HMP/YOI Hatfield (Main site)
South Yorkshire
HMP/YOI Hatfield (Main site) is a Category D men's prison in South Yorkshire. 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 | No visits |
| Wednesday | No visits |
| Thursday | No visits |
| Friday |
Saturday
Sunday
2pm–4pm
|
| Saturday |
2pm–4pm
|
| Sunday |
2pm–4pm
|
Always confirm visiting times when you book — they can change at short notice.
Official face to face visit 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
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 Hatfield you must
- be on that prisoner’s visitor list
- book your visit at least 3 days in advance
- have the required ID with you when you go
There may be a limit to the number of visits a prisoner can have.
Call 01405 746 611 if you have any questions about visiting.
(The line is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 11:30am)
To arrange a visit you can
- book your visit online
- telephone, 01405 746 611
The telephone booking line is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 11:30am Find out about call charges
Visiting times for HMP Hatfield:
Official face to face visits can be booked via email: [email protected]
Main site: Monday to Friday, 10am to midday and 2pm to 4pm
Lakes site: Monday to Thursday, 10am to midday and 2pm to 4pm
Find Hatfield on a map
The prison is split over 2 sites, which are located approximately 4 miles apart:
HMP/YOI Hatfield (Main site) Thorne Road Hatfield Doncaster South Yorkshire DN7 6EL
HMP/YOI Hatfield (Lakes site) Lancaster Drive Lindholme Doncaster South Yorkshire DN7 6FA
Find Hatfield on a map
The closest stations to the prison are Thorne North and Thorne South but the service is limited and there is no taxi rank.
To plan your journey by public transport
- use National Rail Enquiries
- use Traveline for local bus times as there are buses that stop close to the prison
There is limited parking available onsite for visitors, including spaces in the main car park for Blue Badge holders.
All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison.
While there is no routine searching of visitors, all visitors may receive a pat-down search prior to entering the visits hall this includes any children present. Security dogs may also be present at the time of visiting, and you may be sniffed by them.
Hatfield has a strict dress code policy, which means visitors should wear smart clothes (no vests, no low-cut tops, no shorts, no short dresses, and no headwear, other than that worn for religious reasons).
You may be requested to remove headwear for searching purposes, this will always be conducted in an appropriate environment and respectfully.
Refreshments are available during your visit at both sites.
There are strict controls on what you can take into Hatfield. You will be asked to place any items that are not permitted into lockers at the main gate. You can take in pushchairs, changing and feeding items for your baby.
Hatfield aims to provide an enjoyable visiting experience for families so expects you to be respectful and to always supervise your children.
You will be informed of 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.
Please call the booking line if you have any questions about visiting.
Hatfield has a cafe in the visiting halls of both sites where you can buy hot and cold food and drinks.
Lockers are available for visitors to store items prior to entering the establishment.
At both sites there are areas set aside for children to play in.
HMP/YOI Hatfield runs several themed family days per year.
The days consist of family activities, crafts and quizzes themed around seasonal events.
Staff run the family days working in partnership with, the Prison Advice and Care Trust, Novus and other internal departments.
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 a prisoner during their time at Hatfield.
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.
How to book a secure video call
Secure video calls at this prison can be requested by prisoners only.
You will receive a notification if a prisoner has requested a video call with you.
Read more about how it works
Prisoners do not have phones in their cells, they have phones on their landings which they are able to use to make outgoing calls, Prisoners will have to buy phone credits to make calls these can be purchased from their canteen, calls can be made anytime up to 10pm.
Prisoners can phone anyone named on their contact list of friends and family. This list is checked by security when they first arrive and 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 HMP Hatfield Prison using EmailaPrisoner.com. Through this service, family and friends can send a message this is then printed out and delivered by prison staff by hand.
Once you have signed up, you will receive an activation link via email which you must click on to activate your account and send a message.
You must buy a minimum of £5 credit to use the service,which runs at a cost of 40p per email and at no charge to the recipient.
You can write at any time.
Include the prisoner’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.
If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Hatfield.
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.
Who 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
01405 746 611The main switchboard for questions about visiting or the person inside.
Prison email Email
[email protected]Safety or wellbeing concern Phone
01405 746 509For serious but non-life-threatening concerns about a prisoner's safety. You can also complete a Safer Custody contact form.
Prisoners’ Families Helpline Phone
0808 808 2003The Prisoners’ Families Helpline can provide confidential support, advice and guidance.
Prisoners' Families Helpline Phone
0808 808 2003Free, confidential advice and a listening ear for anyone with a loved one in prison.
Mon to Fri 9am to 8pm, Sat and Sun 10am to 3pmSamaritans 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.
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.