HMP Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight, Long Term & High Security
HMP Isle of Wight is a Category B men's prison in Isle of Wight. 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 |
10am–midday
1pm–4:15pm
|
| Tuesday |
10am–midday
1pm–4:15pm
|
| Wednesday |
10am–midday
1pm–4:15pm
|
| Thursday |
10am–midday
1pm–4:15pm
|
| Friday |
10am–midday
1pm–4pm
|
| Saturday | No visits |
| Sunday | No visits |
Always confirm visiting times when you book — they can change at short notice.
Official video visit times
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 at the Isle of Wight prison you must
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit 24 hours 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. You can check this with Isle of Wight prison.
Contact Isle of Wight if you have any questions about visiting.
You can book a visit by calling the booking line on 01983 634 218.
To book an official video visit, you can email [email protected]
To book an official face to face visit, you can
- email [email protected]
- telephone 01983 634 218
Travel advice: don’t book your ferry to the Isle of Wight until you have email confirmation of your visit (see, Getting to Isle of Wight for more details).
Find Isle of Wight on a map
If coming by public transport, you will need to take a ferry from one of the ports at Lymington, Portsmouth or Southampton. To plan your journey to the port
- use National Rail Enquiries
- use Traveline for local bus times
From there, take a ferry to the Isle of Wight. Don’t book your ferry until you have email confirmation of your visit.
To plan your ferry crossing use
- Red Funnel Ferries, telephone 023 8033 4010
- Wight Link, telephone 0870 582 7744
- Hover Travel, telephone 01983 811 000
Once on the island get a bus or take a taxi from the ferry port taxi rank to the prison.
There is parking on both Albany and Parkhurst sites with Blue Badge spaces available.
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 searched before entering the prison.
You will also be searched using the passive drug dog (when available) which can lead to a full search and/or a closed visit.
If you refuse to be searched, you will be denied access to the prison.
Isle of Wight has a strict dress code policy, which means visitors should wear smart clothes. That means no vests, no low-cut tops, no shorts, no short dresses and no headwear, other than that worn for religious reasons. Religious headwear will be searched in a discreet area.
There are strict controls on what you can take into Isle of Wight. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker (£1 refunded) or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats.
The only things you can take into the visiting hall are money (in coins), prescribed medication (handed to the desk officer), certain baby feeding items and disability aids.
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.
Barnardo’s runs a visitors centre for both sites at the Albany site car park.
The centre provides information, support and guidance. You can purchase refreshments during your visit. You are allowed to bring in coins (no notes) for purchases. There is a children’s play area available to use.
It offers useful information packs for first-time visitors and emotional and practical support after a visit.
There are currently no family days being run.
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 Isle of Wight.
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 Prison Video works
Prisoners have phones in their cells but the phones do not accept incoming calls. They will always have to call you and need to buy phone credit to do this.
They can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family between the hours of 7am and 10pm. 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 to keep the public and prisoners safe.
You can send emails to someone in Isle of Wight using the Email a Prisoner service.
You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies from the prisoner, depending on the rules at Isle of Wight.
You can write at any time but you must include your name and address within the letter. Anonymous letters are not allowed.
Write the prisoners’ full name and prisoner number (if known) on the envelope.
All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by prison staff.
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
01983 634 218The main switchboard for questions about visiting or the person inside.
Prison email Email
[email protected]Social visits Email
[email protected]Safety or wellbeing concern Phone
0800 496 1125For 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.