Guidance

Electronic monitoring devices: installation and removal (accessible version)

Updated 25 June 2026

Detention Services Order 05/2014

Electronic monitoring devices: installation and removal

June 2026

Document details

Process: To provide instructions on the steps to be taken when individuals enter an immigration removal centre, short-term holding facility or pre-departure accommodation wearing an electronic monitoring device.

Publication date: June 2026

Implementation date: June 2026

Review date: June 2028

Version: 4.1

Contains mandatory instructions

For action: Home Office staff and contracted service providers (CSPs) operating in immigration removal centres, short-term holding facilities and pre-departure accommodation

For information: Home Office caseworkers

Author and unit: Karl Ward, Detention Operations

Owner: Michelle Smith, Head of Detention Operations.

Contact point: Detention Services Orders Team

Processes affected: Removal of electronic monitoring devices.

Assumptions: Not applicable

Notes: Not applicable

Instruction

Introduction

1. This Detention Services Order (DSO) sets out the actions to be taken when an individual who is wearing, or in possession of, an electronic monitoring device enters an immigration removal centre (IRC), residential short-term holding facility (RSTHF), or pre-departure accommodation (PDA), or when an individual is fitted with an electronic monitoring device as a condition of immigration bail when leaving one of these centres. For the purposes of this document, the term “centre” refers to IRCs, RSTHFs, and PDAs

2. Two separate Home Office teams operate in IRCs:

• Immigration Enforcement 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 within the IRCs, on behalf of responsible officers within the IRCs. They focus on communicating and engaging with people detained at IRCs, helping them to understand their cases and reasons for detention.

3. There are no DETs at Residential Short-term Holding Facilities (RSTHFs) and the Gatwick PDA; functions which are the responsibility of the DETs in RSTHFs are carried out by the contracted service provider (CSP) and overseen by the International and Returns Services (IRS) Escorting Operations Team (Escorting Ops). In the Gatwick PDA, the role of engagement with detained individuals is covered by the local Compliance team.

Policy

4. Immigration bail can be granted subject to an electronic monitoring condition under paragraph 2(1)(e) or paragraph 2(3) of Schedule 10 of the Immigration Act 2016.

5. Before imposing Electronic Monitoring (EM) as a condition of immigration bail the person must have been given the opportunity to provide representations against the imposition of EM. The caseworker must consider whether EM is appropriate based on the individual circumstances of each case, including mental capacity, disability and pregnancy with reference to the considerations set out in Immigration bail Policy. It must be proportionate under the ECHR to impose EM, whether or not the person is a foreign national offender (FNO). Where Electric Monitoring (EM) is a condition of bail, individuals should be issued their EM devices at the point of release from the Immigration Detention Estate (or prison) by the EM supplier Field Monitoring Officer (FMO) working on behalf of the Home Office, where possible. The Detainee Custody Officer (DCO) will escort the EM supplier to the area in which they will be performing EM device installation (for example legal visits).

Purpose

6. The purpose of this instruction will ensure that all EM devices are issued and installed correctly where a person is being released from immigration detention. The instruction also outlines the process to follow if someone enters detention still wearing a Fitted Device (tag) on the ankle, or who are in possession of a Non-Fitted Device. This instruction will also ensure that all EM devices are removed from detained individuals prior to removal from the UK, and to ensure such devices are removed when no longer permitted or required.

Procedures

7. The following GPS monitoring devices have been introduced:

• Fitted Devices (GPS ankle tags) with a Home Office issued mobile phone (low specification, without camera and limited Wi-Fi technology).

• Non-Fitted Devices require the person to submit multiple daily fingerprint biometric data verification at random intervals. The device is also a mobile phone with limited use, i.e. no Wi-Fi in line with DSO - 05-2018 Mobile phones, internet enabled devices and cameras. These devices may be issued in circumstances where an ankle tag is deemed unsuitable (and where the device is available).

EM device issue (by EM supplier)

8. The Home Office appointed EM supplier will attend the IRC and install EM devices to detained individuals upon their release, where possible. In the vast majority of cases an ankle tag will be fitted and a low specification mobile phone issued that complies with DSO 05-2018 to the detained individual, although the exact arrangements may vary depending on individual circumstances and monitoring requirements.

9. The EM installation appointments are scheduled and overseen by the Home Office EM Hub (part of FNO Returns Command, Immigration Enforcement) The EM Hub identify an appropriate date and time for EM induction upon release, schedule the EM supplier, and notify the relevant DET by sending necessary bail/release paperwork for service in advance. The EM Hub will endeavour to provide 48 hours’ notice when scheduling EM induction appointments.

10. The EM supplier will access the IRC on foot, bringing with them their approved equipment as specified in the inventory and in accordance with Rule 54 of The Detention Centre Rules 2001 - Prohibited articles. The EM supplier will comply with local IRC entry procedures and undergo all necessary searching procedures on arrival, before being escorted by the IRC DCO to the area where they will issue devices (for example rooms for legal visits).

11. Prior to the EM device being issued, the detained individual must already have been informed of their release, served their immigration bail paperwork (which may come at a later stage), and had their immigration bail conditions explained to them by the local DET. After which, the detained individual should be presented to the EM supplier by the DCO.

12. Where the EM supplier is delayed without explanation for a scheduled EM appointment, if the appointment time slot may be missed, or the EM supplier cannot attend altogether, DCOs should contact the Home Office EM Hub urgently by telephone. The Home Office EM Hub will liaise with the EM supplier and decide next steps. Contact details for the EM Hub and EM supplier will be held by the IRC supplier Reception managers.

13. If the detained individual refuses to proceed to have a device fitted, the EM contractor must notify their manager at the Monitoring Centre immediately via urgent telephone call, who must subsequently update the EM Hub immediately.

14. GPS tags must be fully charged before being fitted to ensure they remain operational while the individual travels to, and settles into, the community.

EM device removal

15. Occasionally, DCOs and other centre staff may encounter detained individuals who are still wearing a Fitted Device (tag) on the ankle, or who are in possession of a Non-Fitted Device when they enter detention. A detained individual wearing a tag should also be in possession of a Home Office mobile phone. The Non-Fitted Device and phone may already be stored within the detained individual’s property and efforts to identify and retrieve these should be made.

16. DCOs must ensure that any electronic devices and Home Office mobile phones are identified and removed from detained individuals at the point of reception into a centre.

17. The correct way to remove an electronic tag and the process for returning the tag to the appropriate contractor is:

• Remove the tag from the detained individual’s ankle by making a single cut across the thin strap at the mid-point, so that the ends are still attached to the tag itself. This must be done with care to ensure the detained individual or the person removing the tag is not accidentally injured. A pair of safety scissors is the ideal tool for the situation.

• Having established that a Home Office mobile phone is in the detained individual’s possession (sealed property bag), the DCO must remove the device from the property bag ensuring that property procedures are followed correctly: any broken seals and new sealed bags created must be recorded appropriately on relevant document records (e.g. Person Escort Record) and internal systems such as ATLAS.

• For a non-fitted device, where it is established that this is in the individual’s sealed property, the DCO must carefully remove the device, ensuring that property and seal procedures are followed correctly as above.

• Once an ankle tag, non-fitted device or mobile phone is removed, DCOs must immediately record the device serial number against the detained individual’s personal information on the EM Device Uninstall document (see Annex A).

• The DCO should complete the EM Device Uninstall document which captures details of any ankle tag, mobile phone, or non-fitted device removed: serial number, date, time, location of removal, DCO name who removed, person EM devices removed from, Home Office reference numbers. This can be done electronically or manually on a printed copy. Please see Annex A for the EM Device Uninstall document.

• Once completed, the DCO should email a copy of the EM Device Uninstall document to the Home Office EM Service Delivery Team, whose email address can be found via your on-site DET or IRC Reception Manager

18. Once removed, the devices should be placed in a sealed security (cash valuable) bag with a copy of the completed EM Device Uninstall document. The security bag should be placed in an envelope and be stored securely until it can be handed to the Field Monitoring Officer (FMO) when they next visit to install an EM device. Alternatively, email equipmentrecovery@ems.co.uk to request for collection of the devices.

19. The removal of the devices must be recorded within the Detainee Transferable Document (DTD) in accordance with DS0 01/2019 Detainee escort records . DCOs should save a copy of the Home Office Device Uninstall document to the DTD, individual’s detention file, and the CSP’s local information management system.

20. The onsite Compliance team and DET at the centre should be notified via Part C by the supplier once the monitoring device (tag or non-fitted device) or Home Office mobile phone is removed, DET will then forward the Part C to the Caseworkers, Detainee Escorting Population Management Unit (DEPMU) will upload the document to Atlas.

21. Where a vulnerability is identified such as mental health or suffering from a condition (refer to Adults at risk in immigration detention) during attaching or removing an EM Device, the Contract Service Provider (CSP) or on-site Healthcare team must complete an IS91RA Part C form and submit this to DEPMU Operations. A copy must also be provided to the CSP (when completed by Healthcare) and to both the local Compliance and DET teams. The DET team are responsible for forwarding the IS91RA Part C by email to the relevant dedicated casework generic inbox, and DEPMU are responsible for uploading the form onto ATLAS. Upon receipt of the IS91RA Part C, the caseworker will open an ‘adult at risk’ person alert on ATLAS, where appropriate. Outside of office hours (after 18.00hrs until 09.00hrs, and at weekends/bank holidays) the DET team will notify the caseworker by 10.00hrs the following working day. Some changes in risk status may be classed as a serious incident (for example a medical emergency) and in these cases the procedures set out in DSO 05/2015 ‘Reporting and Communicating Incidents Out of Hours in the Immigration Detention Estate’ must be followed.

Further information

22. For more information, please refer to immigration bail guidance: Immigration Bail Policy ‘’electronic monitoring conditions”

Self-audit

23. An annual self-audit of this DSO is required by CSPs 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
December 2016	E Jarvis	General update and reformat	Dec 2018
April 2022	S Ali	Inclusions of DET and Compliance Teams and team responsibilities Updated guidance on sealing tags, local recording requirements Updated guidance on forwarding sealed tags by post.	April 2024
January 2023	T Amisu	Updated to reflect the expansion of GPS electronic monitoring into Scotland and Northern Ireland.	January 2024
August 2025	K Ward	General update	June 2028

Annex A: EM device uninstall document

EM device uninstall

(includes collection of mobile phone by IRC staff upon detention)

1. Date

2. Time (24hr)

3. IRC location; 3a. IRC officer’s name
   • First name
   • Surname
4. Monitored person name
   • First name
   • Surname

5. Date of birth

6. Nationality

7. Home Office reference

8. Type of monitoring device uninstalled (Fitted / Non-fitted)

9. Serial number of monitoring device

10. Mobile phone received (fitted device only) – yes or no

11. Mobile phone serial number

12. Mobile phone telephone number

13. Mobile phone SIM number