How to Send Money to a Prisoner in the UK -

Perhaps you’ve got a family member or a friend serving time in prison and you’re wondering how to send money to a prisoner in the UK. As with many payments you make, you need to make sure you’re paying your money in the right way so that it actually reaches the recipient. There are so many scams around that it pays to be extra cautious with these things. So, let’s take a look at how to send money to a prisoner in the UK.

Why you might want to send money to a prisoner?

You might want to send money so that the prisoner can buy additional supplies in the prison shop or the prison canteen. Prisoners can buy all kinds of different items whilst they’re inside in addition to the items already provided to them.

Any money that the prisoner already has on them when they first arrive goes into a “spends” account. Then, whenever they receive extra money, the spends account gets topped up.

What can prisoners spend their money on?

Prisoners can buy items from the prison canteen or prison commissary. Whilst this sounds like a place they can buy food, it’s actually much more than that. The prison canteen holds supplies of all kinds of additional items that prisoners can buy. Each week, prisoners will be given a copy of the prison canteen supplies list and they will be able to select which items they would like to order. The sheet will contain the prisoner’s name and prison number as well as the amount that they have available to spend.

Here are just a few items available in prison canteens:

Phone credit
Postage stamps
E-cigarettes
Nicotine patches
Toiletries
Food supplies
Batteries
Greetings cards
Jigsaw puzzles
Ear plugs
Playing cards
Bedding
Socks
Flip Flops
Religious items

Once the prisoners have placed their orders, the prison then orders the items in from a wholesaler and deducts the value from the prisoners’ spends accounts. The items ordered then usually arrive the following week and are delivered directly to each cell.

Prison canteen items are used as currency

Prisoners don’t have direct access to their money, it is kept in a private cash account that is looked after by the prison. That means that prisoners can’t use money to trade whilst they’re in prison, so they might choose to use items from the prison canteen instead. For example, the prison barber may cut a prisoner’s hair in return for phone credit.

How to send money to a prisoner in England and Wales

The best way to send money to a prisoner is to use your debit card to make a payment online through the gov.uk website. The money will take 3 to 5 working days to be deposited into the prisoner’s account.

Exemption

If you don’t have access to a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone in order to make payment online, you can apply for an exemption which will allow you to make a cash deposit into the prisoner’s account by sending cash through the post.

How to send money to a prisoner in Scotland and Northern Ireland

If you want to send money to a prisoner in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you won’t be able to use the gov.uk system. Contact the prison directly to find out how you can send money.

What do I need in order to send money to a prisoner?

There are a few things you’ll need in order to be able to send money:

Debit card (must be Visa, Maestro or Mastercard – credit cards are not accepted)
Prisoner’s full name
Prisoner’s date of birth
Prisoner number

Is it ok to send cash by post to a prisoner?

You cannot send cash by post to a prisoner. All post received in prisons is opened and checked before being passed to the prisoner. Any cash will be confiscated and you may not see it again.

There is an exception to this though. If you have been granted an exemption, then you will be allowed to send money by post to the prison directly.

Can I send a cheque to a prisoner in the UK?

No. If you send money by cheque then it won’t be accepted.

Can I make a bank transfer to a prisoner in the UK?

You cannot make a bank transfer to a prisoner in the UK. Prisoners don’t have access to bank accounts.

Will the prisoner know it was me who sent them money?

Every prisoner has access to a balance sheet which shows them all the transactions going in and out of their account. Therefore, they will be able to see who has sent them money.

How to send money to a prisoner FAQs

Sending money to a prisoner and understanding how they have access to that money can be a little confusing. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about how to send money to a prisoner in the UK.

How will I know if the prisoner has received the money I sent?

You should receive an email confirmation that your payment has gone through. But, you can also double-check that they have received the money either during prison visits or when you speak to them on the phone.

What if I don’t have access to a laptop, tablet or smart phone?

If you can’t use online banking to make a payment through the gov.uk website then you can apply for an exemption which will allow you to send the prisoner money in the post. This will then be held by the prison and the balance added to the prisoner’s spending account.

How much money is a prisoner allowed to have in their spends account?

Prisoners can currently have a balance of up to £900 in their prison account.

Can I send gifts to prisoners instead of money?

As well as money, you can also send gifts and personal items to prisoners. There are tight restrictions on what you can and can’t send though. You can’t send anything illegal, mobile phones, camera equipment or alcohol into prisons. If you’re thinking of sending a gift then the best thing to do is to contact the prison directly to make sure you know the rules.

Is there a fee to send money to prisoners?

There isn’t a fee to send money to prisoners in the UK. If you’ve stumbled across a website that charges a fee to send money then walk away, it’s a scam.

Is there a limit on how much money I can send to a prisoner?

You can send as much money as you like, but prisoners have a limit on how much money they can spend each week. They can only hold a maximum of £900 in their spending account. Having a large balance in their spending account won’t mean that they’re able to buy everything they like each week. The limit will depend on which category the prisoner falls into. Entry-level prisoners usually have up to £10 to spend weekly, standard prisoners have £15.50 and enhanced prisoners can spend up to £25.

Do prisoners get paid for doing prison work?

Whilst they’re serving time, prisoners are expected to either be studying or working within the prison. Prisoners usually receive a small amount of money for this, typically between £10 and £20 per week.