HMP/YOI Hindley
Wigan, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire Group
HMP/YOI Hindley is a Category C men's prison in Wigan. 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.
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
Visitor centre & family support
Run on site by Partners of Prisoners (POPS) — 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 Hindley you must
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit 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. You can check this with Hindley prison.
Contact Hindley if you have any questions about visiting.
You can book your visit online, by telephone or by email to [email protected].
Booking line: 01942 663 234 or 01942 663 492 Find out about call charges
The booking lines are open Monday to Friday: 9am to midday and 1pm to 3pm
Visit details
- there are no restrictions on who can visit a prisoner as long as they are on the prisoners approved visitors list
- visitors are restricted up to 3 adults and 3 children per visit
- children over 11 are classed as adults due to seating arrangements
- the canteen is open in the visits hall
- prisoners can have up to 2 visit per month and depending on their IEP level could also have ‘privilege’ visits
- families are allowed to bring up to £25 with them in change
Official face to face visits can be booked by emailing [email protected]
Find Hindley on a map
The closest railway stations are Wigan North Western (360 towards Warrington) and Wigan Wallgate (Line 9 towards Higher Folds) where you can catch a local bus to Hindley. There are also taxi ranks outside the stations.
To plan your journey by public transport
- use National Rail Enquiries
- use Traveline for local bus times
By bus:
You can catch the 658 bus from Wigan bus station. The bus stops at the top of the road leading to the establishment.
By car:
Travelling from Liverpool on the A580 East Lancashire Road: Exit at the East Lancashire Road/M6 (junction 24), turning left following signs for Ashton. Continue on the A58 through Ashton town centre for approximately 3 miles. Turn right at the traffic lights/T junction (signpost HM Prison). Almost immediately, turn left into Bickershaw Lane, and continue for 1 mile until you see a signpost directing left to HMYOI Hindley. Parking is signposted on left of the main gate next to the Visitor Centre.
Travelling from Manchester on the A580 East Lancashire Road: Exit the East Lancashire Road turning right at Golbourne and following the directions for Abram. Continue for approximately 2.5 miles through Golbourne. At a public house called the Dover Lock the road will bend sharply to the right, over the canal bridge. Continue for approximately 1 mile until you reach a set of traffic lights, turn right onto Bickershaw Road. Continue for 1 mile until you see a signpost directing left to HMYOI Hindley. Parking is signposted on left of the main gate next to the Visitor Centre.
Travelling on the M61 motorway: Exit the M61 at junction 5 travelling towards Westhoughton and Wigan. Stay in the left lane, at the next roundabout, take the 2nd main exit following the signs for the A58 Wigan. Turn left at the next set of traffic lights, signposted ‘Leigh’. Proceed for approximately 1 mile, pass a train station on the left and go straight on at the roundabout. After another mile turn right at the traffic lights. Continue for 1 mile to the next set of traffic lights and turn left, following the sign for Leigh A578. Turn right at the next traffic lights into Smiths Lane. Continue for 1.5 miles until you see a signpost directing right to HMYOI Hindley.
There is a visitors car park to the left of the main gate (signposted as visitors car park).
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.
Except for urgent visits approved by the Duty Governor, all visitors to prisoners must pre-booked whether their visit is domestic or professional.
All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.
There are refreshments available to purchase during your visit. Visitors are allowed to bring up to £25 in change, notes are not allowed.
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 is a visitors centre run by Partners of Prisoners (POPS).
Facilities include
- waiting room
- coin operated lockers
- general information about visiting and opportunities at Hindley
- disabled access and facilities
- disabled, male and female toilet with baby changing facilities
- refreshments available to purchase in the Visits Hall
- TV for displaying resettlement opportunities, books, and activities
- dedicated neurodiversity visits called Blue visits via application process
- family photos available to purchase on your visits
The centre is open every day from 12:30pm to 4:30pm.
Telephone: 01942 663 187 Find out about call charges
These will be for those aged over 13 (with some designated for younger children) and will take place over the year. There will be some in term time and some in the school holidays.
Family days will be advertised and prisoners can apply using the internal application system.
We are also using the family room throughout the year for prisoners to use, this can also be applied to use through internal application and will go through a screening process.
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 Hindley.
For the main switchboard please call: 01942 663100.
Prisoners have phones in their cells and 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 Hindley using the Email a Prisoner service.
You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies, depending on the rules at Hindley.
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.
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 at any time.
Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.
If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Hindley.
All post apart from legal letters will be opened and checked by officers.
Postal address:
HMP/YOI Hindley Barracks Road Hindley Wigan WN2 5TH
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.
Prisoners' 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
01942 663 234The main switchboard for questions about visiting or the person inside.
Social visits Email
[email protected]Safety or wellbeing concern Phone
01942 663 294For 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.
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/YOI Hindley, offering a warm welcome, practical advice and someone to talk to. You can also call the Prisoners' Families Helpline free on 0808 808 2003.