HMP Leeds

The booking line is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 10am and 12pm to 2pm.

Face to face bookings available Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.

Email (enquiries only) [email protected].

If you are an ex-offender and have been in prison before, you must make a formal request in writing to the Operation Department before you book a visit.

Include the name of the prisoner you want to visit, your name, address, date of birth and previous prisoner number (if known). Also mention any license conditions still in effect.

You must be a minimum of 6 months custodial sentence free.

If approved, you will get a letter from the Operations Department. Bring that letter to each visit as proof you have been cleared.

People who are on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) or on licence must also bring a copy of the licence with their approval letter to the visit.

Early days in custody (EDiC) visits are for prisoners who are within their first 14 days in custody. Prisoners coming into prison for the first time will be given priority. Our Family Engagement worker will make direct contact with families and friends to book these.

All visits can only be booked two weeks in advance.

Official legal visits can be booked by emailing [email protected]

Legal visit times

Find Leeds on a map

The closest railway station is Leeds and buses and taxis run from there. It’s a 30-minute walk or about ten minutes in a taxi.

Parking is very limited at the prison but there is plenty in the surrounding residential area.

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 be given a rub search, including children. You may also be asked to comply with a search using security sniffer dogs.

Leeds 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). A full list can be found in the Jigsaw centre and the visits search area.

Refreshments are now available throughout your visit. The Children’s play area is open at weekends and during school holidays.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Leeds. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security. Pushchairs and car seats can enter the prison but will be thoroughly searched.

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.

If a visitor receives a positive indication from a passive drug dog, their visit will be cancelled for that day.

If they are part of a group, the other visitors can still carry on with their visit.

The visitor will not be banned. They will be allowed to book and attend future visits.

If a visitor repeatedly receives positive indications, the matter will be reviewed.

The security/operations governor will assess available intelligence to determine whether further action is required, which may include a ban from visits.

These measures are in place to maintain the safety and security of the establishment for all.

Jigsaw runs the visitor centre where you wait for your visit to start. It offers support, advice, reassurance, and information.

Refreshments are now available throughout your visit. The children’s play area is open during school holidays and at weekends. A maximum of £40 per person is allowed on your visit in £5, £10, and £20 notes or loose change in a small see through cash bag available from banks.

When your visiting session starts, you will go through to the visiting hall. This has 20 seats for open visits with 3 adjoining booths for closed visits.

Telephone (visitor centre), 0113 203 2771.

Family visits are now conducted on a Friday morning every other week.

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 the Prison Video app works

Prisoners (except for those on a restricted regime or in segregation) have phones in their cells. They can only make outgoing calls so they will always have to call you. They must buy phone credits to do this and can call between 7am and 10pm.

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.

Prisoners can also use the phones on their unit.

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 Leeds using the Email a Prisoner service.

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

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 Leeds.

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