Policy
The prison phone rule of 11 August 2026.
One new sentence tells prisons to restrict numbers that pass the call on, like call forwarding. Here it is, in their words.
Checked against GOV.UK and HMPPS policy.
The sentence
In their words.
On 11 August 2026, HMPPS, the prison service, issued a policy framework. Its full name is the Interception, monitoring and security of prisoner communications policy framework.[3]
Paragraph 7.9 tells prisons to restrict 0800 numbers as social contacts, and “numbers linked to call diversion and re-routing services”.[3, 7.9]
The paragraph is about who someone inside can reach. It isn't about what a family pays. A number that passes the call on can be used to reach someone they're barred from calling.[3, 7.9]
The paragraph ends by pointing to exceptions. They sit in a manual we haven't been able to read, so we can't name them.[3, 7.9]
What it does
The phone may stop.
A number like that can be refused when it's put on their phone list (the PIN list). It can also be taken off later, after it was approved. This hits families who already rely on one.
Most services that sell a landline for prison calls work one way. They take the call on that number. Then they send it on to a mobile. That's a divert. Read as written, the paragraph describes those numbers.[3, 7.9]
What it doesn't do
It approves no one.
It doesn't ban landlines. An ordinary home number, starting 01 or 02, is still how most lists are built.[1]
It doesn't approve any company, us included. We never claim official approval.
It doesn't say how long adding a number takes. GOV.UK says the first check, when they arrive, may take a few days. No published policy sets a time limit after that.[1]
If you already have one
Don't switch in a panic.
If it still rings, keep it for now. Ask the provider, in writing: is the call passed on? Their answer tells you if this rule is about your number.
If it has stopped, start with the usual causes. A wrong digit. A list that was never live. This rule comes after those.
Questions
The short answers.
What changed on 11 August 2026?
HMPPS issued the interception policy framework. Paragraph 7.9 tells prisons to restrict 0800 numbers as social contacts, and numbers linked to call diversion and re-routing services. A number like that can be refused when it's put forward. Or it can be taken off a list after it was approved.
Are all virtual landlines banned?
No. The rule names diversion and re-routing, not every landline without a box on the wall. A landline that rings the handset itself is built a different way. The policy also points to exceptions in a manual we haven't been able to read.
Does the rule apply to ringyard?
No. The rule is about numbers that pass the call on. Ours doesn't. It's a real UK landline on the phone you carry. The prison checks it, like any number.
What should I do if I already have a forwarded number?
If it still rings, don't switch in a panic. Ask the person inside to check it's still live on their list. If it stops, they should ask the wing why. The helpline is 0808 808 2003.
Check us
- Staying in touch with someone in prison. GOV.UK, current guidance. Read 23 August 2026. Read it yourself
- Interception, monitoring and security of prisoner communications policy framework. HM Prison and Probation Service / Ministry of Justice, issued 11 August 2026. Read 26 August 2026. Paragraph 7.9 points to a separate operations manual for exceptions. We have not read it. Read it yourself
A landline the rule isn't about.
A real UK landline on the phone you have. Nothing is passed on. The prison checks it, like any number.
£20 a month · No risk · Stop any time