Warren Hill Prison

Book and plan your visit to Warren Hill

To visit someone in Warren Hill 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 person can have. It is generally 4 visits a month but can be more. You can check this with Warren Hill.

Contact Warren Hill if you have any questions about visiting.

Help with the cost of your visit

If you get certain benefits or have an NHS health certificate, you might be able to get help with the costs of your visit, including:

• travel to Warren Hill
• somewhere to stay overnight
• meals

How to book family and friends visits

Warren Hill is running a limited visits schedule. Visits are also happening differently than normal, observing strict guidelines, which must be followed.

You can book your visit by telephone. There is no online booking service available.

Booking line: 01394 633 633
Monday to Thursday: 9am to midday
Find out about call charges

If your online visit is not confirmed by email in 2 days, you can call the booking line number too.

Email: socialvisits.warrenhill@justice.gov.uk

Visiting times:

• Friday - 2pm to 4pm
• Saturday - 2pm to 4pm
• Sunday - 2pm to 4pm

How to book legal and professional visits

Email: legalvisits.warrenhill@justice.gov.uk

You can also book by telephone.

Booking line: 01394 633 633
Monday to Thursday: 9am to midday
Find out about call charges

Visiting times are Wednesday - 2pm to 4pm.

Getting to Warren Hill

Find Warren Hill on a map

The closest mainline railway station is Ipswich. From Ipswich, you can get a connecting train to Melton.

To plan your journey by public transport:

• use National Rail Enquiries
• use Traveline for local bus times

There is a car park with plenty of spaces, including spaces for Blue Badge holders.

Entering Warren Hill

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 pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

Warren Hill 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).

Each adult visitor is allowed to take in a maximum of £30.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Warren Hill. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats.

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.

Visiting facilities

There is a children’s play area outside and a children’s corner in the visiting hall. There will be no refreshments available during your visit.

Family days

Family days are not currently available.

Family days are held once a month so residents can spend longer with their children in a more relaxed way. There are also individual family visits where they can cook a meal together and eat as part of their day.

Residents need to apply for family days.

Keep in touch with someone at Warren Hill

There are several ways you can keep in touch with a prisoner during their time at Warren Hill.

Phone calls

Prisoners do not have phones in their rooms 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.

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.

Email

You can send emails to someone in Warren Hill using the Email a Prisoner service.

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies from the prisoner, depending on the prison’s rules.

Letters

Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.

All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.

Send money and gifts

You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison.

You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post.

If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you:

• are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet
• do not have a debit card

This will allow you to send money by post.

Gifts and parcels

People in Warren Hill are given a list of approved items that can be sent to them as gifts. Contact Warren Hill for more information on what’s allowed.

Make sure to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel.

Friends and families of prisoners are permitted to send books directly to their loved ones, or can order books from approved retailers, which can source and send the books on to prisoners.   For the full list of approved retailers, you can read the HMPPS Incentives Policy, Annex F.

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Life at Warren Hill

Warren Hill is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where men can learn new skills to help them on release.

Security and safeguarding

Every person at Warren Hill has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.

For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website.

Safeguarding processes are overseen by the Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership.

Arrival and first night

When a prisoner first arrives at Warren Hill, they will be able to contact a family member by phone. This could be quite late in the evening, depending on the time they arrive.

They will get to speak to someone who will check how they’re feeling and ask about any immediate health and wellbeing needs. If it’s not too late, they will meet the induction officer and the prisoner induction rep who will show them their allocated unit and who the other wing reps are.

Induction

Each person arriving at Warren Hill gets an induction that lasts about a week. They will meet professionals who will help them with:

• health and wellbeing, including mental and sexual health
• any substance misuse issues, including drugs and alcohol
• personal development in custody and on release, including skills, education and training
• other support (sometimes called ‘interventions’), such as managing difficult emotions and getting access to ‘safer custody’

Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety and how things like calls and visits work.

Accommodation

There are over 250 prisoners at Warren Hill housed in single rooms.

Many courses and activities are available at the gym and there’s a separate leisure area for prisoners who have earned privileges.

Healthcare is provided by Care UK for 12 hours a day. There is also a dentist.

Education and work

Men can take part in an education programme to gain qualifications in mechanics, IT, media or sport. They can also take part in welding, carpentry and catering workshops.

There’s also a drug rehabilitation centre.

Regular drug testing operates at Warren Hill.

Organisations Warren Hill works with

Warren Hill works with The Forward Trust, which helps people with addiction problems move towards, achieve and maintain lives free from drugs and crime.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.

Support at Warren Hill

With the prisoner’s consent, families are encouraged to engage with the prison’s behaviour management and care planning schemes.

Phoenix Futures offers family support.

Problems and complaints

If you have a problem contact Warren Hill.

Contact Warren Hill

Governor: Dave Nicholson

Telephone: 01394 633 400
Fax: 01394 633 438
Find out about call charges

Address

See map

Safer custody hotline

Telephone (24 hours): 01394 633 400
Ask for the Safer Custody hotline to report immediate concerns you may have about a resident.