HMP/YOI High Down

You can book your visit online or by telephone. Online bookings are only available to visitors who are already on the prisoner’s visitors’ list. This list is separate to the prisoner’s pin-phone list.

Visits can be booked up to 28 days in advance.

Telephone booking line: 0207 147 6570 Find out about call charges

To make amendments to bookings, you can either phone the booking line or email [email protected] by midday the day before the visit at the latest. If the visit is at a weekend, any changes have to be made by midday on Friday before the visit.

Last entry time for the morning session is 10am and Last entry time for the afternoon session is, 2.30pm.

Two hours are allocated for a visit, with a minimum entitlement of a 1 hour session.

Refreshments can be ordered and paid for before your visit when in the visitors centre. We accept cash only (coins and notes) with a maximum of £45 per family.

Baby changing facilities available in Visitors’ Centre and Visits Hall toilets.

For further information, please phone the Visitors’ Centre Information Line on 020 7147 6360.

If no reply, leave a message and staff will get back to you as soon as possible.

To book an official video visit, call 0207 147 6331.

To book an official face to face visit email [email protected] and request a booking form.

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.

All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

There are strict controls on what you can take into High Down. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker and will need a £1 coin which will be returned to you when you leave. This includes pushchairs and car seats.

You may bring in dummies, baby wipes, nappies, milk powder and prescribed medication. All items must be in a clear plastic bag. The prison can provide baby wipes and nappies if requested. All items may be bagged and tagged prior to entering the prison.

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.

High Down welcomes and encourages prisoners to have visits with their loved ones, but please remember that when visiting the establishment that you should dress and behave appropriately.

High Down has revised its dress code policy for all external visitors which allows us to foster a safe, decent and relaxed visits hall.

To maintain decency in the visits hall our dress code must be adhered to. This is to prevent inappropriate clothing being worn in and around the presence of other visitors and staff.

Passive dogs are used as part of our searching process and they cannot differentiate between someone who is fully dressed and someone who is not.

Copies of the visits dress code and picture booklet are available in the visitors centre

If a visitor arrives inappropriately dressed, they will be offered the opportunity to wear prison issue jogging bottoms and/or a sweatshirt.

If a visitor does not wish to wear these items, then entry will be refused, and the visiting order will be lost.

There is a Visitors Centre run by the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) charity.

It is open from 8:30am to midday and 12:30pm to 4:30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

On weekends the visitor centre is open from 12:30pm to 4:30pm.

Email: [email protected] Telephone: 020 7147 6360 Find out about call charges

Refreshments can be ordered and paid for before your visit when in the visitors centre. We accept cash only (coins and notes) with a maximum of £45 per family.

Baby changing facilities are available in the visitor’s centre and visits hall.

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 it works

Prisoners 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 High Down using the Email a Prisoner service.

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies, depending on the rules at High Down.

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 High Down.

All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.

National Prison Radio broadcasts into prison cells across England and Wales 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Family and friends can stay connected with their loved ones in prison by sending song requests, written messages and voice recordings. They are then read and played out on weekly episodes.

You can send in a message, and hear the show, at nationalprisonradio.com