Electronic monitoring (GPS tag)

Electronic monitoring applies to 4,392 people across the whole UK as of March 2026. That is a very small share of all people on immigration bail. Most readers never wear a tag. If your Bail 201 letter contains no mention of "electronic monitoring", "GPS tag" or "non-fitted device" — read /en/reporting/digital-service/ instead.

Not Mitie. Not AUEM. Not G4S. If someone tells you the provider is Capita or G4S, their information is out of date.

Rule	What it means in practice
Wear the tag at all times	The strap stays on your ankle. You cannot remove the device yourself.
Charge daily	The Home Office expects the battery never to die. Charge for about 1 hour every day — often best done overnight.
Do not tamper	Cutting, damaging or shielding the device counts as tampering. Even accidental damage must be reported the same day.
Stay reachable	Keep the device on you and your phone reachable in case the EM provider needs to contact you.
For NFDs: scan within ~1 minute	Each vibration starts a short window. Failure to scan = breach.

In R (Nelson) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2024] UKUT 141 (IAC) — decided 11 March 2024 — the Upper Tribunal held that a GPS tag condition is not rendered unlawful merely by the device temporarily malfunctioning or by signal drop-outs. However, a long, unaddressed device failure plus absence of mandatory periodic reviews can become an Article 8 ECHR (right to private life) breach. If your tag has been broken and the Home Office has not reviewed your case — contact BID or an IAA-registered solicitor. Do not stop wearing the tag.

This section is for practising Muslim, Jewish, or other observant readers whose worship schedule, ablution rules, or fasting patterns interact with reporting. If none of this applies to you, skip to the next section.

• Wudu (ablution) before salah. The GPS tag is designed to be water-resistant and is intended to stay on during washing. Wudu is generally fine. If your Serco fitting includes specific water-exposure limits, the provider must tell you at induction. If unsure, ask the provider directly and write down the answer.
• Mosque attendance. Your GPS tag records that you attended Friday Jum'ah and regular prayer times. Location data is held for a defined period. The Information Commissioner's Office and Privacy International have both raised concerns about this. You are not breaking any bail condition by attending the mosque inside your inclusion zone.
• Ramadan and charging. The iftar–suhoor schedule disrupts sleep during Ramadan. Charge the tag during suhoor preparation and after taraweeh prayer. Failing to charge is treated as evading monitoring.
• MRI for medical reasons. The tag must be temporarily removed before an MRI. Contact the EM provider — number on your induction paperwork — at least 48 hours in advance. The medical staff cannot cut the tag off. The provider sends a technician.
• NFD vibrations during prayer. You must scan as soon as you can — the window is about a minute. Unfortunate timing is not an accepted excuse. If this is causing serious ongoing problems, document each instance for a possible variation request.

1. Cutting the strap. Treated as criminal tampering — leads to immediate re-detention.
2. Letting the battery die "just for one night".
3. Wrapping the tag in foil or a metal case. Counts as tampering.
4. Believing the tag will be removed because you got Limited Leave. Under BSAIA 2025 Section 46, EM can continue with Limited Leave in security or specified-crime cases.
5. Trying to physically force the tag off if the strap loosens. Call the provider. Always.

For legal questions about EM: BID — legal@biduk.org