How conditions within immigration removal centres in the United Kingdom affect the mental wellbeing of detainees: a scoping review

Background Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) are used to detain people for immigration control by the UK government. This scoping review aims to examine the experiences of detainees within UK IRCs, specifically how conditions within them, including the regime, affect their mental wellbeing. Methods The Joanna Briggs Institute guideline for scoping reviews was followed. Six bibliographic databases and additional grey literature sources were searched for quantitative and qualitative evidence. Descriptive analyses and quality assessments were conducted. Results Fifteen research studies and nine pieces of grey literature were included, comprising a total of 1353 participants and 11 IRCs. The majority of data was qualitative in methodology and published after 2015. Main findings from articles were charted according to Maslow’s (1943) Hierarchy of Needs, revealing persistent failings across all dimensions (physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization). The regime within the IRCs as well as the psychosocial environment led to emotional distress and feelings of disempowerment, dehumanization, and criminality. Conclusions This review highlights the negative impact of IRCs within the UK on the mental wellbeing of detainees and the need for urgent policy reform. Changes addressing temporal uncertainty of detention and use of community-based settings are proposed for UK governmental review.