New Hall Prison and Young Offender Institution

Book and plan your visit to New Hall

To visit someone in New Hall you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit in advance
• have the required ID with you when you go

All visits to New Hall must be booked 48 hours in advance. 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 New Hall prison.

Contact New Hall 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 New Hall
• somewhere to stay overnight
• meals

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online, by email to hmppsvisitbooking@justice.gov.ukhmppsvisitsbooking@justice.gov.uk or by telephone.

VisitsTelephone booking line: 0300 060 6515
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The booking line is open:

• Monday, MondayWednesday toand Friday,Friday: 8:45ammidday to 11:45am5pm
• Tuesday and 1:45pmThursday: 9am to 4:45pm
  5pm
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Visiting times:

• Tuesday: 1:45pm to 4pm
• Thursday: 1:45pm to 4pm
• Saturday: 1:45pm to 4pm
• Sunday: 1:45pm to 4pm

Legal and professional visits

You can book your legal visit by email, hmppsvisitbooking@justice.gov.uk or by telephone.

Legal visits booking number: 0300 060 6515
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Face to face legal visit times:

• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9am to 11:45am

Video link legal visits

You can book your video legal vists by telephone.

Booking line: 01924 803250 or 01924 803280
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Video link time slots:

• Monday to Friday: 8:45am to 11:45am and 1:45pm to 4:45pm

Getting to New Hall

Find New Hall on a map

The closest railway stations are Huddersfield and Wakefield (which has 2 stations, Westgate and Kirkgate). New Hall is around a 25 minute taxi ride from either station.

You can also take a bus from Wakefield Bus Station that will drop you around 1 mile from the prison.

To plan your journey by public transport:

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

New Hall has a car park with spaces for visitors, including spaces for Blue Badge holders.

Entering New Hall

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.

There will be no refreshments available during your visit.

You will need to leave any valuables, including phones and watches, in a locker before entering the visitor area.

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

The family-friendly visitors centre is open from 12:30pm to 2.30pm and offers information and support. This will open again at the end of the visit at 4pm. There are toys and activities for children.

You can also book future visits in person at the visitors centre.

The centre is run by the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) charity.

Keep in touch with someone at New Hall

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

Secure video calls

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

Phone calls

You may not be able to speak with someone at New Hall during their first few days. This is because it can take time to approve who they can be in touch with.

WomenPrisoners have phones in their roomscells but they will always need to call you rather than you call them. They can make phone calls between 6am and 10pm.

Prisoners can only phone you if you are 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 New Hall 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 New Hall.

Letters

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

If you do not know their prison number, contact New Hall.

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

WomenPrisoners in New Hall have to apply for approved items to be sent to them. Contact New Hall for more information on what is allowed.

Family and friends 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.

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

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Life at New Hall

New Hall is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where womenprisoners can learn new skills and focus on their personal development.

Security and safeguarding

Every personprisoner at New Hall 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.

All safeguarding processes are overseen by the Wakefield and District Safeguarding Adults Board.

Arrival and first night

When someone arrives at New Hall they will go into reception. They will be offered a hot drink, a hot meal and a shower. They will be able to make a phone call, free of charge, to a person they choose.

Reception staff will interview the prisoner and find out about their home situation and any needs they may have. If there are children or animals that are dependant on them, staff will make the appropriate referrals to ensure they are safe and taken care of.

New prisoners will also be seen by the healthcare team who will sort out any medication and physical and mental health needs.

Induction

Each personprisoner whoarriving arrives at New Hall 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

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

Accommodation

Around 425 womenprioners live at New Hall.

The accommodation is made up of 7 houses, including Poplar House, which has a first night centre, and Maple House, which has a mother and baby unit.

Education and work

Education and training opportunities include:

• functional skills
• contact centre training
• IT and business administration
• hairdressing
• cleaning services
• employability skills
• horticultural skills
• first aid
• gym instructor training

There are 4 workshops where womenprisoners can gain qualifications in areas such as food preparation and photo processing.

New Hall also offers courses to help prisoners understand and change their offending behaviour.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.

The Family and Significant others Lead is the Head of Reducing Re-offending.

Problems and complaints

If you have a problem contact New Hall.

HM Prison and Probation Service publishes action plans for New Hall in response to independent inspections.

Contact New Hall

Governor: Julia Spence

Telephone: 01924 803 000
Monday to Sunday, 24 hours
Fax: 01924 803 001
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Address

See map

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