HMP Manchester Phone Calls

HMP Manchester, still widely known as Strangeways, is one of the highest-profile prisons in the country and a key facility serving Greater Manchester's courts. This guide covers everything families need to know about phone calls from HMP Manchester, including how to get on the PIN list, when calls can be made, what they cost in 2026, how to cut those costs by over 55%, how to send money, and how to book a visit.

Getting phone contact established with someone at HMP Manchester is usually the first priority for families. The process is straightforward once you know how it works, but there are a few things specific to HMP Manchester worth understanding from the start — including the fact that it is a high security establishment, which means security checks on approved numbers can sometimes take a little longer than at lower-category prisons. This guide gives you everything you need to get set up quickly and to keep the cost of calls manageable from day one.

About HMP Manchester (Strangeways)

HMP Manchester is a Category A and B men's prison located at 1 Southall Street in Manchester city centre, approximately one mile north of the city centre and a five-minute walk from Manchester Victoria railway station. The prison was designed by Alfred Waterhouse and opened in June 1868 as Strangeways Prison, named after the area of Manchester in which it stands. It was renamed HMP Manchester in 1994, following a substantial rebuilding programme that was needed after the famous Strangeways Riot of April 1990 at 25 days, still the longest prison riot in British history. The building itself is Grade II listed and its prominent 234-foot ventilation tower has become a well-known Manchester landmark.

The prison has a capacity of 1,238 prisoners and is part of the High Security Estate, managed by HMPPS as part of the North West Region. It holds Category A prisoners, for whom escape must be made extremely difficult, alongside lower-risk Category B prisoners. Because HMP Manchester holds both remand and sentenced prisoners serving the Greater Manchester courts, it processes a high volume of new arrivals throughout the year.

The prison has two major radial blocks housing ten wings in total, known as A to E and G to K. Different wings serve different functions: some hold remand prisoners, others long-term and life-sentenced prisoners, convicted general population, and a Category A security unit. The wing a prisoner is on can affect the specific timing and routine around phone access, so it is worth asking your loved one to confirm the regime on their particular wing once they are settled.

The family support service at HMP Manchester is delivered by POPS (Partners of Prisoners), which operates a welcome centre for families attending visits and provides advice on a wide range of issues including travel, housing, debt, and the visiting process.
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How Phone Calls Work at HMP Manchester

Prisoners at HMP Manchester use a PIN phone system to make calls. Every prisoner is issued a personal identification number that is linked to their individual phone account. Before making a call, they enter their PIN on the handset. The system then checks whether the number they want to call is on their pre-approved contact list. If it is, the call connects and the per-minute cost is deducted from their credit balance in real time. If the number is not approved, the call cannot go through.

As a high security establishment, HMP Manchester operates its phone system with tight controls. Calls are subject to security checks and monitoring protocols that are more rigorous than at lower-category establishments. All calls, with the exception of those made to solicitors and legal representatives on a separate legal account, are recorded and may be monitored by staff. This is standard across all prisons but worth being particularly aware of at a Category A establishment, where monitoring is more active. Both parties are notified at the start of every social call that the call is being recorded.You cannot call a prisoner at HMP Manchester or at any UK prison. There is no mechanism to dial through to a wing or a cell, and the prison phones do not accept incoming calls. All calls are outgoing only, initiated by the prisoner. If you need to contact the prison urgently about a welfare concern, call the Safer Custody helpline on 0161 817 5808 or the Sharing Concerns helpline on 0161 817 5958 rather than the general switchboard.

How to Get Added to the PIN List at HMP Manchester

Before your loved one can call you, your number needs to be on their approved contact list. Your loved one submits your number for approval through the prison's administration system, and security staff carry out checks before activating it. Because HMP Manchester is a high security establishment, this process may take slightly longer than at Category C prisons. Allow up to a week for the initial approval, particularly if your loved one has recently arrived or been transferred from another establishment.

Each prisoner can hold up to 20 approved numbers on their personal PIN list. Legal contacts  solicitors, barristers, and other accredited legal representatives are held on a separate legal account and do not count towards this limit. If you change your phone number at any point, your loved one will need to resubmit the new number for approval, which means the same few-day wait before they can call the new number.

Rather than giving your loved one your mobile number, give them a Prison Call virtual landline number to add to the list. From the moment it is approved, every call is charged at the cheaper landline rate. Nothing changes for you — calls arrive on your mobile as normal, no app needed.

Phone Call Costs at HMP Manchester in 2026

Call costs at HMP Manchester follow the national HMPPS tariff. The rates below have been in place since 1 April 2025 and are confirmed fixed until 31 May 2027, following a 20% reduction negotiated by the Ministry of Justice. All costs are charged to the prisoner's phone credit account — not to you as the recipient.
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A 20-minute weekday call to a mobile number costs £1.10 in phone credit. For a prisoner on a standard prison wage of around £10 per week, daily calls at that length would consume the majority of their weekly earnings. This is why so many families need to top up phone credit regularly and why cutting the per-minute rate makes such a meaningful practical difference.

How to Cut the Cost of Calls From HMP Manchester by Over 55%

The mobile rate (5.50p per minute on weekdays) is more than double the landline rate (2.48p per minute). This gap exists because of how the HMPPS telephony contract with BT categorises different number types. Standard geographic UK landline numbers those beginning with 01, 02, or 03 are charged at the lower rate. Mobile numbers beginning with 07 are charged at the higher rate. Most families in the UK no longer have a traditional home landline, so most prisoners end up paying the expensive mobile rate by default.

A Prison Call virtual landline solves this. It is a standard local UK number such as a 0161 Manchester number matching your area that forwards all calls directly to your mobile. Your loved one adds it to their PIN list and dials it instead of your mobile. The prison phone system charges them the landline rate. You answer on your mobile exactly as you always would. No app, no changes to your phone, no new equipment.

On a daily 20-minute weekday call, switching to a Prison Call virtual landline saves 61p per call — over £13 per month and more than £160 per year. The same amount of phone credit sent in each week lasts more than twice as long. Prison Call plans start from £19.99 per month with same-day number activation, no setup fee, and no app required. If your loved one is transferred to a different prison, the number works there too — they just add it to the new PIN list.

How to Send Money to Someone at HMP Manchester

Phone credit at HMP Manchester is purchased through the in-cell or wing canteen system, funded from the prisoner's private cash balance. To top up that balance, families use the official online payment service at gov.uk/send-prisoner-money. You need the prisoner's full name, date of birth, and prison number. You pay by Mastercard, Visa, or Maestro debit card. The service is free and funds typically arrive within one to three working days. Bank transfers, postal orders, and cash by post are no longer accepted.

The prison number appears on letters, court paperwork, or visit confirmation documents. If you do not have it yet, call the main switchboard on 0161 817 5600 and ask the reception team to help locate it.

Switching to a Prison Call virtual landline is the most effective way to stretch phone credit further without increasing the amount sent in. It more than doubles the available call time from the same credit by ensuring every call is on the cheaper landline rate.

Other Ways to Stay in Touch With Someone at HMP Manchester

You can write to someone at HMP Manchester at any time. Address all letters to 1 Southall Street, Manchester, M60 9AH and always include the prisoner's full name and prison number on the envelope. All post except clearly marked legal correspondence is opened and checked by staff before delivery. There is no limit on how many letters you can send, and writing in the first week while waiting for phone access to be approved is a good way to stay connected during that period.

The Email a Prisoner service at emailaprisoner.com allows you to send messages that are printed and delivered to the cell, usually the next working day. There is a small per-message fee. Depending on current rules at HMP Manchester, prisoners may also be able to send typed replies through the same service. Check emailaprisoner.com for current availability at this prison.

Video calls are available through the Prison Video app at prisonvideo.gov.uk. The prisoner must request and book video call slots from inside the prison, and availability varies. For children especially, seeing as well as hearing a parent is valuable and video calls are worth setting up alongside regular phone calls.

HMP Manchester is a paperless establishment. This means you will not be allowed to bring documents into the prison for visits. If documents need to be reviewed during a legal visit, facilities are available inside the prison to print them. Bear this in mind when planning any visit that involves paperwork.

Visiting HMP Manchester

Before you can attend a visit, your loved one must add you to their visitor list. Once you are on the list, all visits (other than reception visits in a prisoner's first few weeks) are booked by prisoner-led application from inside the prison. You will receive an email confirming your visit, typically within one to three days. For visit queries, email Visitsbookingmanchester@justice.gov.uk or call the visits booking line on 0161 817 5600, open Monday to Thursday 8am to 4pm and Friday 8am to midday.

The family support service at HMP Manchester is run by POPS (Partners of Prisoners). POPS provides a warm welcome at the prison, support with travel, debt and housing, and runs a family forum where visitors can raise issues and contribute ideas. Their Facebook page for HMP Manchester carries regular updates. If you have concerns about visiting for the first time, POPS can help you prepare.

All visitors aged 16 or older must bring valid photo ID. All visitors receive a pat-down search and may be sniffed by security dogs. Children are also subject to searching. HMP Manchester has a family-friendly dress code, visitors should dress appropriately and avoid clothing that could be confused with prisoner or staff clothing. The prison is a paperless establishment so do not bring documents you intend to leave with the prisoner.

Manchester Victoria railway station is approximately a five-minute walk from the prison the most convenient arrival point for most visitors. Manchester Piccadilly is about 10 minutes from Victoria by tram or taxi. Several local buses also run close to the prison. There is no parking at the prison itself, but two paid public car parks are available on Southall Street. The full address for sat-nav is 1 Southall Street, Manchester, M60 9AH.