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Crime, justice and the law
Prisons and probation

Visit someone in prison

Use this service to request a social visit to a prisoner in England or Wales. There’s a different way to book a prison visit in Northern Ireland or a prison visit in Scotland .

To use this service you need the:

prisoner number
prisoner’s date of birth
dates of birth for all visitors coming with you

If you do not have the prisoner’s location or prisoner number, use the ‘Find a prisoner’ service .

You can choose up to 3 dates and times you prefer. The prison will email you to confirm when you can visit.

The prisoner must add you to their visitor list before you can request a visit. This can take up to 2 weeks.

Request a prison visit

Visits you cannot book through this service.

Contact the prison directly if you need to arrange any of the following:

legal visits, for example legal professionals discussing the prisoner’s case
reception visits, for example the first visit to the prisoner within 72 hours of being admitted
double visits, for example visiting for 2 hours instead of 1
family day visits - special family events that the prison organises

Help with the costs of prison visits

You may be able to get help with the cost of prison visits if you’re getting certain benefits or have a health certificate.

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Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

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Blog Government Digital Service

https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2014/09/15/you-can-now-book-a-prison-visit-online/

You can now book a prison visit online

Booking a prison visit should be simple and straightforward. Until now that was far from the case. Booking a visit required both prisoner and visitor to jump through hoops: paper forms and drawn-out phone calls. And if the visit date turned out to be impossible, they had to start all over again.

Now you can book a visit online . It takes about 5 minutes. Before, picking an available date was pot luck. Now there's a date-picker that lets you select 3 possible slots instead of 1. It’s a straight-forward service with user-needs at its heart but, if you get stuck, you can call the prison's visits booking line and someone will help you with the booking.

Here's a very short film we've made about it:

By making it easier to book visits, prisoners will see more of their friends and family. Evidence suggests this will help their rehabilitation. Transformation isn't just about websites.

The service was built by the Ministry of Justice, with a combined team from the National Offender Management Service, HM Prison Service and MoJ Digital Services.

For more of the story behind this service, read Mike Bracken's account of his trip to HMP Rochester or check out the service’s transformation page .

Join the conversation on Twitter , and don't forget to sign up for email alerts .

Sharing and comments

Share this page, 20 comments.

Comment by Pauline posted on 23 August 2015

How do you find out the prisoners number??? so you can go ahead with online booking of a visit?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 24 August 2015

You can find a prisoner using this service: https://www.gov.uk/find-prisoner However it will be the prisoner's responsibility to get in touch with you to let you know their prison number etc.

Comment by linda posted on 15 August 2015

This service does not appear to work this is day 2 trying to use it

Comment by Olivia posted on 30 July 2015

Hi, If a visit is booked and someone cant make it, is it possible to change the name of one of the people to someone else?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 30 July 2015

It's best to contact the prison directly if this happens. You can find contact details here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Thanks, Louise

Comment by Paige posted on 28 July 2015

Hi my partner was sent to nottingham today, I was on his previous list 4 months ago for a visit. Will that still be on the system all will it have to he put through again if so how long does it take to be approved for a visit? Thanks Paige.

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 29 July 2015

You might want to get in touch with the prison first before booking a visit. You can find the contact details of the prison here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Comment by Debs posted on 27 July 2015

Hello Is there a list of prisons where online booking can't be used?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 28 July 2015

According to the information on this page: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits , you can arrange a visit to any prison in England and Wales through this service. If you're visiting someone in Northern Ireland or Scotland you'll need to contact the prison directly.

This link also lists the type of visits that are not covered by the online service: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits so you need to get in touch with the prison directly.

Hope that's helpful.

Comment by c.steer posted on 26 July 2015

So how do I find the booking form to fill in I am new to computers

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 27 July 2015

Here's the link to the booking form: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits

You'll need this information to complete the form:

prisoner number prisoner’s date of birth dates of birth for all visitors coming with you make sure the person you’re visiting has added you to their visitor list

Hope that's useful.

Comment by Shawnaa posted on 09 May 2015

i have a visit booked which i did online but i do not have a visiting order woll the prison let me in?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 11 May 2015

Your identity will be checked on arrival to make sure you’re on the visitor list.

Comment by jessicca posted on 27 January 2015

What happens after you book the visit and its confirmed by email do you need the visiting order ?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 29 January 2015

The Visiting Order (VO) number is generated by the booking system, it is included in your confirmation email and you will need this to change or cancel a booking.

However, if you're visiting a prison the guidance is that you only need your ID, not the VO number. If when you visit the prison you are asked for the VO number you should report this via the Contact Us link on the Prison Visits Booking form.

I hope that helps.

Comment by Ilysa Mcnally posted on 18 November 2014

How late in advance can I book e.g. book a visit today (Tuesday) for the Sunday coming???

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 19 November 2014

Hi Ilysa. Thanks for your question. A visit needs to be booked 3 working days in advance. So in this case, the visit request would have to be no later than Tuesday to allow for a visit on Sunday.

Comment by carole posted on 23 October 2014

How far in advance can you book visits

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 23 October 2014

Hi Carole. You can book up to 28 days in advance. Thanks for your question.

Comment by kimberly posted on 16 August 2015

does anyone know how to cancel a visit online?

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Visiting the prison

Find a Prisoner

Please use the Prisoner Location Service when you do not know which establishment a prisoner is residing in, or to confirm the individual’s details. Our general enquiries line are not able deal with these queries. Please remember that the prisoner must give their permission for their information to be shared - [email protected]

Types of visit

Details about the social (friends and family), legal and official (residents who do not receive social visits) visits allowed at HMP YOI Peterborough.

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Social visits :

Social visit : Social visits are now available for all prisoners. Prisoners are able to book visits through the internal booking system.

Legal visits :

We offer face-to-face legal visits as well as visits in a virtual format, via our video conferencing facilities.

Face-to-face - please contact [email protected] to book a face-to-face legal visit. These visits take place in our legal booths to provide confidentiality.
Virtual legal visits - to book a virtual legal visit/videolink please email [email protected] or call 01733 271631

Purple Visits:

Prisoners can book Purple Visits sessions via the internal booking system. Please see the 'Visiting times' section for more details.

Official Prison Visitors (OPVs ):

OPVs are volunteers who come into the prison to visit residents who would otherwise not have any visitors. They are members of the public with whom residents can talk in confidence, establishing a degree of trust and mutual understanding. To find out more contact [email protected]

Visiting times

Social visits are available for our prisoners. We also operate Purple Visits to enable prisoners to have video calls with friends and loved ones. Legal visits are available, although we recommend that appointments be carried out via telephone or using our Video Conferencing Centre where possible.

Social visits

Visits must be booked by the prisoner via our internal process and they must ensure that anyone they wish to visit them is registered on their 'approved visitors' list.

Visits for male prisoners will initially be offered in the afternoon only for one hour, at 13:30 and 15:15
Visits for female prisoners are offered for a two-hour period, from 14:00 until 16:00
Visits will begin and end promptly, so please make sure that you are on time for your session
Please note that social visits are not available on a Friday

Legal visits

Face-to-face visits are available Monday to Friday in 45 minute slots, from 09:00 to 11:45, then 14:00 to 16:00. If a longer appointment is required, this can be arranged upon request and according to availability.

Please note, if you wish to bring a laptop with you for your visit you must submit the laptop make, model and serial number when making your booking request. Failure to do so may result in you not bring permitted to bring the item into the prison for your visit. Please be advised that we cannot authorise iPads to be brought into the establishment.

Virtual legal visits operate as follows:

Male prison - Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00
Female prison - Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:00

Purple visits

We are pleased to offer all prisoners access to the online app, Purple Visits, enabling video call visits with family and friends.

Prisoners can book a session through the internal booking system - please note that to participate in a Purple Visits session you must first download the app to your mobile device (not laptop) to enable the booking to be confirmed. To download the app please visit https://www.purplevisits.com/

If you experience any difficulties in registering or when using the Purple Visits system, please use their online chat facility to ask for support. You can access this via the link above.

If you find you are having difficulties during a Purple Visit, call the prison switchboard on 01733 217500. We'll put you through to one of our advisers who can share simple tips on getting the best out of your call.

Only those confirmed for the visit can participate - please be advised that any unregistered guests (including pets) appearing on the call will cause the system to freeze until they leave the area.

Participants over the age of 18 must each create their own profile on the Purple Visits app and upload a photo, together with the relevant ID required. Children need to upload a 'selfie' on the day of the scheduled visit and must be registered for the session by the lead visitor (as named by the prisoner). It is the responsibility of the lead visitor to ensure that details of all participants (max 4) are registered for the same visit session. Please bear in mind that it can take up to 48 hours for your ID to be verified by the Purple Visits system, so make sure that you allow plenty of time for everything to be processed successfully.

How to book a visit

Prisoners are able to book social visits via our internal process. Purple Visits are available for video calls with friends and loved ones.

Acceptable forms of identification

Please check this list to ensure you bring the correct ID with you for your visit as the requirements have changed

When you come for your visit you must bring one form of photo ID from list A below. If you are unable to provide any of these items, you must bring one document from list B plus one document from list C.

Visitors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult who must provide the required forms of identification. The accompanying adult has responsibility for the child and for giving assurances of the child's identity.

List A - bring one item from this list

Identity card from an EU or EEA (European Economic Area) country
UK photocard driving licence
EU or EEA driving licence
NI electoral identity card
US passport card
Proof of age card recognised under PASS with a unique reference number - this includes the CitizenCard
Armed forces identity card
UK biometric residence permit

List B - if you do not have any ID from list A, you must bring one from list B plus one from list C

Home Office travel document (convention travel document, stateless person's document, one-way travel document or certificate of travel)
Older person's bus pass
Freedom Pass
Proof of age card recognised under PASS without a unique reference number
Birth or adoption certificate
Education certificate from a regulated and recognised educational institution (eg NVQ, SQA, GCSE, A level or degree certificate)
Rental or purchase agreement for a residential property (signed and dated)
Marriage or civil partnership certificate
Bank, building society or credit union current account card that shows your identity

We reserve the right to refuse entry if there are concerns over the legitimacy of the documentation provided.

Official visitors

The following documents are examples of forms of acceptable identification for professional visitors:

Members of either House of Parliament: Houses of Parliament ID card or HMG ID cards
a headed document from their legal practice stating that they are representing the resident they are requesting to visit, or
should they not yet be representing the resident, a headed document from their legal practice explaining the purpose of the visit
Police, UK Border Agency and HM Revenue & Customs officers: warrant card
Probation and Youth Offending Team officers: probation/YOT department ID card
Staff from other prisons, HQ, the Children's & Young People's Secure Estate, the inspectorates (including Lay Observers) or Home Offipe: photo security pass issued by (or on behalf of) Ministry of Justice, HMPPS or Home Office
Consular officials: consular ID card
Other public officials: departmental or local authority pass or ID card (but must show the name of the visitor and the name of the department or local authority)
Social workers: social worker identification cards
Researchers: Security photo pass or official letter (visits must be pre-arranged)
Healthcare staff: NHS photographic identification badge/card or independent sector healthcare photographic identification badge/card

Before and during visits - please read this section carefully

We understand that visiting a prison can be quite daunting, especially if it is your first visit, so we try to make your experience as positive as possible. We want you to enjoy your visit so we operate a zero tolerance for violence and aggressive behaviour to help us maintain a calm, friendly environment.

We also operate a zero tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol - we reserve the right to refuse entry to any visitor suspected of being intoxicated in any way.

Please note, any visitors aged 17 years or under must be accompanied by an individual of at least 18 years of age. Any visitors under the age of 17 must have appropriate identification .

Security: As you would expect, security is a major consideration for us so all visitors are required to comply with our rules of conduct and behaviour. Please make sure that you read the list of prohibited items carefully to avoid any confusion or delays.

Before your visit:

We can only allow a maximum of three adults per visit.

You will need to have ID with you – it needs to be photographic ID with your address, including the postcode. Please refer to the section on 'Acceptable forms of identification' to ensure you bring the correct documents with you. PLEASE NOTE: Our staff are authorised to refuse entry if they are not satisfied that the documentation provided proves the identity of the visitor or have concerns over its legitimacy.

You will not be allowed to bring any property with you for a prisoner. You will need to post it in for them, then they can collect if from reception.

Please ensure that you are appropriately dressed and be aware of our zero tolerance to drugs, alcohol and violence. Our staff are permitted to refuse your visit if they deem your clothing inappropriate, if you appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or your behaviour/language is unacceptable.

Photographs and finger printing - when you book in for your visit your name, identification and booking details will be checked . If it is your first visit you will have your photo taken and fingerprint scanned. These will be checked each time you visit.

Prohibited items - When you have booked in, you will need to use a locker to deposit any prohibited items, such as keys, mobile phones, cigarettes, tobacco, lighters, vapes and capsules etc . Peterborough is a smoke free prison, so anything related to smoking is now considered a prohibited item. Please note, all 'smart wear' capable of storing data or receiving/transmitting data is also prohibited. This includes items such as fitness trackers (eg Fitbit, Garmin etc) and all 'smart' watches. Please read the list of prohibited items carefully. Click here for an easy read version .

Watches and jewellery - please be advised that watches are prohibited in the visits hall so must be left in a locker. Jewellery must be kept to a minimum.

Locker storage - You will need a £1 coin to operate the lockers.

Please make sure that you do not arrive too early before your scheduled visit time - 45 minutes is ideal.

Security and searching – you will be required to pass through airport-style security, including walking through a metal detector. Please be reassured that the metal detectors in use do not adversely affect medical devices such as pace makers. You will be asked to demonstrate that you are not carrying any items on your person; this may involve being searched by a member of staff. If you refuse to comply with these requirements you will be refused entry to the prison.

There may be dogs working at the prison – please do not try to pet them as they are working animals.

Meeting a prisoner on their release

Details about meeting a prisoner on the day of their release.

You will need to wait outside of the prison for the prisoner to be released.

What you can bring or send in for prisoners

We are able to accept books and flowers from specified suppliers. Please note that we do not accept Amazon parcels or food deliveries addressed to prisoners. If you are sending a parcel to a prisoner, please check the information provided on parcel dimensions.

We are unable to receive any property delivered in person to the prison. All items must be sent in via the post, then the prisoner can obtain them from reception.

Parcels must fit within the dimensions shown below. Any parcels that exceed these dimensions cannot be accepted.

Height - 285mm (28.5cm)
Width - 400mm (40cm)
Length - 600mm (60cm)

We accept books for prisoners sent directly from friends or family, or via our approved retailers. These are Waterstones, WH Smith and prisons.org.uk - we do not accept books purchased via Amazon. All books are subject to security protocols and must be sent separately, they cannot be accepted as part of a property parcel.

We can only accept flowers via our approved supplier - Fleur by Lizz. You can contact them to place an order by calling 01733 311159 or on their website at http://www.fleurbylizz.co.uk . We cannot accept deliveries from any other provider.

P lease note, we DO NOT accept Amazon parcels or food parcels (eg fresh produce) addressed to prisoners.

Please check the list of prohibited items to make sure you are not trying to bring or send in banned items.

Click here to see what you can and cannot send in for prisoners.

How we collect and use your data

COLLECTION OF DATA

In order to facilitate your visit to one of our prisons and to ensure that we deliver appropriate levels of security and safety and prevent crime, for identification purposes we shall collect your name, date of birth, address, a biometric template of your fingerprint and a photograph. A series of reference points from a finger print are collected, allowing a unique identification pattern. We do not collect or hold actual fingerprints.

Our prisons operate CCTV and staff may wear Body Worn Video Recording Equipment. We do not collect biometric readings or photographs of children under 16, however with the use of CCTV, images may routinely be captured.

DATA SHARING

We will only share your information with a third party where there is a legal obligation to do so.

RIGHTS OF ACCESS, CORRECTION, ERASURE AND RESTRICTION

You have legal rights in connection with personal information. Under certain circumstances, by law you have the right to:

Request access to your personal information (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
Request correction of the personal information that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate information we hold about you corrected.
Request erasure of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal information where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal information where you have exercised your right to object to processing.
Object to processing of your personal information by us or on our behalf in certain situations.
Request the restriction of processing of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of personal information about you, for example if you want us to establish its accuracy or the reason for processing it.

DATA RETENTION

We keep personal data in accordance with our clients’ and Sodexo’s retention procedures. These retention periods depend on the nature of the information (e.g. we apply different retention periods to different type of information such as CCTV and your visitor record), and may be subject to change.

If you have any questions or concerns about how long we retain your personal data, please contact the Data Protection Officer using the details below.

FURTHER ADVICE / GUIDANCE

To exercise your rights, you can contact us by writing to us at the following address: [email protected] or email the Global Data Protection Office at the following email address: [email protected] stating your surname, first name and the reason for your request. We will most likely ask you for additional information in order to identify you and to enable us to deal with your request

You also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office and file a complaint. ( https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ )

Privacy Notice

Click here to read our Privacy Notice

HMP YOI Peterborough Saville Road Westwood Peterborough PE3 7PD

Tel: 01733 217500

Get directions

What to wear for your visit

Please make sure that you come to the prison dressed appropriately for your visit. We have a dress code for visitors to help to keep everyone safe as well as maintaining decency in front of others, including children.

Click the links to see our dress code guides:

Female dress code

Male dress code

How to send money in to a prisoner

To send money to a prisoner you will need to visit www.gov.uk/send-prisoner-money

If you are not able to send money online you will need to complete an application to send money through the post. You can find the form here .

Keeping in touch

We encourage you to keep in touch via telephone, using the ' email a prisoner ' service and by letter.

Family Matters team

Our Family Matters team, located in the visits centre, can help to answer your questions and provide support in helping you to maintain or rebuild your relationship with the prisoner.

Smoking policy

Visitors are not permitted to bring vapes or any vape related products (eg capsules) into the establishment. All items need to be stored in lockers prior to entering the main prison.

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Visits quick reference guide

Prisoners are entitled to the following visits:

Basic Regime Remand: 1 x 1-hour visit per week. Sentenced: 1 X 1-hour visit every 2 weeks.

Standard Prisoners Remand: 3 x 1-hour visits per week. Sentenced: 1 x 1-hour visit per week.

Enhanced Prisoners Remand: 3 x 1-hour visits per week. Sentenced: 1 x 1-hour visit per week, plus 1 extra visit per month (not weekend).

Each visit session will be booked in by the prisoner on behalf of their visitors.

Please note prisoners are unable to block book sessions. Each visit will be booked in on a month-by- month basis.

Prisoners are permitted to receive a maximum of 3 adults & 3 children.

All visitors / family groups will be searched on entry to the prison.

You can bring up to £20 cash with you to purchase refreshments from the tea bar during your visit (please bring change rather than notes if possible)

There will be a 45-minute break in between visits to allow for the sanitisation of the visits area in readiness for the next scheduled visitors.

Legal and Professional Bookings

Legal and professional visits can be booked by emailing [email protected] Professional bookings via video link can be made by emailing [email protected] Thank you for your co-operation as we continue to maintain a safe environment for colleagues, prisoners and visitors to HMP Forest Bank

Identification required for a visit

As of Tuesday 6 April 2021, the forms of ID that social and official visitors need to provide to enter a prison have been updated.

These requirements have changed to make visits safe and secure for everyone.

Social visitors have the option to present one photographic ID document from List A:

Identity cards from an EU or European Economic Area (EEA) country
UK photocard driving licences
EU or EEA driving licences
NI Electoral identity cards
US passport card
Proof of age card recognised under PASS with a unique reference number (This includes the Citizen ID card)
Armed forces identity card
UK biometric residence permit (BRP

Should you be unable to present an ID document from List A, you may present one ID document from List B, supported by one document from List C:

Home Office travel document (convention travel document, stateless person’s document, one-way document or certificate of travel)
Older person’s bus pass
Freedom Pass
Proof of age card recognised under the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) without a unique reference number (please refer to List A where a unique reference number is present)
Birth or adoption certificate
Education certificate from a regulated and recognised educational institution (such as an NVQ, SQA, GCSE, A level or degree certificate)
Rental or purchase agreement for a residential property (signed and dated)
Marriage or civil partnership certificate
Bank, building society or credit union current account card (on which the claimed identity is shown)

Proof of Address

Please be aware that visitors also need to bring proof of address to every visit so we can ensure that visitors are from the same household.

Entry will not be permitted if you fail to bring proof of address.

Appropriate forms will be a utility bill, credit or bank statement, voter registration or driver's license. We will not accept mobile phone contracts/bills etc.

Visits Dress Code

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Please be advised that you are requested to dress appropriately for your visit. Any item of clothing which may facilitate the concealment of unauthorised articles or be considered offensive may result in you being refused entry.

Please consider that you are entering a public visits hall where other families including small children are present. We ask that you apply a level of common sense and decency when choosing your outfit.

Staff reserve the right to refuse you entrance if you are not dressed appropriately.

No see through, revealing clothing or crop tops which reveal the stomach.
Must wear underwear, Women must ensure their top garment covers their cleavage.
No ripped or damaged clothing e.g. ripped jeans, coats, tops. No tears or frays in material.
Skirts, dresses, and shorts MUST be knee length.
No clothing bearing slogans that are deemed to be racist, insulting, or derogatory.
No uniforms, (except children in school uniform and police officers on a legal visit).
No watches.
Jewellery is best kept to a minimum (earrings to be studs / small hoops only)
No knee length boots or over the knee. No stiletto heels.
No football and rugby slogan clothing.
No caps (religious headgear is permitted) headscarf’s (medical grounds only).
No sunglasses. (Prescription only.)
No paperwork or photographs to be handed over on a visit.
No Work Boots/ steel toe capped or motorcycle boots
No ponchos or capes
No camouflage clothing

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated in this matter. Failure to adhere to the policy may result in admittance being refused.

What to expect when visiting the prison

Heading into the visits centre, you’ll be greeted by our colleagues on the front desk.

They’ll ask for your name , check your booking and look at your identification .
They will take your picture and fingerprint biometric for identification purposes. This is a requirement for all visitors to the prison.
All official visitors will be subject to a level ‘B’ rub down search prior to their visit.
All social visitors will be subject to a level ‘A’ rub down search prior to their visit. This includes before returning to the visits hall, and after using the amenities.
If there is an indication, the staff must be able to identify what is causing the indication.
If the item cannot be identified then the visit will be refused.
Refusal to be searched will result in no entry and any action the police wish to take. Any articles recovered may result in the police being called and prosecution of visitors.

Financial Support for visiting a prison

If you visit a family member, partner or someone who doesn’t get other visitors you might be able to get help paying for travel to the prison, somewhere to stay overnight and meals.

To qualify for assisted help you must be receiving certain benefits or have a health certificate.

If you’re taking a child with you or someone to help you (for example because you’re disabled) you might also be able to get help paying for their visit.

For more information and to apply, please visit the website for the Assisted Prison Visits Scheme.

How we collect your data

DATA SHARING

We will only share your information with a third party where there is a legal obligation to do so.

RIGHTS OF ACCESS, CORRECTION, ERASURE AND RESTRICTION

You have legal rights in connection with personal information. Under certain circumstances, by law you have the right to:

Request access to your personal information (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.

Request correction of the personal information that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate information we hold about you corrected.

Request erasure of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal information where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal information where you have exercised your right to object to processing.

Object to processing of your personal information by us or on our behalf in certain situations.

Request the restriction of processing of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of personal information about you, for example if you want us to establish its accuracy or the reason for processing it.

DATA RETENTION

FURTHER ADVICE / GUIDANCE

You also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office and file a complaint. (https://ico.org.uk/concerns/)

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Visiting the prison

Maintaining contact with family members or close friends is an important part of the rehabilitation process and helps to support our prisoners during their sentence. Our large, open-plan visits halls provide a relaxed atmosphere for both prisoners and their visitors. With refreshments available to purchase (card payments ONLY) and play areas for younger children, we want to make your visiting experience as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Prohibited items There are certain items that are not allowed in a prison environment. Please take the time to read and familiarise yourself with the list. View the prohibited items list .

We provide lockers for you to store personal belongings such as wallets, mobile phones and tobacco.

Smoke-free site HMP & YOI Bronzefield is a smoke free site. We therefore do not allow any tobacco, lighters, vapes or other smoking paraphernalia in the visits hall.

Visiting times and frequency

Details about visiting times allowed at HMP & YOI Bronzefield.

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Visit Times

From 19th June 2023

Remand prisoners can have hourly visits on all the days that we are open.

Sentenced prisoners can have 5 visits per month.

What to expect

Guidelines of what to expect when visiting HMP & YOI Bronzefield prison.

When visiting, make sure you bring photo ID with you and proof of your address , such as a utility bill (gas, electricity, water, council tax etc.) or a bank or building society statement. These must be less than three months old.

Accepted forms of photo ID are:

Driving licence (photo card)
Valid passport
Citizenship card
Blue Badge with photo

If you do not have photo ID you should bring either your birth certificate plus two utility bills or bank/building society statements. Or you can bring three utility bills/bank or building society statements – each must be from a different organisation.

Car parking

Visitors' parking is provided free of charge. If the visitors' car park is full, please use the overflow car park at the top of the drive. Please do not park along the drive as this can be a safety risk for cars and pedestrians.

Check-in to our visitors centre

When you arrive you will need to check-in to our visitors centre which is the small building on the right before you reach the prison. You will be welcomed by a member of our team who will check your name against the list of visitors and check your ID. Here you can wait until your visit time.

The Centre opens 45 minutes prior to the start of visits – please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the start of your visit.

There’s a soft play area for little ones and a small kiosk to get a drink (similar to inside the prison, this is card payments only) . It’s best to use the toilet facilities here before you go into the visits hall.

You will be directed to the main prison building where our visits hall is based. Here you can hand in any property that you have brought with you for the person you are visiting.

Refreshments

We are pleased that visitors can now buy hot and cold snacks and drinks in the Vita Nova Visits Coffee Shop. Please remember card only payments .

You can use a locker to leave your personal belongings such as, such as keys, mobile phones, cigarettes, tobacco, lighters etc.

Within the Visits Hall there is a tea bar operated by the Vita Nova Visits Coffee Shop. Please remember card only payments . There are also toilet, baby changing and wash facilities available.

When it is time to go through for your visit, you will pass through an airport-style security.

Any bags will be passed through a scanner and you will walk through a metal detector.

You’ll also need to agree to a ‘level A’ rub down search. Official visitors are required to agree to a ‘level B’ rub down search.

If you refuse to be searched, you will not be allowed to enter the prison. Please be advised that we have a drug detecting machine which, if proven positive, will determine whether your visit continues and if it continues under closed conditions.

Once you’ve passed through security, you’ll then go through our airlock door system before entering the visits hall.

Types of visit

Details about the social (friends and family), Purple Visits and legal allowed at HMP & YOI Bronzefield.

Face to Face Legal Visits:

Monday to Friday – 09.00am to 11.00am in the Visits Hall

Booking email address – [email protected]

Virtual Legal Visits (Video Link):

Monday to Thursday – 08.00am to 18.00pm

Fridays – 08.00am to 17.00pm

Booking email address – [email protected]

Social Visits:

Social visits are booked by the prisoners using our Internal Pods system. Prisoners are shown how to use this on their induction (normally within the first 3 days). They need to register all their visitors details and then request a visit. This can take a few days. Unfortunately due to data protection we are unable to book any social visits for anyone calling in.

We have a Tea Bar in the Visits Hall where you can purchase hot drinks and snacks. Please be advised we can only accept payment via a credit card (cannot accept cash).

Please note that social visits are booked by the prisoner

Purple Visits (Virtual Visits) are also available from 09.00am to 18.00pm Monday to Thursdays and 09.00am to 17.00pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

If you would like to book one please download the application to your mobile device/tablet via the apple app store or google play and follow the instructions. Or visit https://www.purplevisits.com/

If you can only visit outside of these hours, please contact the Visits department and we will do our best to accommodate the visit.

Please download and complete a VideoLink Booking Form

please note: these departments will not be able to give out any prisoner information

How we collect and use your data

COLLECTION OF DATA

DATA SHARING

We will only share your information with a third party where there is a legal obligation to do so.

RIGHTS OF ACCESS, CORRECTION, ERASURE AND RESTRICTION

You have legal rights in connection with personal information. Under certain circumstances, by law you have the right to:

Request access to your personal information (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
Request correction of the personal information that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate information we hold about you corrected.
Request erasure of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal information where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal information where you have exercised your right to object to processing.
Object to processing of your personal information by us or on our behalf in certain situations.
Request the restriction of processing of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of personal information about you, for example if you want us to establish its accuracy or the reason for processing it.

DATA RETENTION

If you have any questions or concerns about how long we retain your personal data, please contact the Data Protection Officer using the details below.

FURTHER ADVICE / GUIDANCE

You also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office and file a complaint. ( https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ )

HMP & YOI Bronzefield Woodthorpe Road Ashford Middlesex TW15 3JZ

Tel : 01784 425690 Fax : 01784 425691

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See our Families and Significant Others Strategy

Ways to stay in touch... .

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Visiting the prison

Visit opportunities will be booked as per prisoners I.E.P regime, this will provide our prisoners a 2-hour time slot.

Visits will operate Wednesday to Sunday and can be booked as normal by residents via the Kiosk. Prisoners must book their visit 48 hours prior to the visit.

The booking times available are below:

Wednesday - Friday 1400 – 1600 Visits session

Saturday - Sunday Morning Session 0930 - 1130 Visits session

Saturday and Sunday Afternoon Session 1400 – 1600 Visits session

Who cannot have a visit? Symptomatic prisoners under isolation.

Refreshments are available in the Visits Hall. However, these refreshment’s must be purchased in advance in the Visitors Centre. You will be provided with a receipt, to take into the Visits Hall and can be exchanged for your purchased items, which will be delivered to your table by a Red Band prisoner.

Please be conscious there is limited stock available, so order your refreshments early to avoid disappointment.

Searching Searching during social visits will be in line with current guidance. Please be patient, courteous and understanding of our new ways of working. Staff at HMP Northumberland will do their very best to try to make the visit experience as enjoyable as it can be.

Visiting times

Details of HMP Northumberland visiting times.

Learn more Close

Visits will operate Wednesday to Sunday and can be booked as normal by prisoners via the Kiosk. The times are below:

Wednesday: 2pm - 4pm
Thursday: 2pm - 4pm
Friday: 2pm - 4pm
Saturday: 9:30am - 11:30am & 2pm - 4pm
Sunday: 9:30am - 11:30am & 2pm - 4pm

How to book a visit

Guidelines of how to book visits to Northumberland prison.

Prisoners must book their own visits using the wing kiosks, an electronic booking system. Prisoners must book the Date; Time Type of visit, and then inform visitors of this information.

Legal visits are booked by email : [email protected]

Before and during visits

What to expect and how to prepare for visiting the prison.

Social Visitors have the option to present one photographic ID document from List A.

Passports (which must contain proof of address, otherwise proof of address will still be required)
Identity cards from an EU or Europeans Economic Area (EEA) country
UK photocard driving licences
EU or EEA driving licence
NI Electoral identity cards
US passport card
Proof of age card recognised under PASS with a unique reference number (this includes the Citizen ID card)
Armed Forces identity card
UK biometric residence permit (BRP)

Should you be unable to present an ID document from List A, they you may present one ID from List B, supported by one document from List C.

Home Office travel document (convention travel document, stateless person's document, one-way document or certificate of travel)
Older person's bus pass
Freedom pass
Proof of age card recognised under the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) without a unique reference number (please refer to List A where a unique reference number is present)
Birth or adoption certificate
Education certificate from a regulated and recognised educational institution (such as NVQ, SQA, GCSE, A level or degree certificate)
Rental or purchase agreement for a residential property (signed and dated)
Marriage or civil partnership certificate
Bank, Building Society or credit union current account card (on which the claimed identity is shown)

On your first visit, you will need this information to register on the electronic system which records your photo image and an image of their finger scan.

First time visitors should arrive 20 minutes prior to the first visit , to allow time to register. Once on the system, this will speed up future visits.

Children will not be photographed or have finger prints taken but ID will be required.

All visitors should expect to be searched when entering the prison.

Visits room security staff maintain a balance between security and support. Staff are trained to detect any attempts to pass contraband within the visits room and to challenge behaviour which contravenes normally accepted public decency standards .

Dress Code for Visitors

HMP Northumberland operates a family orientated visits policy. The majority of our visitors are accompanied by children and we want to foster a decent, safe and relaxed family environment for all our visitors.

The following items of clothing should not be worn:

× Hats, scarves or head coverings which are not worn on religious grounds

× Jackets or coats, hoodies or gloves

× Inappropriately damaged clothing

× Metal hair accessories

× Steel toe capped shoes/boots or cycle/motorcycle shoes

× Non-prescription glasses i.e. sunglasses

× See-through / revealing clothing

× Ripped Jeans

× Items of clothing that display offensive abusive or insulting words or gestures

× Mini or very short skirts/dresses unless worn with leggings

× Shorts which are shorter than mid thigh to knee length

× Visible or exposed underwear

× Smart watches

This list is not exhaustive.

It is up to prison staff to make decisions and judgements as to when clothing is inappropriate. When making these decisions, staff will always consider decency and diversity. You may be asked to adjust clothing or wear alternative clothing if available. As a last resort your visit may be cancelled if the dress code cannot be followed.

Security guidance and details about enforced behavioural standards for those visiting prisoners at HMP Northumberland.

Visitors undergo a number of security procedures before gaining entry to the visit room. This is to prevent escape and prevent the introduction of illicit items.
By concentrating on entry procedures, a more relaxed environment can be created within the visit room, enhancing the experience.
Visitors must provide their identity , provide biometric finger scans , undergo rub down and drug detection dog searches , submit items for X-ray and be checked with metal detector wand s. A future addition to this process is an online video which will provide insight into entering a prison through a child’s eye.

Types of visit

Legal Visits

Professional Visitors will be able to book a visit as per normal procedures via the establishments booking clerk.

Please be aware that legal visits will be booked to coincide with the allocated socail visits session for each House Block.

Legal / Official Visitors will book their visits via [email protected]

All visitors must provide identification at the Visits Entrance.

Assisted Prison Visits Scheme (APVS)

The Assisted Prison Visits Unit (APVU) provides financial support with the cost of travel to visit a relative, partner or escort a child to visit a loved one in prison. Some costs can also be claimed if overnight accommodation is required to attend a visit. Claimants must be over the age of 18 years, and receiving benefits such as Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance. Claims are now made quickly and easily online although it is possible to ask for telephone assistance with this or to request a paper application.

See Assisted Prison Visits for more information or to apply. https://www.gov.uk/help-with-prison-visits

Contact by email, letter or card

Information about emailing, sending cards or letters to and sent from a prisoner.

Emailing a prisoner

The prison subscribes to the scheme whereby members of the public can send emails via a secure third party.

These are then printed in the prison and handed to the prisoner as mail.

This facility is widely advertised within the prison and the visitors centre. Families can also send blank forms which residents can write on and be emailed back in response. Further to this, friends and family members are able to subscribe to this service via the internet.

Each prisoner is allowed to send unlimited letters, with one letter each week at the expense of the prison.

Following approval by a Unit Manager, more than one letter per week may be sent at the expense of Sodexo if justified by the prisoner’s circumstances.

Prisoners are provided with a pen, writing paper and an envelope.

Letters sent into the prison for prisoners will be photocopied and the prisoner will receive the photocopy, not the original, except R39 mail.

All cards that are sent in directly from families/friends will not be photocopied but placed into the prisoner’s stored property. If families and friends wish to send in cards, they must do so directly from either Moon Pig or Funky Pigeon . If we receive a Moon Pig or Funky Pigeon card from a family or friends address, it will be placed into the prisoners stored property.

Visitor centre facilities

Refreshments are available in the Visits Hall. However these refreshements must be purchased in advance in the Visitors Centre. You will be provided with a receipt, to take into the Visits Hall and can be exchanged for your purchased items, which will be delivered to your table by a Red Band prisoner.

Please be conscious there is limited stock available, so order your refreshments early to avoid dissapointment.

How we collect and use your data

COLLECTION OF DATA

DATA SHARING

We will only share your information with a third party where there is a legal obligation to do so.

RIGHTS OF ACCESS, CORRECTION, ERASURE AND RESTRICTION

You have legal rights in connection with personal information. Under certain circumstances, by law you have the right to:

Request access to your personal information (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
Request correction of the personal information that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate information we hold about you corrected.
Request erasure of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal information where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal information where you have exercised your right to object to processing.
Object to processing of your personal information by us or on our behalf in certain situations.
Request the restriction of processing of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of personal information about you, for example if you want us to establish its accuracy or the reason for processing it.

DATA RETENTION

If you have any questions or concerns about how long we retain your personal data, please contact the Data Protection Officer using the details below.

FURTHER ADVICE / GUIDANCE

You also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office and file a complaint. ( https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ )

HMP Northumberland Morpeth Northumberland NE65 9XG

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Family Engagement Worker
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Family Engagement Worker (HMP Fosse Way)
Family Service Manager
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Tea Bar Refreshments Worker
Visit Centre Worker
Bid Manager
Visit Centre / Play Worker – HMP Garth
Visit Centre – HMP Preston
Visit Centre Support & Play Worker
Visit Centre Support & Play Worker (HMP Lancaster Farms)
Tea Bar Worker – Wakefield
Play Worker – Fosse way
Wellbeing Family Service Lead
Lead Family Engagement Worker – HMP Manchester
Lead Family Engagement
Visit Centre / Play Worker – HMP Risley
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Please visit POPS’ Facebook page for HMP Preston for all the latest information and updates.

HMP Preston is a category B local prison situated in Preston, North West England.

POPS delivers the Visitor Centre Services at HMP Preston providing a warm welcome and advice and support for all visitors on a range of issues including travel, debt and housing. We also provide one to one support around the visiting process and prison procedures.

Visitors are able to join the family forum group where they can bring up any issues or contribute ideas to make the visitor experience more relaxed and friendly.

Recent Updates

Warm Spaces 2024

Useful documents

Before your visit make sure you download and read the following documents:

10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW This includes information on how to book a visit at HMP Preston, travel directions, and other essential information.
Dress Code for Visitors
Prisoner Debt and Money
Rising Cost of Living Helpsheet – Preston
Prison Life Videos

Important Contact Information

Booking Line: 0330 058 8224 Families Support Lead: 07471 037 207 (available Monday-Friday, 09:30-17:00) Prison Switchboard: 01772 444 550 POPS’ Family Lead: [email protected]

Visitor Centre Opening Times

Redwood Church Cafe opposite the prison is open Monday – Friday. Visitors can arrive from 12.30pm where POPS’ team are on hand to support families until 1pm.

Visiting Times

Financial assistance with visiting .

If you qualify to receive help with your finances such as benefits, you may be able to recoup all or part of the cost of your travel expenses.

Safer Custody

If you have concerns about someone in prison please call 01925 805 242 and ask to speak to ‘Safer Custody’/ ‘orderly officer’.

Alternatively, you can submit concerns via the online Safer Custody portal on the Prisoners’ Families Helpline website (link below).

Last updated 15/05/24.

We want to hear what you've got to say on the issues that affect you. Got the solution? Join the conversation here.

Useful Links

Criminal Justice Alliance
Inside Time
Ministry of Justice

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Visiting the prison

Booking a visit - domestic visits (Family & Friends)

Prisoners are responsible for booking their own visits; this is done by using an application on the Central Management System (CMS) – accessed via touchscreen computer terminals that are located on each unit in the establishment. Once a visit has been approved it is up the individual prisoner to inform his family and friends of the date and time of the visit.

The maximum time a visit can be booked is 14 days in advance and the minimum is 3 days in advance.

Prisoners can book up to 3 adult visitors per session and 3 children less than 18 Years of age. However, if the child is over 17 they will be classed as an adult.

It is the responsibility of the prisoner to book and inform friends and family of the time and date of visits.

Staff are not responsible for booking or informing family and friends of visits or cancellation of visits.

It is also the responsibility of the prisoner to inform visitors of correct identification requirements as well as other visit regulations, however visitors are encouraged to check the website for further details.

For sending correspondence / emails to your family or friend in prison, you can take advantage of the emailaprisoner.com system. Please log on to https://www.emailaprisoner.com and follow the instructions.

Domestic visitors’ identification

All visitors to closed prisons, both Adults and Children, whether visiting for social or official purposes must be required to prove their identity on Reception. (Children’s birth certificates are suitable to prove the name and date of birth).

Two separate forms of up-to-date identification will be required to gain entry to the prison, including one photographic identification and two proof of address:

Driving Licence - Acceptable on its own if photograph and the address matches the address provided by the prisoner on CMS.
Passport - Including foreign passports and time expired passports where the photograph is still recognisable.
Bus Pass (elderly only) - Must have been issued by the Local Authority. Photograph must match.
Student / Employers I.D. - Must clearly show the name of the visitor and educational establishment / employer. Photograph must match.
Citizen Card - A Citizen Card is an official UK ID / proof of age card recognised as such by the Home Office. Obtained online. A Standard application costs £15 and takes 21 days (card posted by Royal Mail 2nd class); an Urgent application costs £30 and takes 1-2 workingdays (subject to verification; card posted by Special Delivery guaranteed Next Day by 1pm). you can find out more at www.citizencard.com. Must be official, the photograph must match.

Two Proof of address can include: (No more than 6 Months old)

Utility bill
Benefit book / Letter
Council tax/tax credit award
Household bill or statement with the address on

For other forms of ID that may be acceptable please ensure you contact the prison Visits Booking line for advice.

If a visitor is unable to produce ID as above, staff may accept combinations of two or more of the following below, but must also include two proof of addresses:

‘Birth/marriage certificate
‘Rail or bus pass with photo
‘Cheque book or credit/debit card (counts as one, do not accept as two)
‘Employer’s pass or ID or student ID card not acceptable under paragraph 2
‘Young person’s ‘proof of age’ card
‘Trade Union or National Students’ union membership card
‘Library card, if it has a signature that can be compared with the visitor’s signature
‘Rent book
‘Foreign identity or resident’s card (other than EC ID cards acceptable in their own right)
‘Expired documents from the above lists that appear satisfactory in other ways
‘ID Card from Prison Visitors Organisations

You may be refused entry if you do not have sufficient ID. This will be decided by the Visits Manager on duty. The Director has the discretion to accept any form of identification that clearly identifies the visitor in a satisfactory way.

Having had ID checked all visitors will have their photograph taken, fingerprints and hand stamped with UV ink.

All adults and children over 10 years of age will have their finger-prints taken.

Booking a visit - legal/officials only

Our dedicated booking line is staffed: Monday to Friday between 0830-1630 hrs.

Official visitors can book by phone or via email.

[email protected]

To book by phone call: +44(0) 151 522 2196 / +44(0) 151 522 2047

For non-confidential correspondence to your clients, you can take advantage of the emailaprisoner.com system. Please log on to https://www.emailaprisoner.com/ and follow the instructions.

Legal visitors’ identification

The forms of identification set out below are acceptable. If the visitor does not possess such identification then the forms of identification for social visitors are also acceptable. If in doubt, Visits staff may telephone the visitor’s employer (e.g. solicitors office, barrister’s chambers, probation department) to check the visitor is bona fide. Get the telephone number from the phone book or direct enquiries, not from the visitor:

Members of either House of Parliament: Houses of Parliament ID card.
Legal Advisers: identity card issued by firm/ chambers, or introductory letter on headed letter paper of firm/chambers.
Police, Immigration and Customs Officers: warrant card.
Probation Officers: probation department ID card.
Staff from other prisons, HQ or Home Office Staff: prison service security pass or home office pass.
Consular Officials: consular ID card.
Other public officials: departmental or local authority pass or ID card (but only if it shows the name of the visitor and the name of the department or local authority).
Social workers: identification cards.
Researchers: Security Photo pass or official letter (visits must be pre-arranged) and
NHS: photographic identification badge/card. Independent sector healthcare photographic identification badge/card.

Visitors Centre

Safe Ground is the organisation responsible for the day to day running of the Visitors Centre at HMP Altcourse where our team is working hard to create a space and a service which is welcoming, comfortable, efficient, and conducive to meaningful engagement. In time, visitors also have the opportunity to access therapeutic spaces facilitated by a specialist member of the team based on site. Alongside our day-to-day delivery of the Visitors Centre service and family support work, Safe Ground is delivering therapeutic group work programmes to men in custody. Together, our services represent the movement of the establishment towards a model of best practice in implementing ground-breaking person-centred interventions. For more information visit Safe Ground - Social Interest Group - Social Interest Group

Visiting times until 1 st October

Visitors will need to arrive at the visits centre at least one hour prior to the visiting time in order to be processed in time for the visit to commence.

Monday to Friday

13:30-14:30 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 12.15pm)

15:15-16:15 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 14:15hrs)

18:15-19:15 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 17:00hrs)

09:15-10:15 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 08:15hrs)

11:00-12:00 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 10:00hrs)

14:00-16:00 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 13:00hrs)

13:45-14:45 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 12:45hrs)

15:30-16:30 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 14:30hrs)

Visiting times from 2nd October

Official Visits Monday to Friday

AM Sessions

1 st Session. Solicitor Arrive at search area 08:30. Visit Time 09:00 to 10:00

2 nd Session. Solicitor Arrive at search area 10:00. Visit Time 10:30 to 11:30

PM Sessions

1 st Session. Solicitor Arrive at search area 14:00. Visit Time 14:30 to 15:30

2 nd Session. Solicitor Arrive at search area 15:30. Visit Time 16:00 to 17:00

NB Duration of each session is 1 Hour. A request for an extended 2 Hour session can be authorised subject to availability.

On arrival Legal Visitors do not need to go to the Visits Centre. Report directly to the main reception with your ID.

Social Visits Monday to Sunday

1 st Session. Visitor Arrives in VC 08:00. Visitor comes through search area 08:30. Visit Time 09:00 to 10:00.

2 nd Session. Visitor Arrives in VC 09:30. Visitor comes through search area 10:00. Visit Time 10:30 to 11:30.

1 st Session. Visitor Arrives in VC 13:30. Visitor comes through search area 14:00. Visit Time 14:30 to 15:30.

2 nd Session. Visitor Arrives in VC 15:00. Visitor comes through search area 15:30. Visit Time 16:00 to 17:00.

Purple Video Visits

Purple Visits will take place on a Saturday and Sunday only and the times are the same as the Social Visits Sessions and will be booked in the usual way.

All of the above Visiting Times will come into effect from the 2 nd October 2023.

Visits Staff retain discretion to accept any other forms of identification, singly or in combination, that clearly identify the visitor in a satisfactory way.

The following list of items must not be brought into or taken out of the prison by staff or visitors:

Explosives and other dangerous items
Any item of contraband such as illegal or unauthorised substances (including steroids etc)
Any article intended for a prisoner
Weapons of any description including imitation weapons
Alcohol (except Communion wine brought in by Chaplaincy staff)
Aerosols (e.g. spray deodorant / hairspray)
Cans (e.g. drinks can)
Metal Cutlery (beyond P4)
Metal nail files
Civilian Clothing (if in uniform)
Spare uniform
Chewing Gum
Mobile Phones and associated parts (unless authorised under the Offender Management Act
Pagers (unless authorised)
Cameras (unless authorised under the Offender Management Act )
Video Cameras (unless authorised under the Offender Management Act
Any other sound or picture recording devices (unless authorised under the OMA)
DVD recorder / players
Non healthcare / prescribed drugs
Tobacco, lighters, matches or any other smoking paraphernalia
Large amounts of money
Unofficial tools e.g. personal screwdrivers
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How we collect and use your data

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COLLECTION OF DATA

DATA SHARING

We will only share your information with a third party where there is a legal obligation to do so.

RIGHTS OF ACCESS, CORRECTION, ERASURE AND RESTRICTION

You have legal rights in connection with personal information. Under certain circumstances, by law you have the right to:

Request access to your personal information (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
Request correction of the personal information that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate information we hold about you corrected.
Request erasure of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal information where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal information where you have exercised your right to object to processing.
Object to processing of your personal information by us or on our behalf in certain situations.
Request the restriction of processing of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of personal information about you, for example if you want us to establish its accuracy or the reason for processing it.

DATA RETENTION

If you have any questions or concerns about how long we retain your personal data, please contact the Data Protection Officer using the details below.

FURTHER ADVICE / GUIDANCE

You also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office and file a complaint. ( https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ )

Latest News

Ways to stay in touch... .

Book a visit to prison

You will need to book a visit if you want to see someone in prison. You can book online to arrange an in person visit or a virtual visit with a prisoner or you can telephone the prison Visits Booking Office.

If you haven't visited a prison before you will need to phone to book your visit. You will be provided with your unique visitor identification number. Once you have this you can start to book online.

Booking online

To book online for an in person visit or a virtual visit you will need:

to have previously booked a visit
the visit reference number for the prisoner
the prisoner's number
your unique visitor identification number
your date of birth
your e-mail address and contact number
the unique visitor identification number and dates of birth for all additional visitors (not needed for a virtual visit)

If you do not have these details, you should phone the relevant booking office.

Booking by telephone

To book a visit by telephone you will need:

the visit reference number for the prisoner
the unique visitor identification number and dates of birth for all additional visitors

If you don't have a unique visitor identification number, you can get one from the booking office which you can use for future visits.

If the person you are visiting has just arrived in prison you will need to ring the booking office and they can arrange a visit.

Virtual visits

A virtual visit can last up to 20 minutes. The visitor can use a personal computer, mobile device or smartphone to have this meeting with the prisoner.

All virtual visits are supervised, if NIPS become aware of any behaviour, language or actions which are considered inappropriate, this will result in the visit ending early and possible removal of the facility in the future.

Guide to arranging an online visit
Privacy notice explaining your rights to privacy when you arrange an online visit

Registering for visits

All visitors need to be registered in the prison they are visiting. When you arrive at Visits Reception you need to be photographed, have a scan taken of your finger and you should bring identification.

more information about registering for visits

Bringing proof of identification to prison

When you first visit someone in prison, you will need to be registered on the prison system as a visitor. You will need to bring proof of identification with you when you are being registered.

more information about the types of identification needed

Useful links

Visiting someone in prison

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What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to [email protected]

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit. Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 Email [email protected]

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 Email [email protected]

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 Email [email protected]

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to [email protected] or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service .

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service .

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit .

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section , then for queries about:

Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email [email protected] and for queries about your certificate, email [email protected] .

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email [email protected]

Application and payment queries can be emailed to [email protected]

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency .

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email [email protected]

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme, email [email protected] .

For queries about:

Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

For queries about your identity check, email [email protected] .

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office .

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email [email protected]

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre .

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section .

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads .

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service .

For queries or advice about rates, email [email protected]

For queries or advice about 60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink .

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly . We don't have access to information about you.

DoingTime, a guide to prison and probation

Visits & Getting there, HMP Norwich

Social visits are held at different times, depending on which site the prisoner is held.

For Reception site – (wings A, B, C, E, M and Ketts unit)

Tuesday – 9:30am to 11:30am
Wednesday – 14:00 to 16:00
Thursday – 9:30am to 11:30am
Saturday – 14:15 to 16:15
Sunday – 9:30am to 11:30

For Local Discharge Unit/HCC – (wings F, G, Healthcare and L wing)

Tuesday – 14:15 to 16:15
Thursday – 14:15 to 16:15
Saturday – 9:30am to 11:30am
Sunday – 14:15 to 16:15

All social (domestic) visitors can pre-book their visit by phoning the Visits Booking line., 01603 708795 Visits must be booked by 4pm the day before the visit or by 4pm on Friday for visits on Saturday and Sunday. Visits cannot be booked more than 7 days in advance. The booking line is open Mon – Fri: 08:30 – 12:30 & 13:30 – 16:00

You can also book online, visit: www.gov.uk/prison-visits . All you need is the name and date of birth of the person you are visiting and their prisoner number . You can choose up to 3 possible dates and times. Prison booking staff will check what’s available and confirm your visit by email. If you’ve made an online visit booking request and haven’t received a confirmation email within 1-3 working days, email [email protected] . Up to three adults and their children are allowed in any one visit.

HMP Norwich, like most prisons don’t allow late entry to the visits hall, so you must arrive no later than 10:45 (for morning visits) or 15:00 (for afternoon visits). Arrival outside of these times may result in your visit being cancelled; you will then need to rebook.

If the prisoner you would like to visit has recently arrived at HMP Norwich, direct from court, he may be entitled to a RECEPTION VISIT (remand and sentenced prisoners). Booking Line staff will be able to confirm any entitlement. This does not apply to prisoners transferred in or who have had their licences revoked.

Visitors have to be able to provide acceptable identification. The prison will accept:

Passport (including foreign passports and expired passports where the photograph is still recognisable)
EC identity card
Driving licence
Benefits book
Senior citizen’s public transport photo pass
Employer’s ID card (must show the name of the visitor, the employer, plus a photograph/signature which can be compared with the visitor’s appearance/signature)
Student ID card (must show the name of the visitor, the educational establishment, plus a photograph/signature which can be compared with the visitor’s appearance/signature)

If the visitor is unable to produce one of the above, staff may accept combinations of two or more of the following:

Birth/marriage certificate
Cheque book or credit/debit card
Employer’s pass or ID or student ID card (those not acceptable on previous list)
Young person’s ‘proof of age’ card
National Students’ Union or trade union membership card
Foreign identity or residents’ card (other than EC ID)
Expired documents from the above lists that appear satisfactory in other ways
ID card from a recognised prison visitors’ organisation (e.g. New Bridge)
Citizen Card

The prison staff may, at their discretion, accept any other forms of identification, singly or in combination, that clearly identify the visitor in a satisfactory way but check with the prison before the visit so you, and the prisoner, are not disappointed.

You are not allowed to take any property into the visits room, and these need storing in lockers provided *£1 deposit for the key. The only items of property allowed into Visits rooms are:

locker keys;
a maximum of £15.00 per group of visitors (in coins only, no paper money is allowed into the prison);
identification for all adults;
baby’s bottle or cup;
essential medicines.

The prison has a Visitors’ Centre for use by families and friends visiting those in our care. This facility is run by the Ormiston Children & Families Trust, a large charity supporting children, young people and families from the East of England. Call 01603 702301 or visit www.ormiston.org/norwichprison for more details. To help families with children they offer crèche facilities within the Visitors’ Centre, catering for children from 0 – 8 years old. This service is OFSTED-registered and is free of charge. It offers fun, safe and secure indoor and outdoor play areas staffed by qualified childcare workers and volunteers. Pushchairs are not allowed through on visits, they can be left at the Visitors’ Centre

On arrival at HMP Norwich go directly to the Visitors’ Centre to book in. Staff from the Ormiston Trust will take the name of the person you have come to see, check your ID, and make sure that you have the correct Visiting Order (if you require one to visit). To ensure that you do not miss your visit you will be given a number, which will be called when it is time for you to visit.

Family Visits

The Prison run special visits for children. These are an opportunity for families to spend ‘quality’ time together – the emphasis being on the dad, step-dad or granddad interacting with their children. These visits take place in a separate room, specially equipped for families with children of all ages. The the priosner can apply for these vists on a specila Children’s Visit Application form. All prisoners are will be subject to an additional security check and only one adult can accompany the child/children. This scheme is restricted to prisoners having at least one child, stepchild or grandchild aged 17 years and below.

HMP & YOI Norwich is situated on the eastern outskirts of Norwich, in Norfolk, about a 20 mins wlak from Norwich station.

Bus: The No. 19, 20, 24 and 24a buses from Riverside Road goes past HMP & YOI Norwich. Ask for Knox Road (or simply ask for the prison).
Train: Take a train to Norwich Station (from London services are via Liverpool Street). (timetable here) From Norwich Station it takes approximately 20 minutes to walk to the prison. At the main junction outside the station follow Riverside Road (keep river on your left). At the roundabout turn right up Ketts’ Hill onto Plumstead Road. Please note: this is up a steep hill. Turn left into Barrack Road. The prison and Visitors’ Centre are situated at the end of the road.
Car: From A11, join A47 (Southern bypass around Norwich) and follow signs for Great Yarmouth. Take the slip road signposted A1042 (Norwich N & E & Thorpe St. Andrew). Go straight over roundabout and under railway bridge. At mini roundabout turn tight. Take left-hand slip road by traffic lights (Sainsbury’s should be on your right-hand side) signposted Cromer, Norwich Airport (A140). Follow road up hill to roundabout. Take the 2nd exit, Plumstead Road (B1140), signposted “HM Prison”. Turn right into Barrack Road. HMP & YOI Norwich, and the Visitors’ Centre, is situated at the end of the road. Limited parking is available on site.

Return to Norwich

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Visiting the prison

Types of visit

Visiting times

Social visits

How to book a visit

Acceptable forms of identification

Official visitors

Before and during visits - please read this section carefully

Meeting a prisoner on their release

What you can bring or send in for prisoners

How we collect and use your data

Privacy Notice

What to wear for your visit

How to send money in to a prisoner

Keeping in touch

Family Matters team

Smoking policy

Visits quick reference guide

Identification required for a visit

Visits Dress Code

What to expect when visiting the prison

Financial Support for visiting a prison

How we collect your data

Visiting the prison

Visiting times and frequency

What to expect

Car parking

Check-in to our visitors centre

Refreshments

Types of visit

How we collect and use your data

See our Families and Significant Others Strategy

Visiting the prison

Visiting times

How to book a visit

Before and during visits

Types of visit

Contact by email, letter or card

Emailing a prisoner

Visitor centre facilities

How we collect and use your data

HMP Preston

Recent Updates

Useful documents

Important Contact Information

Visitor Centre Opening Times

Visiting Times

Safer Custody

Useful Links

Twitter Feed

Visiting the prison

How we collect and use your data

Latest News

Book a visit to prison

Booking online

Booking by telephone

Virtual visits

Registering for visits

Bringing proof of identification to prison

Useful links

Translation help

What to do next

Carer's Allowance

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Disability Living Allowance

Employment and Support Allowance

Jobseeker’s Allowance