How Do Prisoner Debit Cards Work?

When a loved one is sent to prison, there’s often confusion over how they handle money on the inside. From phone credit to buying snacks or toiletries, prisoners still need funds day-to-day, and families frequently wonder: “How does this all work? Do they get cash? Do they have a debit card?”

‍In the UK, the traditional prison “spends account” system is being modernised. Many prisons now issue prisoners with debit-style cards to manage their personal funds. These cards work differently from the cards you keep in your wallet, but they serve a similar purpose: giving prisoners a secure, trackable way to buy essentials, pay for phone calls, and keep daily life running.

Understanding how prisoner debit cards work can help families budget better, know where their money is going, and avoid misunderstandings or missed opportunities to support their loved one. It also clears up concerns around how this impacts staying in touch by phone — which remains one of the biggest costs for most prisoners.

The shift from cash to cards

The “prisoner debit card” is more formally known as a prison cashless card or smart account card. It’s similar in look to a standard bank debit card, sometimes with a chip and often with a printed name or prisoner number.

However, it’s not linked to a normal high street bank. Instead, it’s tied to the prisoner’s internal account with the prison. The money loaded onto the card still comes from wages earned inside or transfers sent in by family. The difference is that instead of waiting on staff or paper slips for every transaction, prisoners can use these cards at approved self-service kiosks, in prison canteens, or on controlled in-cell technology (in some newer prisons).

The main aim is to give prisoners a straightforward way to buy items or manage their personal money, while still being fully trackable and secure.

How does money get onto the card?

For families outside, this process doesn’t really change. You still send money in using the GOV.UK “Send money to someone in prison” service, or by postal order. When the funds arrive, they’re deposited into the prisoner’s main account.

From there, part of the money is automatically deducted if the prisoner owes court fines, compensation orders, or other mandated payments. The remaining funds are what they can access for personal use.

The debit-style card acts as a spending tool for these available funds. In most prisons, prisoners also earn small wages through prison jobs — such as kitchen work, laundry, or cleaning — which are added to their account weekly. This combined pot of money is what gets “drawn down” through the debit card.

How do prisoners actually use the card?

Inside prison, the debit-style card works mainly in three places:

‍The prison canteen or shop.
This is where prisoners buy snacks, drinks, stationery, toiletries, tobacco substitutes, or vaping products. Instead of filling out paper order forms and waiting days, many canteens now have card payment points. The transaction deducts instantly from their available balance.

‍Self-service kiosks.
In many prisons, inmates use electronic kiosks to check their balance, order canteen items, or pay for TV rental. The card is inserted or scanned to authorise transactions, making it simpler than older systems.

‍In-cell systems (where available).
Some modern UK prisons now offer limited in-cell tablets or phones. The prisoner card can authorise credits for services like phone accounts or e-learning modules.What the card cannot do is be used outside the prison or online. It’s not a debit card in the traditional sense. It’s entirely closed-loop — designed purely for transactions inside the secure environment.

Does this mean prisoners carry cash?

No. In fact, one of the biggest points of the debit-style system is to reduce or eliminate cash altogether. Cash inside prisons is viewed as a major security risk because it can easily be used for contraband, gambling, or intimidation.

By funnelling everything through electronic accounts and smart cards, prisons can track every transaction. If £10 is loaded and £3 is spent on toiletries, it’s logged. This also means less scope for prisoners to be pressured or bullied into handing over cash.

It helps prison staff monitor spending patterns, catch suspicious behaviour (like large repeated transactions), and keep tighter control on security.

How does this affect paying for phone calls?

This is one of the most important parts for families to understand. In the UK, prisoners pay for all social calls out of their personal spends the same account tied to their debit-style card.

When a prisoner wants to make a phone call, they enter their PIN at the communal phone. The system checks their balance and deducts the cost per minute. If they run out of funds, the call simply won’t connect. There is no overdraft or emergency automatic top-up for social calls.

Because it all draws from the same pot of money the account linked to their debit card it’s critical for families to know that sending in money helps cover not only canteen and essentials, but also vital phone contact. If that balance is too low, your loved one might have to choose between buying toothpaste or making a call.

Are there spending limits on prisoner cards?

Yes. UK prisons typically cap how much a prisoner can spend from their account each week, depending on their privilege level under the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) scheme.

For example, a prisoner on “basic” may only be allowed to spend £4 to £6 weekly, while someone on “standard” or “enhanced” might be permitted £15 to £25 or more. This is meant to encourage good behaviour and participation in prison work or education.

It’s also why you might send in £50, but your loved one can only spend a portion of it each week. The rest stays in the account as savings until future weeks.

How secure are these debit cards?

Unlike a bank card, prisoner debit-style cards are not designed for outside theft risks. They don’t carry long card numbers or expiry dates that can be used for fraud. They’re usually pin-protected or tied to the prisoner’s biometric data inside the prison system.

They also can’t be used to shop online or pay bills outside. This means if the card is stolen inside, the risk is contained. Staff can freeze or block cards quickly if misuse is suspected.

What if a card is lost or stolen?

Because everything is ultimately tracked through the prisoner’s unique account, losing the physical card doesn’t mean losing the money. Staff can issue a replacement card and cancel the old one. However, like anything in prison, this can take time so it may mean missed phone calls or canteen opportunities until it’s sorted.

How does this change things for families?

For families on the outside, the switch to debit-style spending means fewer surprises. Transactions are logged automatically, so there’s less scope for confusion about where money went.

It also means prisoners can often top up their phone PIN balance themselves at kiosks or during canteen purchases, without waiting for staff to process paper forms. This speeds up the process and makes it easier for them to manage when they can call you.

But it still means costs add up fast — especially since all spending (snacks, hygiene items, vape capsules, phone credit) pulls from the same pot. A few long calls to a mobile number can wipe out available funds for the week.

That’s why many families choose to use services like Prison Call, which sets up a virtual landline. Your loved one calls this landline (paying around 8p per minute) instead of your mobile (often 20p+ per minute). This can more than double the phone time they can afford each week, freeing up money on their card for other essentials.

The bottom line

So, how do prisoner debit cards actually work? They’re a secure, cashless system tied to each prisoner’s internal account. Family and friends send money in exactly as before. Prisoners earn small wages inside, and everything from buying toothpaste to paying for precious phone calls comes out of this account.

Instead of using slips or waiting on staff, prisoners use a debit-style card that lets them purchase items at canteens, kiosks or on controlled systems. It’s simpler, faster and more transparent, but it also means the same pool of money must stretch to cover every daily need.

If your loved one frequently runs out of funds for phone calls, it might not be because they’re careless it’s often just that costs inside add up. By helping them call at the cheaper landline rate using a service like Prison Call, you take pressure off their limited card balance, so they can still afford daily basics and keep talking to you without stress.

✅ Want to help your loved one’s card balance go further?
‍Checkout our packages to see how a virtual landline could save them money every time they pick up the phone — so you both can stay connected without sacrificing essentials.