HMP Highpoint
Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Essex and Suffolk Group
HMP Highpoint is a Category C men's prison in Suffolk. 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 |
2:15pm–4:15pm
|
| Tuesday | No visits |
| Wednesday | No visits |
| Thursday | No visits |
| Friday |
2:30pm–4:30pm
|
| Saturday |
2:15pm–4:15pm
2:30pm–4:15pm
|
| Sunday |
2:15pm–4:15pm
9:30am–11:30am
|
Always confirm visiting times when you book — they can change at short notice.
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 Highpoint you must
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit 3 to 5 days in advance
- have the required ID with you when you go
At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit.
There may be a limit to the number of visits a prisoner can have. Depending on individual privileges, prisoners can have 2 to 4 visits a month. There are extra visits too, such as family days and ‘lifer’ visits.
Highpoint tries to offer 2 hour visits instead of the national entitlement that states visits are one hour long.
Contact Highpoint if you have any questions about visiting.
You can book your visit online or by telephone.
Booking line: 0808 168 8200 Line opens Monday to Friday, 8am to 2pm Find out about call charges
Highpoint has two Visit Halls, one on Highpoint South and the other on Highpoint North.
Visitors have to check into the Visitors Centre on South.
To arrange a visit you can email, [email protected]
You will require prior approval if you would like to bring in laptops or other digital equipment for.
Find Highpoint on a map
There are car parks at both North and South sites with limited spaces for Blue Badge holders.
The closest railway stations to Highpoint Prison are Cambridge, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Audley End. From all these, you would need a taxi to the prison. But from Bury St Edmunds, you can walk to the bus station then take the number 15 bus to the prison. This is the only bus that goes to the prison.
To plan your journey by public transport
- use National Rail Enquiries
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, including children, will be given a pat-down search. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.
Highpoint has a strict dress code policy, which means visitors should wear smart clothes (no vests, no low-cut tops, no shorts, no short dresses or skirts, no ripped jeans and no headwear, other than that worn for religious reasons).
Refreshments are available to purchase during your visit.
There are strict controls on what you can take into Highpoint. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker (they take a £1 coin) or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats. You can take in a clear jar of baby food or milk and Highpoint will provide nappies.
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 children’s play areas run by the Ormiston Families in both North and South visitor halls which offer books, toys and various activities.
Monthly family and children’s visits are held at both sites. Prisoners can apply for these.
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 Highpoint.
Prisoners have phones in their rooms and can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. They have to buy phone credits to do this.
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 Highpoint using the Email a Prisoner service.
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
You can write to someone at Highpoint at any time.
You need to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.
If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Highpoint.
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
0808 168 8200The main switchboard for questions about visiting or the person inside.
Safety or wellbeing concern Phone
01440 743004For 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.