclusion September 2026
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