HMP Littlehey
Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk Group
HMP Littlehey is a Category C men's prison in Cambridgeshire. 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 |
6:30am–7pm.
|
| Tuesday |
6:30am–7pm.
|
| Wednesday |
6:30am–7pm.
|
| Thursday |
6:30am–7pm.
|
| Friday |
6:30am–7pm.
|
| Saturday |
6:30am–7pm.
|
| 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 in Littlehey you must
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit 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 Littlehey.
Other requirements to be aware of when visiting HMP Littlehey
- All visitors will be given a rub-down search, including children
- You will also be sniffed by security dogs
Contact Littlehey if you have any questions about visiting.
You can book your visit online, by telephone or by email to [email protected].
Booking line: 01480 335 136 Line opens: Tuesday to Sunday 9:30am to 4pm. Find out about call charges
Should there be any changes or amendments to these times, this will be stated when booking.
To arrange an official visit you can
- email, [email protected]
- telephone, 01480 335 136
Booking line is open Tuesday to Sunday 9:30am to 4pm
Find out about call charges
Find Littlehey on a map
The closest railway stations are St Neots and Huntingdon, which are both around 9 miles from Littlehey.
There is a bus that can be booked from Huntingdon bus and railway stations. This is run by Tiger on Demand (which is also the app name).
You must book at least 48 hours in advance and pay by debit or credit card
To book, you can
- Download the ‘Tiger on Demand’ app (quickest way to book)
- call 01480 595 440 (6am to 7pm)
- book online: www.tigerondemand.co.uk
Costs per journey
- Adults - £2.50
- Children aged 5 to 16 - £1
- Children under 5 - free
Concessionary bus pass holders and people who hold a disability bus pass travel free.
The visitors centre can also provide support by assisting to book a taxi between the prison and Huntingdon bus and rail stations.
To plan your journey by public transport
- use National Rail enquiries
- use Traveline for local bus times
There is a free visitors car park, including spaces for Blue Badge holders.
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 searched, including children. There will also be a search dog present.
Littlehey prison has a strict dress code policy, which means visitors must be always dressed appropriately as we aim to create a family friendly atmosphere during visits. This instruction applies to all visitors to the establishment regardless of age and gender.
Coats and Jackets are not allowed to be worn into the visit’s hall. Coat hooks are available in the visits foyer where they can be left at the owner’s risk.
Any clothing that is deemed to be revealing will be challenged by staff and may result in you being refused entry.
There are strict controls on what you can take into Littlehey. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker (for which you will need a £1 coin) or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats.
Visitors are reminded that staff are required to search visitors as a condition of entry.
It is inappropriate to wear the following types of clothing
- short/cropped tops that reveal a naked midriff
- low cut tops or shirts that unbutton to reveal cleavage or bare chest
- vests (as a single garment)
- mini skirts that are shorter that knee length and expose thighs
- shorts that are shorter than knee length and expose thighs
- all types of see-through/skintight clothing
- headwear (other than for religious purposes holding pins must be removed)
- clothing that is offensive in nature or displays offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate material
- slippers/sliders/flip-flops/high-heeled shoes/wedges (open toe sandals are permitted but must be attached to the rear)
- team affiliated sportswear (including team logos)
- padded garments/gilets/body warmers
- any clothing fitted with extra-large buckles, chains and/or excessive amounts of zips
- combat trousers (including any other trousers with multiple pockets)
- jeans with rips/tears in them
- clothing which finishes mid-thigh
- no wristwear (unless religious)
- no excessive jewellery (including hooped ear rings, lockets or watches)
The visits rules are clearly displayed on the table in the visits hall. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.
There’s a visitors centre at Littlehey.
Refreshments are available to purchase during your visit. Adults visitors can take in up to £40 each in notes and coins.
The children’s play area is now open, with family support workers providing some activities.
HMP Littlehey commits to hold a minimum of 12 family or children visits events a year. Prisoners will be notified of these dates at least six weeks before the event date. Prisoners must submit an application to attend, which will be vetted and informed of the decision.
Details of what to expect please contact: [email protected] or call the booking line.
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
You may not be able to speak with someone at Littlehey during their first few days. This is because it can take time to approve who they can be in touch with.
Prisoners now have phones in their cells that they can use until 11pm.
Prisoners can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security.
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.
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 send emails to someone in Littlehey 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 Littlehey.
Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope. If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Littlehey.
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
01480 335 136The main switchboard for questions about visiting or the person inside.
Social visits Email
[email protected]Safety or wellbeing concern Phone
01480 335 209For 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.