Prison video calls: how they work
To video call someone in prison, you book it ahead. It's a visit on a screen, not a call they can make when the wing is open. Here's what it needs, and why the phone still matters.
Checked against GOV.UK.
How it works
A visit on a screen.
You book it ahead. It isn't a call they can make any time.
Some prisons offer video calls. Some don't. Check the prison’s page on GOV.UK.
You add an app to your phone or tablet. It isn't FaceTime or WhatsApp. You ask for a call in the app, or they ask. Staff set the time and email you.[11]
GOV.UK sets these rules:[11]
- One video call a month is free.
- A call can last up to 30 minutes.
- You must be over 18 and on their list.
- Up to 3 others on their visitor list can join, of any age.
- All video calls are recorded. Staff may watch while it happens. Are calls recorded?
What it needs from you.
A video call asks more of you than a phone call does.
- A phone or tablet with a cameraOld phones struggle. A shared family phone gets booked up.
- A good connectionBroadband that holds a picture. Public Wi-Fi is a gamble. Mobile data on a weak signal drops the call.
- A quiet roomChildren, shift work and a small flat make this the hard part. You need to stay put for the whole slot.
- Set it up earlyAdd the app a few days ahead. Checking your account can take up to 24 hours.[11]
Phone and video
Beside the phone, not instead of it.
A video visit shows a face. That matters.
A phone call can happen when they're let out on the wing. No booking. No camera. Families who can do both, do both.
Free help with a first visit
The charities GOV.UK lists help families for free.[4] Ask, and they can talk you through a first video visit.
Common questions.
How do prison video calls work in the UK?
Some prisons offer them. You add an app to your phone or tablet. You ask for a call in the app, or they ask. Prison staff set the time and email you. A call can last up to 30 minutes.
Are video calls free?
One a month is. GOV.UK says they're allowed 1 free video call a month. A call can last up to 30 minutes.
Are video calls recorded?
Yes. GOV.UK says all video calls are recorded. Staff may watch while the call happens.
Do video calls replace phone calls?
No. A video call needs an app, a booking and a quiet room. A phone call can happen when they're let out on the wing. Families who have both use both.
Can I use a video app they already know?
No. You can't FaceTime or WhatsApp someone in prison. Video calls use a secure app. You add it to your phone or tablet.
Check us
- Support for families and friends of prisoners. GOV.UK, current guidance. 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.
The phone still works when a visit cannot.
A landline number rings the phone you have. No app. No booking. No broadband on your side. It installs as an eSIM. Video calls are still worth having when you can make them.
£20 a month · No risk · Stop any time