When can prisoners call you?
There's no national timetable for prison calls. Calls follow the prison day. This page shows what that day looks like.
Checked against GOV.UK and the published rates.
The short answer
When they’re unlocked. Or later, with a phone in the cell.
Calls come in bursts, not at set times.
At unlock. Often late afternoon and early evening. There’s a queue.
Later in the evening. No queue.
Each prison runs its own day. Calls come in bursts.
The shape of the day
Three things decide when they can call
None of them is set nationally. Each prison runs its own day.
- Unlock time on the wingWith shared phones, calls happen when cells are unlocked. Prisons call this association. It's often late afternoon and early evening. There's a queue, so calls are often short.
- A phone in the cellMore prisons now have phones in cells. Calls can come later in the evening, with no queue. Both kinds only ring numbers on their phone list.[1] Ask them, or the prison, which kind they have.
- The prison day itselfPrisons call the daily routine the regime. Staff shortages, incidents and inspections can cut unlock time with no notice. A quiet week can have a dull reason like this.
No provider controls any of this. That includes us. A company that promises calls at set times is promising something it doesn't run.
What you can do
Plan for the burst, not the clock
You can't plan the time. You can make each call count.
- Keep your phone on you. Most of all at the times they usually get through.
- Agree what happens if you miss one. Talk it through on a call. Then a missed one is less of a worry.
- If a call was missed, move on. Don't spend the first minute on why there was no call.
- Make each call cost them less. A minute to a landline costs them less than a minute to a mobile. What calls cost them
If the calls have stopped, start with why a number stops working.
Common questions
What time of day do they phone from prison?
Whenever the prison day lets them reach a phone. With shared wing phones, that's mostly unlock time. Prisons call this association. It's often late afternoon and early evening. Phones in cells give a much wider window. No national policy sets a timetable. Their prison decides, and it can change week to week.
Why do the calls come in bursts?
Because getting to a phone comes in bursts. There may be a queue at unlock. Work hours change. A wing is locked down for an afternoon. Any of these can turn a daily call into days of quiet, then two calls close together. That's how the system works. It isn't a sign something is wrong.
Can they call at night?
From a shared wing phone, no. Calls end when unlock time ends. A phone in the cell runs later into the evening, within the prison's limits. Not sure a late call is from them? See why a prison is calling.
The calls suddenly stopped. Should I worry?
A quiet spell often has a dull cause. The prison day was cut back. Work changed. They moved. Their phone credit ran out. Our guide to calls that have stopped coming lists the causes. It says what you can check from outside.
Are calls cheaper at the weekend?
Yes, on the published HMPPS tariff. A minute to a mobile drops from 5.50p to 3.60p. A minute to a landline drops from 2.48p to 2.20p. The type of number still matters more than the day.
Anything else? Email us. A person replies.
Check us
- Staying in touch with someone in prison. GOV.UK, current guidance. Read 23 August 2026. Read it yourself
Each prison sets its own call times. They aren't published nationally. So this page shows the shape of the day, not a timetable.
How a call goes
They ring. You pick up. That’s it.
Evening They pick up the prison phone.
Straight away Your mobile rings. Like any call.
Half an hour in It's cost them 74p, not £1.65.HMPPS weekday rates
Tomorrow They ring again.
Choose what the call costs them.
£20 a month · No risk · Stop any time