HMP Wayland
Norfolk, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk Group
HMP Wayland is a Category C men's prison in Norfolk. 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 |
2pm–4pm
|
| Tuesday | No visits |
| Wednesday |
2pm–4pm
|
| Thursday |
2pm–4pm
|
| Friday |
2pm–4pm
|
| Saturday |
2pm–4pm
|
| Sunday |
2pm–4pm
|
Always confirm visiting times when you book — they can change at short notice.
Official video visit times
Face to face legal visiting 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 Wayland 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.
A visit can be booked up to 2 weeks in advance.
Contact Wayland if you have any questions about visiting.
You can book by
- booking your visit online
- telephoning 01953 804 152 (Monday to Friday: 9am to 4pm)
Find out about call charges
You can also book social visits by email: [email protected]
Booking-in starts at 1pm, last admission into the prison is at 3pm.
- Two Mondays each month are classed as family or children’s visits, between midday and 4pm. The prisoner can apply for these visits.
You can book an official visit by email, [email protected].
You can book multiple sessions on each day.
Half hourly sessions can be combined to make up to 2 hours.
You are not allowed to bring any paperwork into the prison.
Any laptop must be pre-approved by security a minimum of 2 working days prior to the visit - request a prohibited article form.
Find Wayland on a map
The closest railway station is Thetford. A taxi can be booked at the station help desk.
Contact the visitors centre on 01953 804 152 for local coach or minibus information.
To plan your journey by public transport
- use National Rail enquiries
- use Traveline for local bus times
There is a free visitor car park with disabled parking 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.
You will also be asked for your car registration when booking in on the day.
All visitors will need to be given a non-invasive pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by passive security dogs.
Visitors must follow the prison dress code that applies, further details can be requested at point of booking, further information is displayed in the visit centre.
There are strict controls on what you can take into HMP Wayland. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker in the visitors’ centre or in your car - this includes pushchairs and car seats. Lockers are operated with a £1 coin.
Refreshments and food are available inside the visits hall. Visitors are reminded that there is a limit to how much money (no cards) can be brought into the hall. £60 for normal domestic visits and £70 for special /family sessions (£50 are not accepted).
Call the booking line or email the social email address, if you have any questions about visiting.
There’s a visitors centre at Wayland with a small children’s play areas inside and outside.
Inside the main visits hall in the prison there’s a snack bar providing hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, hot food and other snacks. There’s also a play area for children.
HMP Wayland run family visits on 2 Mondays every month throughout the year. They run from midday to 4pm.
These can only be applied for by a family member. For further information email [email protected].
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 Wayland.
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
Monday to Friday, 8:45am to 9:15am, 9:30am to 10am, 10:15am to 10:45am
Evening calls (on Monday to Thursday), 6pm to 6:30pm and 6:40pm to 7:10pm
Saturday and Sunday: 9am to 9:30am, 9:45am to 10:15am, 10:30am to 11:00am
Prisoners have phones in their cells but they are only for outgoing calls. They will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this.
At certain times of day 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.
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 Wayland 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 Wayland.
Include the person’s name and prison number on the envelope.
If you do not know their prison number, contact Wayland.
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
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
01953 804 152The main switchboard for questions about visiting or the person inside.
Social visits Email
[email protected]Visitor centre Email
[email protected]Safety or wellbeing concern Phone
01953 804 000For 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.