Book and plan your visit to Nottingham prison

To visit someone in Nottingham Prison you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit at least 24 hours in advance
• have the required ID with you when you go

At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit. Prisoners can have 3 visitors aged 11+6+ (due to seating) plus any younger children.

There may be a limit to the number of visits a prisoner can have. You can check this with Nottingham prison.

Contact Nottingham Prison 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 Nottingham Prison
• somewhere to stay overnight
• meals

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your online or by telephone.

Visits booking line: 0115 962 8980
Find out about call charges

Phone line opening times:

• Monday: 1pm to 4pm
• Tuesday: 9am to midday
• Wednesday: closed
• Thursday: 1pm to 4pm
• Friday: closed
• Saturday: 9am to midday
• Sunday: closed

Visits enquiries only email (no booking): nottingham@prisonadvice.org.uk

Visiting times:

• Monday to Thursday: 9am to 10:30am and 2pm to 3:30pm
• Friday: closed
• Saturday and Sunday: 9am to 10:30am and 2pm to 3:30pm

We offer one extended visit per month which prisoners can apply for.

We regularly conduct neurodiversity audits of our visit facilities to ensure that both prisoners and their visitors have an inclusive experience. We also offer neurodiverse friendly extended visits. If yourself or your family require reasonable adjustments or have any accessibility requirements, please contact the prison directly so we can make relevant arrangements. We have both a video and documentary aides available should you wish to view our facilities prior to your visit.

How to book legal and professional visits

Video link appointments

• Monday to Friday: 9am to midday and 2pm to 5pm4:45pm

Appointments start on the hour and last for an hour unless otherwise requested.requested (except 4pm, this is for 45 minutes only).

All participants must show photographic ID at the start of their video link.

Please email VCCNottingham@justice.gov.uk to book.

How to book face-to-face legal and professional visits

You can book a face-to-face visit by email to VCCNottingham@justice.gov.uk.

Visits start on the hour and last for an hour unless otherwise requested.  We require the full names of all attendees for the booking to be made.

Visiting times:

• Monday: 2pm to 3pm or 3pm to 4pm
• Tuesday: 9am to 10am, 10am to 11am, 2pm to 3pm or 3pm to 4pm
• Wednesday: no visits
• Thursday: 9am to 10am, 10am to 11am, 2pm to 3pm or 3pm to 4pm
• Friday: 9am to 10am or 10am to 11am
• Bank holidays: no visits

Getting to Nottingham Prison

Find Nottingham Prison on a map

The closest railway station is Nottingham which is around 4 miles from Nottingham Prison. From there you can take a bus or taxi.

To plan your journey by public transport:

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

There is limited parking available onsite for visitors, including spaces at the front entrance for Blue Badge holders.

Entering Nottingham Prison

All visitors must prove their identity before entering the prison.

Accepted forms of ID:

• full or provisional photo driving licence or
• passport (unexpired) with two proofs of address dated within the last 3 months
• concessionary bus pass plus two proofs of address
• citizen card plus two proofs of address
• accepted proof of address include: bank statements, utility bill, council tax or benefit letter

Book in at the visitors centre at least half an hour before your visit. The booking office opens at 8:30am and 1:30pm.

You must be at the prison gates no later than 9:45am for morning visits and 2:45pm for afternoon visits, if you’re later than these times, you will not be allowed to enter.

You may have your finger or thumb prints scanned as part of a security check. You may also have an iris scan. All visitors, apart from children, will have their photo taken.

All visitors will need to be given a rub-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

Dress code:

Nottingham Prison has a strict dress code policy, which means visitors should wear smart clothes, no work clothes (including uniforms), no sports shirts or football shirts, no hoods, no mobile phones, no offensive logos, no sunglasses or headscarves unless worn for religious reasons, no ripped jeans, no vest tops, no short skirts or dresses. Use the following list as a guide.

• all tops must be sufficient to cover both chest area and midriff area and must not be see through
• bras or camisole tops must not be worn as external tops
• no outdoor jackets with hoods should be worn
• no football tops, those displaying any sports related logos, offensive images/logos should be worn
• no camouflage material canis permitted to be worn
• shorts and skirts must be knee-length and not have any see-through material
• no ripped jeans or shorts should be worn
• no skin-tight clothing including bodysuits and sportswear such as leotards or body suits
• no work clothes or work uniform should be worn
• only 1 pairpairs of trousers should be worn, and not 2 pairs of trousers on top of each other
• no smart watches, sunglasses, hats or scarves are permitted (unless worn for religious reasons,reasons thati.e. is, Du Rags can be worn by those practicing the Rastafarian Faith)
• no prison issue clothing should be worn
• no open toe shoes/sandals/sliders should be worn
• no high heels/block heels should be worn

Each adult visitor is allowed to take in a maximum of £8.00.£7.50. (CoinsCoins and notes are accepted). The money can be used to buy food and drink from the snack bar in the visits hall.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Nottingham Prison. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker (you will need a £1 coin) or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats.

You may bring in dummies, baby wipes, nappies, milk powder and prescribed medication. All baby items must be in a clear plastic bag.

Please note that some of these items may be bagged and tagged in the Visitors’ Centre prior to entry into the prison.

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 visitors centre run by The Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT). It has toilet facilities and a children’s play area. Staff are also available to offer support and advice to visitors.

The visitors centre is open every day from 8am to 4pm.

Telephone: 0115 962 8980
Find out about call charges
Email: socialvisits.nottingham@justice.gov.uk

Opening times

• Monday and Thursday, 1pm to 4pm
  
• Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, 9am to midday
  

The tea bar offers hot and cold drinks, confectionery and other options which can include hot food depending on availability. There is a child and neurodivergent friendly play area which isare available on every visit and are staffed by colleagues from PACT.

Family days

These are run once per month.

Keep in touch with someone at Nottingham Prison

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

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

Prisoners have phones in their cells and are able to make calls at any time during phone hours. They have to buy phone credits to do this. Phones do not accept incoming calls so they will always have to call you.

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.

Email

You can send emails to someone in Nottingham Prison using the EmailaPrisoner.com. Through this service, family and friends can send a message which is printed out and delivered by prison staff by hand.

Once you have signed up, you will receive an activation link via email which you must click on in order to activate your account and send a message.

You must buy a minimum of £5 credit in order to use the service, which runs at a cost of 42p40p per email and at no charge to the recipient.

Letters

You can write at any time.

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

If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Nottingham Prison.

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 Nottingham Prison who are on enhanced behaviour levels are given a list of approved items that they can buy from a catalogue.

All prisoners must apply to have clothes brought into the prison. If approved, you can hand in prescription glasses and certain items of clothing to prison staff when you attend for your visit. Items can only be received by a designated officer in the visitors centre before your visit starts.

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.

Contact Nottingham visitors centre for more information on what’s allowed.

Life at Nottingham Prison

Nottingham Prison is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where prisoners can learn new skills to help them on release.

Security and safeguarding

Every prisoner at Nottingham Prison 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.

Prisoners can also be trained by the Samaritans to be ‘listeners’ to help support people going through difficult times.

Arrival and first night

When a prisoner first arrives at Nottingham Prison, 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.

Induction

Each prisoner who arrives at Nottingham Prison 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 1,000 prisoners are accommodated at Nottingham prison in a mixture of single and shared cells.

Education and work

Prisoners in Nottingham Prison can enrol in the prison college for education and vocational training or work in one of the prison industries or domestic roles. Nottingham also works with charities to provide reconditioned bikes. Prisoners who work in this area gain a qualification at the same time.

There are resettlement services that offer advice on housing, debt management and help with finding employment.

Nottingham also supports a number of local community projects.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.

To contact HMP Nottingham Families and Significant Others email NottinghamSaferCustody@justice.gov.uk.

Support at Nottingham Prison

The Prison Advice and Care Trust offers support and advice to visitors. They can provide information on finance, jobs, health, drugs and alcohol, accommodation and family support workers.

Families and loved ones can be involved in a prisoners release planning through the ‘Next Steps’ suite in the visitors centre.

Concerns, problems and complaints

Contact category	Phone number	Additional information
Non-emergency	0115 872 4176	Call this number if you have concerns about a prisoner’s safety or wellbeing which are serious but not life-threatening or complete a safer custody contact form on the Prisoners’ Families Helpline website.
Staff Integrity Hotline	0800 917 6877 (24 hours answering machine)	This number can be called anonymously. If you are concerned about a prisoner being bullied by a member of staff, you can use this number. As this line is managed separately from the prison, you can call this number anonymously.
Prisoners’ Families Helpline	0808 808 2003	The Prisoners’ Families Helpline can provide confidential support, advice and guidance.
Unwanted Prisoner Contact	0300 060 6699	If a prisoner is contacting you and you want them to stop, you can use the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service. You can complete the Stop prisoner contact online form, email unwantedprisonercontact@justice.gov.uk or contact by phone.

Problems and complaints

If you have any other problem contact Nottingham prison.

Inspection reports

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

Contact Nottingham Prison

Governor: Paul Yates

Telephone: 0115 872 4000
Fax: 0115 872 4001
Find out about call charges

Follow Nottingham Prison on Twitter/X

Address

See map