The next family shouldn’t have to guess.
When someone goes into prison, their family gets the hardest weeks with the least information. prisoncheck puts what the prison says next to what families have just been through, one prison at a time.
Free to read and to report. No account. Not run by HMPPS or the Ministry of Justice.
prisoncheck in numbers
1,676
reports from families
118
prisons with family reports
£0
to read, to report, or to get alerts
Why family contact matters
HMPPS’s own policy says that keeping prisoners in touch with family helps keep them safe inside and makes it less likely they come back. Prisons are told to give families clear information about the early days, in a format that is easy to understand.
40% of newly sentenced prisoners said support from their family would help them stop reoffending. 36% said seeing their children would.
Ministry of Justice survey of almost 1,500 prisoners, quoted in the policy framework.
Source: HMPPS, Strengthening Prisoners’ Family Ties Policy Framework
“The visitor experience is very much determined by their first experience of attempting to book a visit.”
The same framework, on why booking rules must be accurate and easy to find.
Source: HMPPS, Strengthening Prisoners’ Family Ties Policy Framework
Where prisoncheck comes in
In March 2026 the prisons inspectorate looked at family contact across England and Wales and called it an untapped potential. HMPPS has a plan to fix what they found, with dates running into 2027. Meanwhile families still compare notes in groups and threads. prisoncheck makes those notes findable, labelled and checked against the official rule.
Source: HM Inspectorate of Prisons, “Safety, well-being and hope”, March 2026
What the inspectors found
“The system to help families locate prisoners was slow and there were frequent delays in approving phone numbers for prisoners’ accounts.”
On prisoncheck
Every prison page shows how long the phone list (PIN) and the first call are taking there now, from families who have just waited. You can tell a normal wait from one worth chasing.
What the inspectors found
“Problems included inefficient booking systems, incorrect visiting times on prison websites, insensitive and excessive searching, and visits often starting late.”
On prisoncheck
Visiting times carry the date we last checked them. Families tell us when they have changed, and each wait asks the next family whether it is still true.
What the inspectors found
“Prisons did not sufficiently advertise financial support available to help mitigate the burden on families.”
On prisoncheck
Help with Prison Visits sits in our travel guide and visit cost calculator, before you count what the trip will cost.
What the inspectors found
“Social video calls were underused.”
On prisoncheck
We explain how social video calls are booked and which app each prison uses, so a call is not missed for want of a login.
What the inspectors found
“Families could not always get through to notify prisons about concerns for a prisoner’s safety or welfare.”
Where we stop
This one is not ours to fix, and a website should not stand in for it. If you are worried about someone’s safety, call the prison and ask for safer custody, or the Prisoners’ Families Helpline on 0808 808 2003.
We quote these reports so you can see the gap we work in. HMPPS and the inspectorate do not run, fund or endorse prisoncheck.
How we keep it honest
Three rules that showed up while we built it. They are how we respect your time, and the person you are waiting for.
Search the prison first
Read the official rule. See what families reported. The rest stays out of the way until you need it.
Label who said it
Official is dated. Community is a report, not a promise. We do not blend the two.
Leave names out
No prisoner numbers. No account. No money. A short report is enough to help the next person.
Who said it stays labelled
Every card says where it came from. That is the product.
Official
Facts taken from HMPPS / GOV.UK and dated. If the rule changes, this layer changes.
prisoncheck
Our plain-English guide. Useful, but not a promise from the prison.
Community
What families reported — waits, visits, canteen, signal. Not a promise. Not a forum.
Partner
RingYard only. A paid landline product made by the team behind prisoncheck. Shown in Phones on prison pages and in phone guides. Never mixed into Official cards, never a say in family reports, never required.
Who runs this
prisoncheck is run by Greenhouse Partners Limited (company 17129501). Not HMPPS. Not a government service. Not a charity.
Questions: hello@prisoncheck.co.uk.
If you run a family group
Groups like yours get targeted. These are the facts you can check without taking our word.
- Free to read and to report. No payment.
- We do not ask for prisoner names, numbers, or your name on a report.
- Official copy is sourced from GOV.UK / HMPPS and labelled Official.
- Family numbers are labelled Community. They are reports, not a promise from the prison.
- Alerts are optional. One tick, stop anytime.
- The contact address is on this page. Write if you need something taken down.
If you need a person
Use the national helpline. We are not that service, and we are not legal advice.
- GOV.UK support for families
- Prisoners’ Families Helpline · 0808 808 2003
Check a prison
Official facts and what families are reporting now.