HMP Oakwood
Wolverhampton, Privately Managed Prisons
HMP Oakwood is a Category C men's prison in Wolverhampton. 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 |
9:30am–11:30am
2:00pm–3:30pm
4:30pm–6:30pm
|
| Tuesday |
2:00pm–3:30pm
4:30pm–6:30pm
|
| Wednesday |
9:30am–11:30am
2:00pm–3:30pm
4:30pm–6:30pm
|
| Thursday |
9:30am–11:30am
2:00pm–3:00pm
4:00pm–5:00pm
|
| Friday |
2:00pm–3:30pm
4:30pm–5:30pm
|
| Saturday |
2:00pm–3:30pm
4:30pm–5:30pm
|
| Sunday | No visits |
Always confirm visiting times when you book — they can change at short notice.
Video visit times (Purple Visits)
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
Visits are booked by the person in prison through the in-cell Kiosk, up to 14 days ahead and at least 48 hours before the visit — so there is no waiting for a visiting order in the post. Make sure you are on their visitor list. Arrive at least 30 minutes before your session or your visit may be refused.
For help booking, call the visit booking support line on 01902 799776 (or 01902 799980 / 01902 791426 after midday). Sessions are allocated by wing, so confirm yours when you book.
Every adult aged 18 or over must bring one photo ID — such as a passport, UK driving licence or PASS proof-of-age card — or two different non-photographic documents. Children need their original birth certificate at every visit (older children also need a passport, medical card, travel card or student ID).
Leave bags and valuables in the lockers at the Family Pathway Centre. Everyone is searched, including by metal detection, x-ray and drug dogs. Please wear family-appropriate clothing.
The visitor centre is run by the charity HALOW, offering information, advice on prison procedures, counselling, facilities for disabled visitors and a multi-faith prayer area.
The RESTART charity runs a free mini-bus to the prison, a foodbank and refreshments. The prison's SOFT programme (Strengthening Oakwood Family Ties) runs child-centred family days, a Kids Club, Scouts, father-and-baby sessions and a homework club.
HMP Oakwood is on Oaks Drive, Featherstone, near Wolverhampton (WV10 7QD). For the visitors' centre, use sat-nav postcode WV10 7PU.
A free visitor shuttle bus runs to the prison — book a seat in advance on 01902 799787 or email [email protected].
Keep in touch
There are several ways to stay close between visits — phone, secure video calls, email and letters.
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.
Money & gifts
You can send money online for free with a debit card. Cash, cheques and postal orders by post are no longer accepted.
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.
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
01902 799 700The main switchboard for questions about visiting or the person inside.
Visit booking support Phone
01902 799776Help with booking a visit. You can also call 01902 799980 or 01902 791426 after midday.
Shuttle bus bookings Phone
01902 799787Book the free visitor shuttle bus to the prison, run by the RESTART charity.
Shuttle bus Email
[email protected]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 concern in confidence Phone
01902 799885Confidential intelligence line — to report information about crime or safety at the prison.
Stop unwanted contact Form
Visit the websiteIf 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.