HMP Berwyn:
History, Challenges & Calling Costs Explained

Nestled in Wrexham, North Wales, HMP Berwyn stands as the UK's largest prison, designed with a vision to revolutionise the penal system. However, despite its modern infrastructure, the facility grapples with significant challenges. This article delves into the history, current state, issues faced by HMP Berwyn, and the costs associated with inmate communications.

History of HMP Wealstun

HMP Berwyn, officially opened in 2017 near Wrexham, North Wales, represents the most ambitious attempt to modernise the UK's penal estate in decades. As the largest prison in the UK, with a capacity for over 2,100 adult male offenders, this £250 million facility was engineered with a radical new philosophy. It was envisioned not as a cold, punitive jail, but as a purpose-built training and resettlement institution aimed directly at reducing re-offending rates—a crucial national priority. The approach was revolutionary: the facility’s architecture and regime were designed to foster dignity, responsibility, and strong family links. Inmates are referred to as 'men' and their cells as 'rooms', a conscious effort to normalise the environment and encourage positive behaviour.

This super-prison was a direct response to the chronic overcrowding and decaying infrastructure of older Victorian-era prisons across England and Wales. By providing thousands of modern, secure spaces, HMP Berwyn was intended to relieve system pressures while focusing its efforts on Category C prisoners who are preparing for eventual release. The facility is split into three main, semi-autonomous blocks—Alwen, Bala, and Ceiriog—each designed as a smaller 'community' within the colossal complex, complete with modern workshops, classrooms, and sports facilities. Yet, despite its cutting-edge design and progressive vision, HMP Berwyn's operational reality continues to grapple with familiar and persistent challenges that define the modern correctional landscape.

The History

The initial design and construction of HMP Berwyn spanned several years, with the foundation laid firmly on a rehabilitative premise. A key, often-cited element of this philosophy was the integration of in-cell technology. Unlike traditional prisons where communal phones often lead to conflict and queueing, every room at Berwyn was equipped with a basic telephone and a restricted-access laptop.

This technological advancement served two vital, interconnected purposes, central to the prison’s mission:

Reducing Operational Friction:
By giving men direct access to phones and allowing them to manage applications, canteen orders, and visits via their in-cell laptops, the system aimed to reduce the workload on staff and minimise daily friction points between prisoners.

Maintaining Family Contact:
The most significant feature was the ability to call family privately, directly from their own room. Decades of research have proven that the single most effective factor in reducing re-offending is the maintenance of strong, positive family relationships. The in-cell phone system was meant to facilitate this vital lifeline, keeping men connected to their support networks outside the prison walls.

However, the scale of the facility itself was, and remains, a point of controversy. Designed to hold over 2,100 prisoners, the sheer volume of inmates required a compromise on the preferred policy of single-cell occupancy. Approximately 70 per cent of the cells are designed for double-occupancy, a fact that has drawn criticism from penal reform groups who argue that enforced sharing in a modern prison contravenes minimum human rights standards and exacerbates tensions within the facility.

Staffing, Capacity, and Regime Delivery

As of the 2024/2025 reporting period, HMP Berwyn’s operational status reflects both positive momentum and deep-seated structural pressures. The prison is now operating close to full capacity, with the population consistently around the 2,000 mark. This high occupancy rate underscores the urgent need for prison places within the wider UK system.

A notable success has been in the area of staffing. Recent Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) reports highlight successful efforts to improve officer recruitment and retention. New leadership has been credited with injecting energy and stability, resulting in the prison being nearing its full staffing complement. This stability is crucial for delivering a consistent, meaningful regime.

Despite these gains, the delivery of the full rehabilitative promise remains a struggle. Inspection reports from HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) indicate that too many men are not engaged in meaningful, purposeful activity. Attendance at education and training workshops is too low, leaving a significant proportion of the population—around one in four men—unemployed. This under-utilisation of time is a critical failing, as enforced idleness in large facilities inevitably leads to boredom, frustration, and greater instability on the wings. While the physical living conditions are generally considered good and modern, the daily purpose of the prison is yet to be fully realised.

Drugs, Violence, and Mental Health Crisis

HMP Wealstun also offers comprehensive healthcare services to its inmates. This includes general medical care, mental health support, and substance abuse treatment. The prison’s healthcare team is a vital component of the rehaBeneath the modern facade, HMP Berwyn confronts acute operational challenges that mirror, and sometimes magnify, the systemic issues of the UK prison service. These problems undermine the core mission of rehabilitation and directly affect the safety of men and staff.

Contraband and Violence:
The availability of illicit substances, particularly new psychoactive substances (NPS), remains a primary driver of insecurity. Drugs foster debt, exploitation, and violence, creating a fearful environment for vulnerable prisoners. Inspection findings consistently show that incidents of violence and self-harm are high compared to similar prisons. The complex population, which now includes remand and Category B prisoners alongside the intended Category C cohort, contributes to greater instability and 'churn', making security and intelligence gathering more difficult.

The Mental Health Gap:
HMP Berwyn is on the frontline of the UK's mental health crisis in custody. Recent IMB reports have repeatedly raised alarm about the challenges in managing prisoners with severe mental illness. A significant number of men assessed as requiring transfer to a secure psychiatric hospital are left waiting months in the prison environment, well beyond the 28-day target. Prison staff, who are not clinically trained, are forced to care for these highly complex and vulnerable individuals, often in segregation units, which is profoundly unsuitable for their condition. The high rate of self-harm incidents—often over a hundred per month—is inextricably linked to this failure to provide timely, appropriate mental health support.

Healthcare and Medication Issues:
Another persistent concern is the management of essential healthcare. Operational issues, often linked to staff shortages in areas like officer escorts, result in a high number of 'Did Not Attend' (DNA) appointments, causing delays to routine clinics. Furthermore, the transition to the Welsh health system (Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board) has meant that some men's prescribed medications, particularly for mental health issues, have been changed or stopped upon arrival, leading to distress and a deterioration in their well-being.bilitation process, especially for those prisoners dealing with addiction or mental health challenges.

A key element of the prison’s wellbeing services is the support for mental health and substance misuse. Like many prisons, Wealstun has dealt with the impact of drug misuse within the facility. To combat this, the prison offers various support groups, therapy programs, and medical treatments aimed at reducing dependency and helping prisoners make healthier life choices.

HMP Berwyn Prison Calling Costs

For the friends and family of men inside HMP Berwyn, one of the most immediate and painful consequences of imprisonment is the financial burden of communication. While the in-cell phones are an advancement, the prisoner is responsible for funding the calls using their minimal weekly wage (£5 to £20).

The cost structure of the prison phone system is heavily weighted against affordability, particularly for those trying to call the most common form of contact, a mobile phone.

UK Landline (01, 02, 03)
3p - 8p per minuet

UK Mobile (07)
14p-20p per minuet

Check out our savings calculator to see how much we can save you.

Since the vast majority of family members rely on mobile phones, prisoners calling their loved ones face the highest tariff—often 20p per minute. This means that an hour-long weekly conversation with family could cost £12. For a prisoner earning £10 per week, this represents a significant financial deficit, which must be covered by money sent in by family. This financial drain—often amounting to £50 to £100 per month—adds stress to families already dealing with the emotional and economic fallout of incarceration.

Affordable Family Contact

This is where the services of providers like callfromprison.co.uk become an essential lifeline and a financial mitigation tool for families connected to HMP Berwyn. The service works by exploiting the significant discrepancy in the prison's call rates.

The concept is ingeniously simple. A family member subscribes to callfromprison.co.uk for a low, fixed monthly fee. In return, the service provides them with a virtual local UK landline number (a number starting with 01, 02, or 03). The family gives this new, cheaper number to the prisoner, who then registers it on their approved PIN list at HMP Berwyn.

Crucially, when the prisoner calls this new number from their cell, the prison’s system recognises it as a landline call and charges the inmate the low landline rate (typically under 8p per minute). The callfromprison.co.uk technology then instantly and seamlessly diverts the call to the family’s mobile phone. The family receives the call on their mobile, and the prisoner pays the vastly reduced landline cost. This simple mechanism can cut the cost of calls by up to 80%, saving families hundreds of pounds per year and allowing the prisoner to talk for significantly longer for the same amount of credit.

The Rehabilitative Power of Affordable Calls

The role of callfromprison.co.uk extends far beyond mere cost-saving; it is integral to the rehabilitative success of institutions like HMP Berwyn. By removing the economic barrier to communication, the service directly supports the prison's core mission:

Improved Behaviour:
Regular, stress-free contact with family is a proven factor in reducing institutional misconduct and helping men cope with the challenges of incarceration.

Reduced Recidivism:
Strong family bonds are the most reliable predictor of successful reintegration into society. Affordable communication allows men to stay involved in family decisions, maintain their parental role, and secure the vital emotional support needed post-release.

Wider Access to Support:
It ensures that even the lowest-paid prisoners can sustain contact, which is often impossible when faced with £18 weekly mobile call costs.In a system where prison reform and reduced re-offending are the ultimate goals, services that facilitate cheap, regular, and reliable family communication are not a luxury—they are a necessary component of a successful correctional strategy. Callfromprison.co.uk and similar providers are actively closing the gap between the high aspirations of HMP Berwyn and the financial realities faced by the families of those in custody.