Can you call someone in prison?
No. Prison phones only dial out. They reach numbers the prison has checked.[1] So to contact someone in prison by phone, they ring you. Here's what you can do.
Checked against GOV.UK and the published rates.
Urgent news
When something can't wait.
A death in the family. Serious illness. News that can't wait for their next call.
- Ring the prisonTell the switchboard it's urgent. Each prison’s number is on its GOV.UK page.
- Staff pass the message onWhere the prison judges it right, they arrange a call back.
- The chaplaincy often helpsWhatever your faith.[4]
Not sure what to say?
Prisoners’ Families Helpline is there for this moment. It's free and confidential. Its staff know how each prison tends to handle it.[5]
This route isn't for a chat. Prisons take it seriously because it's kept for real emergencies.
When they can call
Will they reach you?
Two things decide that.
- Your number is on their phone listOnly they can add it. The prison checks it first.
- Their credit lastsThe landline rate makes their money go further. What calls cost them
Between calls
The other ways in.
None of them is the same as a call.
- Letters. Write to them at the prison.[11]
- Email. A service called Email a Prisoner prints your message. Staff hand it to them.[1]
- Voice messages. You can swap them through Prison Voicemail.[11]
- Video calls. Some prisons offer them. One a month is free.[11] Video calls
- Visits. Book through the prison or GOV.UK.[1]
That's why the call matters most. So does what it costs them. We compare every option, free ones too.
Common questions.
If yours isn't here, ask us. A real person replies the same day.
Can I phone someone in prison directly?
No. No number reaches someone in prison. Prisons don't put calls through to them. Calls only go the other way. The person inside rings out from a wing phone or a phone in their cell. They can only ring numbers on their phone list, which some call the PIN list.
How do I get an urgent message to someone in prison?
Ring the prison and say it's urgent. A death or serious illness in the family is what this is for. Staff pass the message on. Where it's right, they arrange for the person to call back. The chaplaincy often helps. The Prisoners' Families Helpline can help you work out what to say.
Why can't people in prison take calls?
Security. Prison phones only ring numbers on the list. So every call has a checked person on the other end. Calls on those lines can be recorded and listened to. A line in from outside would have neither check. So there's no such line.
Can they call a mobile from prison?
Yes, but it costs them more. On the published HMPPS rates, a weekday minute to a mobile is 5.50p. To a landline it is 2.48p. They pay from their own money, and that money has a weekly limit. On a weekday, the same money buys twice as many minutes on a landline.
How does my number get on their phone list?
The person inside asks for your number to go on their phone list. The prison checks it before they can ring it. Only they can add it. Nobody outside can. Our phone-list guide covers the steps, the wait, and what to do if a number is refused.
Check us
- Staying in touch with someone in prison. GOV.UK, current guidance. Read 23 August 2026. Read it yourself
- Support for families and friends of prisoners. GOV.UK, current guidance. Read 23 August 2026. Read it yourself
- Prisoners' Families Helpline. prisonersfamilies.org, opening hours read from the site. Read 23 August 2026. Read it yourself
- Staying in touch with someone in prison: letters, video and telephone calls. GOV.UK, current guidance. Read 25 September 2026. States that the prisoner has to call you from a prison phone, only to people on their list of friends and family, that the list is checked on arrival, and that most calls can be listened to and recorded. It gives no daily number of calls. On letters: write their prisoner number on the envelope, and staff check most letters. Read it yourself
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.
When they can call, be easy to reach.
A landline number that rings the phone you already have. Their calls cost them the landline rate. The same money buys more talk.
£20 a month · No risk · Stop any time