HMP WOODHILL VISITORS' CENTRE
About the Visitors' Centre
Contact details
How to get there
Visitors' Centre opening hours
Facilities on offer at the Visitors' Centre
Disabled access?
Information for visitors to HMP Woodhill
Prison visiting times
How to book a visit
Before you visit
What to bring as ID
Bringing the children?
Booking in for a visit
What happens on a visit
Help with travel costs
Concerned about someone in prison?
Giving difficult or bad news
Support from other organisations
Giving the prisoner property and money
Sending them an email
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About the Visitors' Centre
Contact details
Woodhill Visitors' Centre
HMP Woodhill
Tattenhoe Street
Milton Keynes
MK4 4DA
01908 507 722
Email: woodhill (at) prisonadvice (dot) org (dot) uk
The Visitors' Centre Manager is Mandy Hill.
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How to get there there
The nearest train station is Milton Keynes. From there, you can take the number 2 bus service to the prison, which runs every 20 minutes, seven days a week (for timetable details call the traveline on 0871 200 22 33) or visit www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/transport
For more advice on getting to Woodhill Prison, visit the Prison Service website. The Visitors' Centre is situated in front of the prison, facing the main road.
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Visitors' Centre opening hours
Monday to Thursday: 12.00 - 16.30
Friday: Closed
Saturday: 8.15 – 16.45
Sunday: 12.30 - 16.45
Please note that the prison visiting times are slightly different from the visitors' centre opening hours. For details of prison visiting hours, see below.
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Facilities on offer at the Visitors' Centre
- pact staff and volunteers are on hand to offer advice, a listening ear, and emotional support
- information and advice about prison routines, visiting procedure, and the Prison Assisted Visits Scheme
- information booklets in Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Ukranian
- support for relatives of prisoners with drug or alcohol problems
- support for the parents and guardians of prisoners' children
- a coffee bar selling a variety of drinks, snacks, soup and sandwiches
- A small play area with toys and books
- A prayer room
- A quiet room
- A payphone
- Toilets and baby changing facilities
- free phone line for you to book your next visit (this line is open 12 noon - 3.30pm Monday - Thursday)
- a hearing loop for those who have difficulty hearing. It is located on the left hand side of the reception desk. To use, please switch your hearing aid to 'T' setting
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Prison visiting times
Monday - Thursday: 2.15pm - 4pm
Friday: no visits
Saturday: 9am - 11am
Sunday: 2pm - 4pm
Please note that all visits must be booked in advance.
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- every visit must be booked in advance. When booking your visit, you must name all the visitors who are going to attend, including children
- up to three adults and any number of children under 10 can visit a prisoner at one time
- children under 18 cannot visit without an adult
- to book, ring the prison Booking Line phone number:
01908 722329
Booking Line opening times:
Monday - Friday: 8am - 11.30am, 1pm - 3.30pm - alternatively, you can book a visit to HMP Woodhill quickly and easily using the online form on the Prison Service website
How many visits is the prisoner allowed?
It depends whether the prisoner is on remand or convicted - and on the privileges system.
All prisoners at HMP Woodhill are part of a system for earning or losing privileges. Each prisoner is on a basic, standard or enhanced regime - depending on how many privileges they have earned.
Here is a breakdown of the number of visits prisoners are allowed:
- basic remand prisoners can have one visit a week
- basic convicted prisoners can have two visits a month
- standard remand prisoners can have two visits a week, only one of which can be taken on a weekend
- standard convicted prisoners can have three visits a month, only one of which can be taken on a weekend
- enhanced remand prisoners can have three visits a week, only one of which can be taken on a weekend
- enhanced convicted prisoners can have four visits a month, only one of which can be taken on a weekend
The first visit
If it is the first time a prisoner has come into prison, they are entitled to a 'reception visit' within the first week of entering the prison. Like all other visits, you must arrange this through the booking clerks by ringing the Booking Line on 01908 722329.
Booking a visit to a remand prisoner
You will be asked for the following information when you talk to the booking clerks:
- the prisoner's name and prison number
- The date and time you want to visit
- your relationship to the prisoner
- the full name, address and date of birth of all visitors including children
- the number of children and their dates of birth. Any children aged 10 or over are classed as needing a seat, so will be counted as an adult
- you will also need to tell the booking clerks if you have a disability (e.g. you need a wheelchair or you need to take medication with you on the visit)
Booking a visit to a convicted prisoner
- Booking a visit to a convicted prisoner has changed. Visiting Orders (VOs) are sent to the booking clerks and given a unique reference number and a slip of paper with the unique reference sent back to the prisoner, who phones/posts to the visitors and the visitors phone the booking line and quote the reference number to book a visit.
- the Visiting Orders are then given to the booking clerks, and they keep them until you ring. The person who books the visit must be named on the Visiting Order and be over 18
When you ring, you will be asked for the following details:
- the name and prison number of the person you want to visit
- the date of your visit
- the names, addresses and dates of birth of all the visitors and any visitors under 18
- you will need to tell the booking clerks if you have a disability or special needs
- once a Visiting Order has been used, the prisoner needs to write out more
- you will need to ring the Booking Line every time you want to visit
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Before you visit
Give yourself plenty of time to get to HMP Woodhill; aim to be at the Visitors' Centre at least half an hour before your visit. If you are late you could miss your visit or have a very short time in the visits hall.
If there is a group of you visiting, make sure you all go through at the same time. If you enter the prison without one of your group they will be not able to join you.
The latest times you are allowed into a visit are:
Monday - Thursday: 3.30 pm
Saturday morning: 10am
Saturday afternoon: 3.30pm
Sunday afternoon: 3.30pm
You will need to bring identification with you - please see the list of appropriate ID below. You will also need to bring a pound coin to use in the locker where your belongings will be kept while you are on the visit.
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What to bring as ID
All adult visitors must bring ID for every visit. If you fail to bring ID, you will not be allowed into the prison.
Bring one of the following:
- a valid up to date passport, including foreign passports, where the photograph is recognisable
- an EU identity card, where the photograph is recognisable
- a valid up to date driving licence where the photograph is recognisable, and with the correct address
- an employer's or student ID card, but only if this clearly shows the name of the visitor and the employer or educational establishment, where the photograph is recognisable
- a valid up to date shot gun licence, where the photograph is recognisable
- an Inland Revenue tax ID card, where the photograph is recognisable and the date of birth is visible
- a Ministry of Justice ID card, where the photograph is recognisable
If the visitor has none of the above then prison staff may accept combinations of two or more of the following:
- birth or marriage certificate with your current correct surname on it
- rail or bus pass with photo
- bank debit card and supporting bank statement (dated within the last 3 months) that clearly shows your name and has your current address on it
- young person's bus or rail card with photograph
- rent card with an official statement or letter relating to your current address with your surname on it, from either the appropriate council or letting agent or landlord
- foreign identity or resident's card (other than EC ID cards which are acceptable in their own right) where the photograph is acceptable and meets with manager approval
- community council tax statement with correct name and address on it
Please note that no other combinations of ID will be accepted by prison staff.
It is advisable to bring ID for children over 12 (a birth certificate) in case it is needed.
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Bringing the children?
Inside the visits hall is a children's play area, run by pact, which provides toys, games and playworkers for the children. Find out more about the HMP Woodhill play service
Please note that under no circumstances can children under 16 be left in the Visitors' Centre.
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Booking in for a visit
You will need to book in at the reception desk in the Visitors' Centre. The centre staff will explain the visiting procedures and give you any other help you may need. You will usually be given a card with a number on; this will ensure that you will enter the prison in the order in which you registered.
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What happens on a visit
For a detailed step-by-step guide to what happens when you visit a prisoner in HMP Woodhill, click here.
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Help with travel costs
If you are on a low income or you receive benefits, you might be entitled to get help from the government with the cost of visiting your relative in prison. Help is provided by the Assisted Prison Visits Unit (APVU). You can claim for two visits a month.
For more information about the APVU:
- ask at the Visitors' Centre
- call the APVU on 0845 300 1423
- or visit the Prison Service website
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Concerned about someone in prison?
If you are seriously concerned that a prisoner is:
- likely to harm themselves
- being bullied
- the victim of racist or other abuse
then try and talk to an officer before you leave the prison or talk to someone in the Visitors' Centre. The information will be passed on to an appropriate member of staff in the prison for this to be dealt with as soon as possible.
There is also a special confidential helpline number at HMP Woodhill:
01908 722017
(This is an answerphone)
There are many organisations that could give you support and advice. Ask for a list at the Visitors' Centre or search our website.
You can call the Visitors' Centre on 01908 507722. (Sometimes you'll get an answer phone; leave your name and number and someone will get back to you.)
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Giving difficult or bad news
If you have difficult or bad news to give to a prisoner, you can ring the main prison switchboard on 01908 722000
and ask to talk to someone on the chaplaincy team, who will support the prisoner through a difficult time.
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Support from other organisations
There are a number of organisations that offer advice and support to prisoners and their families. To find out more, visit our links page or ask at the Visitors' Centre.
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Giving the prisoner property and money
There are many rules and regulations about how to do this. Please click here for detailed information about what is allowed.
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Sending them an email
You can email a prisoner at HMP Woodhill using the Email a Prisoner service - it's cheaper than a first class stamp, saves the cost and hassle of writing and posting a letter, and gets delivered by prison staff to the prisoner as soon as possible. Find out more
You can send an email to a prisoner at HMP Woodhill using the Email a Prisoner service - it saves the cost and hassle of writing and posting a letter, is cheaper than the cost of a first class stamp, and gets delivered by prison staff to the prisoner as soon as possible. Click here to find out more.