Top 10 FAQs About Prison Phone Systems In The UK

When someone you care about is in prison, the need to stay in touch becomes more important than ever. Phone calls are a lifeline, offering reassurance, support, and a critical link to normal life on the outside. But prison phone systems can seem confusing and full of rules especially if you’ve never dealt with them before.

Whether you’re worried about costs, time limits, or how to even get your number approved, you’re not alone. Families across the UK have similar questions. To make it easier, we’ve answered the top 10 most common FAQs about prison phone systems. From how calls are paid for to why they’re recorded, here’s what you need to know.

1. How do prisoners make phone calls in the UK?

In UK prisons, phone calls aren’t made from mobile phones or private lines. Instead, there’s a PIN phone system in place. Each prisoner gets a personal PIN number that they have to enter before making a call. This PIN is linked to their account, so the prison can keep track of:

- Who they’re calling
- How long they’re talking
- What funds are being used.

They can only dial numbers that have been pre-approved by prison security. Calls are made from communal phone booths on prison wings or, in some modern facilities, controlled in-cell systems. This means there’s no privacy like at home — calls are typically monitored and always subject to recording for security.

2. Are all phone calls recorded and monitored?

Nearly all social calls made from prison in the UK are recorded and may be listened to by staff. This is standard policy across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.It’s done to prevent crimes being organised from inside, protect victims and witnesses, and generally maintain order. The only exceptions are calls to legal advisors (solicitors) or other protected bodies. Those calls are treated as confidential and not monitored in the same way. So if you’re speaking to a loved one, it’s best to remember that conversations could be reviewed by prison staff.

3. How does someone pay for their prison phone calls?

Phone calls from prison aren’t free. Prisoners pay for calls using money from their personal account, which is topped up either by:

- Wages they earn through prison jobs (like cleaning or kitchen work)
- Or money sent in by family and friends.

The cost of each call is automatically deducted from this account. There’s no overdraft or credit — if they run out of funds, they can’t call until more money is available.

Because everything is drawn from the same pool of money — phone credit, canteen snacks, toiletries, stamps — it’s important for families to know that sending funds helps cover calls as well as essentials.

4. How much does it cost to call from prison?

Typical costs in the UK prison system are roughly:

- 8p per minute to call a UK landline
- 19–25p per minute to call a UK mobile

‍This means that a ten-minute call to a mobile might use up around £2.50 of their balance. For prisoners earning maybe £10–£15 a week in wages, or relying on limited family support, these costs add up quickly.

That’s why many families use services like Prison Call, which set up a local landline number that routes straight to your mobile. This way, your loved one still reaches you wherever you are, but only pays the much cheaper landline rate.

5. Can prisoners call anyone they want?

No. Prisoners can only make calls to numbers on their approved PIN list. When someone first arrives at prison, they fill out a form listing family, friends or professional contacts they’d like to be able to call.

Security staff then check these names and numbers for any risks like past co-defendants or people under protection. Once approved, the numbers are added to the system, and only these can be dialled.

If you change your number or want to add someone new, the prisoner needs to submit a fresh request. This can take a few days to process.

6. How long can phone calls last?

Call duration depends on several factors including the prison’s rules, the security category, how busy the wing is, and the prisoner’s privilege level. But typically:

- Most calls are 5–15 minutes long.
- Higher security prisons (category A) might restrict calls to around 5 minutes.
- In open or lower security prisons, calls can sometimes be a little longer.

Even where longer calls are technically allowed, queues for the phone and limited “association time” out of the cell often mean calls are kept fairly short.

7. What happens if a prisoner runs out of phone credit?

If the account linked to the prisoner’s PIN runs out of funds, they simply cannot make any more social calls until there’s more money.

There’s no automatic top-up or overdraft. Some may try to rely on letters to explain, or wait until visits to mention it. This is why families often try to keep a small buffer in the account to prevent sudden silences.

Using a virtual landline via Prison Call can dramatically stretch phone credit meaning that £10 might last twice as long, and you’re far less likely to hit that dreaded zero balance.

8. Can you record or save prison phone calls?

This is a question many families ask. You might want to keep a loved one’s words for comfort, or help kids replay a parent’s voice. But under prison rules, recording calls on your end is not permitted. It could breach privacy laws and prison communication policies, and might even lead to the prisoner losing privileges.

The calls themselves are already recorded by the prison, but these recordings aren’t available for personal family use. They’re stored for security and investigation purposes only.

The best approach is to focus on frequent, affordable calls and supplement them with letters, which give you something tangible to hold on to.

9. Are there daily or weekly limits on how many calls they can make?

Most prisons don’t set a hard daily cap on the number of calls. The real limits come from:

- the amount of phone credit the prisoner has
- the available time out of their cell to use communal phones
- and how busy the phones are on the wing

This means that in practice, even if there’s no rule saying “only three calls per day,” the combination of short association periods and long queues often limits how many calls someone can actually make.

The more affordable each call is (for example by using a landline number instead of a mobile), the more often they can realistically ring you.

10. What should families do to keep calls going smoothly?

The most important things are:

Make sure your number is on the approved list (or if you’ve changed your phone, tell your loved one to update it inside).

Keep money regularly topped up to help cover phone costs, especially if they have limited prison wages.

Use a virtual landline like Prison Call, so calls to your mobile cost them the lower landline rate. This can more than double the length of conversations for the same money.Also try to plan for the emotional side. Prison calls can be brief and sometimes end suddenly due to timers or regime changes. Keeping conversations calm, supportive and regular helps you both cope better.

Staying in touch with someone in prison can be challenging emotionally and financially. But it’s also one of the most important things you can do. Phone calls help your loved one feel connected, reduce loneliness, and keep vital relationships strong, all of which play a major part in helping them build a better path forward.

If costs are a worry (and for most families, they are), using services like Prison Call can make a huge difference. By providing a local landline that rings straight to your mobile, your loved one pays much less per minute, meaning more conversations, less stress, and stronger family ties through the toughest of times.