HMP Stocken
Rutland, East Midlands Group
HMP Stocken is a Category C men's prison in Rutland. 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 |
1:45pm–3:45pm
|
| Tuesday |
1:45pm–3:45pm
|
| Wednesday |
1:45pm–3:45pm
|
| Thursday |
1:45pm–3:45pm
|
| Friday | No visits |
| Saturday |
9am–11am
1:45pm–3:45pm
|
| Sunday |
9am–11am
1:45pm–3:45pm
|
Always confirm visiting times when you book — they can change at short notice.
Video link visiting 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
Visitor centre & family support
Run on site by Prison Advice & Care Trust (Pact) — a warm welcome, plus practical and emotional support for families and friends.
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 Stocken Prison you must
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit at least 48 hours in advance
- have the required ID with you when you go
Spaces fill up so visitors are encouraged to book as far in advance as possible.
At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit.
Contact Stocken if you have any questions about visiting.
To arrange a visit you can
- book your visit online
- telephone 01780 795 156
The booking line is open, Monday to Friday, 9am to 11am. Find out about call charges
You must be booked in by 9:45am for morning visits and 2:30pm for afternoon visits, or you may be refused entry into the visits hall.
Visits will last one hour and will fall within these times. Your time with your loved one will not start until you’re in the visits hall.
To book an official visit, email [email protected]
Find Stocken on a map
The closest railway stations are Stamford, Grantham and Oakham. You will need to take a taxi from the station to the prison.
To plan your journey by public transport use
- National Rail Enquiries
- Traveline for local bus times
There is car parking available at the prison including space 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 need to be given a rub-down search, including children. You will walk through, or be scanned by, a metal detector. You may also be sniffed by security dogs. You may be searched again after using the toilets.
HMP Stocken has a dress code policy to ensure a family friendly visits environment is in place at all times.
It is therefore considered inappropriate to wear the following clothing
- short/cropped tops that reveal 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 than knee length and expose thighs
- shorts that are shorter than knee length and expose thighs
- all types of see-through clothing
- headwear (other than for religious purposes)
- clothing that is offensive in nature or displays offensive discriminatory, or inappropriate material
- ripped or inappropriately damaged clothing
- cloaks, capes, scarves or other articles that could prevent staff from observing visitors and prisoners sufficiently, this includes hoodies/hooded clothing
- steel toe capped shoes/boots or cycle/ motorcycle shoes
- non-prescription glasses, that is, sunglasses
- smart watches or wearable technology
It is highly likely that entry will be refused if any of the above items are worn.
Any visitor attempting to enter the prison with any prohibited item will have their visit terminated, so please use the lockers in the visitors centre provided.
HMP Stocken has a no coat policy for the visits hall area, visitors are required to use limited coat hooks at your own risk in the visitors search area when entering the prison.
The prison will not accept responsibility for any items left in this area. Coats can only be collected when exiting the establishment once the visit has completed.
Refreshments are available to purchase during your visits, including hot and cold food and drinks. You can bring in a maximum of £50 per group (notes and coins, but £50 notes are not accepted).
Due to restrictions on items that can enter the prison, you will have to leave all of the things you have with you in a car/locker (you will need a £5 refundable deposit for lockers).
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.
The visits room and visitors centre have disabled access and facilities.
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 Stocken.
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 the Prison Video app works
We offer children’s books and homework books in our video visits rooms. Prisoners can use these to interact with their children in a different way.
If you need digital or technical help to use this service, our family support service, Lincolnshire Action Trust (LAT) are on hand to support, please call; 01780 795 100 or email [email protected]
We also have step by step guides, so please get in touch if you would like any tech support.
None of the phones that prisoners have access to accept incoming calls so they 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.
All prisoners on normal location have phones in their cells which they can use at any time.
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.
If you are receiving unwanted contact from a prisoner at HMP Stocken, The Unwanted Prisoner Contact (formerly Victims Helpline).
For enquiries of this nature please contact the service via telephone: 0300 060 6699, open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
You can send emails to someone in Stocken using the Email a Prisoner service.
You can also attach photos and received replies.
You can write at any time.
Include the person’s name and prisoner number or date of birth on the envelope. Also add your name and address on the back of the envelope.
All post, apart from legal letters, will be checked by officers and screened for drugs.
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
01780 795 156The main switchboard for questions about visiting or the person inside.
Safety or wellbeing concern Phone
01780 795213For 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 Stocken, offering a warm welcome, practical advice and someone to talk to. You can also call the Prisoners' Families Helpline free on 0808 808 2003.