Weekday
2.48p to a landline
The published HMPPS rate. The same money buys more talk.
The full tableThe call home
How prison
calls work.
If you are scared for someone inside, call Prisoners’ Families Helpline on 0808 808 2003.
They ring you. You cannot ring them. Here is one call from start to finish, and the guide for each step.
Checked against the published rates.
One call
From the list to hang-up.
Your number goes on their list
They can only ring people on their list of friends and family. Security checks it when they arrive. GOV.UK says that can take a few days.
They ring from a prison phone
Calls go out. You cannot ring in. When the phones are on is up to each prison.
They pay by the minute
From their own account. The rate is set by the kind of number they dial.
Staff can listen
Most calls can be listened to and recorded. Calls to a legal adviser are not monitored.
The list, the phone and the listening are from GOV.UK.[11] The rate is the HMPPS tariff, in full on what they pay to ring.
The rate
The number they dial sets the price.
Weekday
5.50p to a mobile
More than twice as dear. The difference comes out of their account.
Do the sumFree
A home landline
If someone is in when they ring, it already gets the lower rate.
Every optionSince 11 August 2026
Not every landline number is kept.
Prisons are told to restrict “numbers linked to call diversion and re-routing services”.[3, 7.9] A number that passes the call on can be refused, or taken off later. There are exceptions. They sit in a manual we have not read.
Questions
The short answers.
How do phone calls work in prison?
The person inside rings you from a prison phone. You cannot ring in. They can only ring numbers on their list of friends and family. Security checks that list when they arrive. They pay for each call from their own account.
How many phone calls do prisoners get?
GOV.UK gives no daily number. They pay for each minute from their own account. Each prison sets its own phone times and call lengths. Ask the wing what applies.
Can I call someone in prison?
No. They have to ring you. GOV.UK says you can swap voice messages through the Prison Voicemail service.
Are prison calls recorded?
Most can be. Staff can listen to and record most types of call. Some are not monitored, for example a call to a legal adviser.
Why do prison calls cost less to a landline?
The rate is set by the number they dial. On weekdays a call to a mobile is 5.50p a minute. A call to a landline is 2.48p. The same money buys about 2.1 times the talk.
Are prison video calls free?
One video call a month is free. A call lasts up to 30 minutes. Only some prisons offer them. You must be over 18 and on their list.
Sources
Check us.
[11]Staying in touch with someone in prison: letters, video and telephone calls
GOV.UK — current guidance. Read 2026-09-25.
https://www.gov.uk/staying-in-touch-with-someone-in-prison/letters-video-and-telephone-calls[3]Interception, monitoring and security of prisoner communications policy framework
HM Prison and Probation Service / Ministry of Justice — issued 11 August 2026. Read 2026-08-26.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/interception-monitoring-and-security-of-prisoner-communications-policy-framework
Make their credit go further.
A landline number on the phone you have. £20 a month. Unlimited. It installs as an eSIM. Nothing is passed on. The prison still checks it. If you have a home landline and someone is in, use that and buy nothing.
No term. Stop in one tap.
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