Serco takes UK government to court over prison contract

British outsourcing giant Serco has launched legal proceedings against the UK government over a prison services contract, City AM can reveal.

According to documents filed with the High Court, and seen by City AM, the group has filed a claim against the Secretary of State for Justice over a procurement issue.

The claim was filed to the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) of the High Court by the group’s law firm, DWF.

Details of the claim have not been made public, but City AM understands the claim is related to government tender to run a UK prison. It is understood that Serco did not secure the contract to run the unnamed prison in question.

Serco currently operates five adult prisons in the UK: HMP Ashfield, HMP Doncaster, HMP Dovegate, HMP Fosse Way, and HMP Thameside.

Serco declined to comment. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) was also contacted for a comment.

News of the claim comes as the government has been releasing prisoners early as part of an emergency plan to ease overcrowding in jails in England and Wales.

Serco and the MoJ made headlines last month after it was revealed that some prisoners who were released early were not tagged. The MoJ blamed the delays in tagging offenders on Serco, which secured the contract to fit the tags in May 2024.

City AM understands that the new claim is not linked to this issue.