HMP Featherstone
Wolverhampton, West Midlands Group
HMP Featherstone is a Category C men's prison in Wolverhampton. If someone you care about is here, this page brings together what matters most — visiting, keeping in touch and finding support — in plain, practical English.
Start here
Most people come here for one of three reasons. Pick the one that fits.
Visiting
Visiting takes a little planning. You'll usually need to book ahead, be on the person's visitor list and bring the right ID. The visiting times, how to book and what to expect are below — along with help if it's your first visit or money is tight.
Social visiting times
| Day | Available sessions |
|---|---|
| Monday | No visits |
| Tuesday |
2pm–4pm
9am–11am
|
| Wednesday |
2pm–4pm
|
| Thursday |
2pm–4pm
9am–11am
|
| Friday | No visits |
| Saturday |
9:30am–11:30am
2pm–4pm
|
| Sunday |
2pm–4pm
|
Always confirm visiting times when you book — they can change at short notice.
Video link appointment times
Before you go — checklist
- Be on the person's approved visitor list
- Book in advance and bring valid photo ID
- At least one visitor must be 18 or over
Visitor centre & family support
Run on site by Prison Advice & Care Trust (Pact) — a warm welcome, plus practical and emotional support for families and friends.
Helpful resources to download
If you’re on a low income you may be able to claim back the cost of visiting a partner or close relative in prison.
Travel
Cheapest public transport fare, or 20p per mile by car (30p in Scotland). Car hire up to £40 a day.
Meals
£3.50 to £5.10 towards food for journeys lasting more than 5 hours.
Overnight stay
£28–£34 per adult and £14–£17 per child where an overnight stay is approved in advance.
Who can get it
You must be the prisoner’s spouse, civil partner or partner, a close relative (child, parent, grandparent or sibling, including step and adoptive), their named next of kin, or their sole visitor.
You also need to get one of:
- Universal Credit — if your household gets no more than £1,250 a month (excluding housing costs)
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- A valid NHS HC2 certificate (or partial help with an HC3 certificate)
How to claim
- Apply online, or by post, phone or email.
- You can claim for visits made in the last 28 days or planned for the next 28 days.
- You’ll need the prisoner number, your National Insurance number, your receipts/tickets and a visiting order stamped by the prison.
You can usually get help with one visit every 2 weeks.
Helpline open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
More support for families
- Prisoners’ Families Helpline — 0808 808 2003 — free, confidential advice
- Pact: first-time families guide — Help with prison visit costs
- NICCO: Assisted Prison Visits Scheme — Directory entry
Rates and rules can change — always check the latest details on GOV.UK before you travel.
More about visiting
To visit someone in Featherstone you must
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit at least 2 days in advance
- have the required ID with you when you go
You can book up to 14 days in advance.
Prisoners can have up to 3 adult visitors at a time (18 or over) plus children.
A prisoner can have as many visits as they have visiting orders for. You can check this with the prisoner you are going to visit.
Contact Featherstone if you have any questions about visiting.
To arrange a visit you can
- book your visit online
- telephone 0300 060 6502
The booking line is open, Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm. Find out about call charges
- Telephone bookings can be made up to 2 days before a visit.
- Bookings weekend visits must be made by Thursday, 5pm.
If you have any questions you can email [email protected], however they are not able to book a visit.
For general visits queries, not booking requests, you can also contact PACT by phone on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from midday to 5pm on 01902 703 254 Find out about call charges
Visitors must be signed into the visits centre 30 minutes before the visits session starts.
For an afternoon visit, please sign in by 1:30pm.
For the Saturday morning session, please sign in by 9am.
Signing in on time allows us to bring visitors over in a timely manner, so we can allow you up to 2 hours of a visit session, where possible.
Visitors who are late may be turned away, however exceptions apply.
To arrange an official video visit, you can email [email protected].
We aim to reply within 2 working days.
Although video time slots are available, we give priority to video to court links.
To arrange an official face to face visit, you can email [email protected].
The latest arrival time is 10:30am.
When booking
- provide three preferred dates and times (in order of preference)
- all requests must be from a CJSM or an official work account
Visit information
- All appointments are limited to one hour.
- ID must be presented at the start of all visits, for both video and in person.
- You can call 01902 703 264 or 01902 703 048 for questions about bringing electronic equipment and required documents. These numbers are not staffed all day.
Find out about call charges
Find Featherstone on a map
Car: From Wolverhampton take the A449 northbound – there is a visitor’s car parking facility at the prison.
Bus: Take number 70 from Stand AC to Cannock. Depart the bus at Honeysuckle Drive, Featherstone. Then walk along New Road towards the Prison (approx. 25 minutes). The Visitors’ Centre is well signposted.
Train: The Nearest Railway Station is 6 miles away in Wolverhampton and you can complete the rest of journey by bus or taxi.
To plan your journey by public transport
- use National Rail Enquiries
- use Traveline for local bus times
There is a free visitors car park.
There are disabled visitors spaces in our visitors car park.
All visitors must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison.
- All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children
- You may also be sniffed by security dogs
Please see a link to the PACT website which has a copy of the dress code.
Items for babies will need to be placed into a clear bag, which you can collect from the visits centre.
You may bring in
- dummies
- baby wipes
- nappies
- prescribed medication: only the amount needed during the visit is permitted, will also need to be left with visits staff until needed
- empty baby bottles
- liquid baby formula that is in a sealed bottle
You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.
- there are strict controls on what you can take into HMP Featherstone. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker in the visitors’ centre or in your car
- each Table is allowed a maximum of £50 to be brought in that can be coins or £5 or £10 notes. No notes above £10 are accepted.
Call our visits centre if you have any questions about visiting 01902 703 254 or email them on [email protected]
There is a visitors centre run by PACT where there are baby changing facilities available.
Refreshments are available to purchase in our visits centre and in the visits room. Visitors can use either coin or notes in the visits centre but we ask all notes to be £5 or £10. Each table is allowed to bring up to £50 in either coins, £5 or £10 notes for purchasing refreshments.
The centre is open daily, except Monday and Friday, from midday to 4:30pm.
High Featherstone run 12 family visits a year. Details on how these visits run can be found by contacting the PACT team on 01902 703 254.
Keep in touch
There are several ways to stay close between visits — phone calls, secure video calls, emails and letters. How each one works at this prison is explained below.
Secure video calls
Many prisons offer secure video calls so you can see each other between visits.
How video calls work on GOV.UKMany prisons use the Email a Prisoner service — you pay a small fee per message and can sometimes pay for a reply.
Phone calls
The person inside can only call numbers on their approved list, and most calls are monitored. With Prison Voicemail you can leave a message for them to call you back.
Letters
You can write as often as you like — put the prisoner’s number on the envelope. Most post is checked by staff.
More about keeping in touch
There are several ways you can keep in touch with someone during their time at Featherstone.
To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to
- Download the Prison Video app
- Create an account
- Register all visitors
- Add the prisoner to your contact list
You can request a secure video call with someone in this prison via the Prison Video app.
You will receive a notification when your request has been accepted.
Read more about how the Prison Video app works
Prisoners have phones in their cells but these can only make outgoing calls so they will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this.
They can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security when they first arrive so it may take a few days before they are able to call.
You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service.
Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.
You can send emails to someone in Featherstone using the Email a Prisoner service.
You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies, depending on the rules at Featherstone.
You can write at any time.
Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.
If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Featherstone.
All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.
Money & gifts
You can send money to someone here, and there are rules about gifts and parcels. Below is how to send money safely and what you're allowed to send.
How to send money
- 1 Use the free GOV.UK "Send money to a prisoner" service with a debit card (Visa, Mastercard or Maestro) — credit cards and prepaid cards are not accepted.
- 2 You’ll need the prisoner’s number and their date of birth.
- 3 Money usually arrives in less than 3 working days, but it can take up to 5.
If you can’t use the online service
No debit card? You can set up a basic bank account to get one.
Can’t use a computer or the internet? You can apply for an exemption to send money by post — this is only granted in exceptional circumstances.
Rules can change — check GOV.UK for the latest details before you send money.
Life inside
Knowing what daily life is like can be a real comfort. Here's what to expect — arriving and the first night, where people live, and the education, work and support on offer.
Education & work
Learning, training and work that help someone build skills and a future for release.
Daily routine
Arriving and the first night, where people live and how the day is structured.
Support for families
Having a loved one in prison is hard. You don't have to manage it alone — these services are free and confidential.
Prison Advice & Care Trust (Pact)
Worker: Victoria Parker
[email protected]Helpline: 0808 808 2003
Visit websitePrisoners' Families Helpline
Confidential advice and a listening ear, whatever stage you're at.
0808 808 2003 Free to callWho do I contact?
There are different numbers and inboxes depending on what you need — we've grouped them by what you're trying to do.
Call the prison Phone
0300 060 6502The main switchboard for questions about visiting or the person inside.
Visit booking Email
[email protected]Prison email Email
[email protected]Visitor centre (Pact) Email
[email protected]Safety or wellbeing concern Phone
01902 703 081For serious but non-life-threatening concerns about a prisoner's safety. You can also complete a Safer Custody contact form.
Samaritans Phone
116 123Someone to talk to any time, day or night, if things are getting too much for you.
Open 24 hours, every dayReport a staff concern Phone
0800 917 6877 (24 hours answering machine)Anonymous, independent line if you're worried a prisoner is being mistreated by staff.
Stop unwanted contact Phone
0300 060 6699If a prisoner is contacting you and you want it to stop, use the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service.
Complaints & correspondence Email
[email protected]Common questions
Most visits are booked free online through the GOV.UK 'Visit someone in prison' service. The person inside must add you to their visitor list first, which can take up to 2 weeks. You will need their prisoner number and date of birth, and the date of birth of everyone visiting. Some prisons take bookings by phone instead.
Everyone aged 16 or over needs valid photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence. You will go through a security check, so leave phones, smart watches and bags in a locker (bring a £1 coin). You can usually take in a small amount of cash for refreshments, essential medication and basic baby items.
If you are on a low income you may be able to claim back travel costs through the Assisted Prison Visits Scheme, which can also help with meals and an overnight stay for longer journeys. You usually need to be a partner or close relative and getting certain benefits.
Send money online for free using the GOV.UK 'Send money to a prisoner' service and a debit card. You will need the prisoner's number and date of birth, and it usually arrives within 3 working days.
You can keep in touch by phone, secure video call, email and letters. Video calls are set up through the Prison Video or Purple Visits app, and many prisons use the Email a Prisoner service for messages.
A family-support charity runs visitor support at HMP Featherstone, offering a warm welcome, practical advice and someone to talk to. You can also call the Prisoners' Families Helpline free on 0808 808 2003.