How to Add Your Prison Call Number to a PIN List

Staying in touch with a loved one in prison can be one of the most important ways of keeping family bonds strong and maintaining positive relationships. In the UK, all prisons operate under strict rules when it comes to phone communication. Prisoners cannot simply dial any number they choose. Instead, they must use what is known as the PIN phone system. This ensures that calls are monitored, secure, and restricted to approved contacts.

If you have signed up with Prison Call and been provided with a virtual landline number, you will need to ensure that this number is properly added to your loved one’s PIN list before they can call you. Many families are unsure how this process works or what steps are involved, so this guide explains it clearly from start to finish. By the end, you will understand exactly how the system functions, how long it may take, and what you can do if any issues arise.

What the PIN List Is and Why It Matters

Every prisoner in the UK who has access to a phone is given their own unique PIN, which allows them to use the prison phones. This PIN system prevents prisoners from dialling random numbers or contacting people they are not allowed to speak to. Instead, each prisoner must submit a list of approved phone numbers, and these are checked and monitored before being added to the system.

This approved list is what is known as the PIN list. Once a number is on the PIN list, the prisoner can call it whenever they have credit on their account and whenever they are permitted to use the phones. Calls to numbers not on the PIN list will not connect, which means it is impossible for a prisoner to reach you unless your number has gone through the proper process.

For families, this step is often the most important part of setting up regular phone communication. Without it, even if you have the Prison Call number ready to use, your loved one will not be able to reach you.

Receiving Your Prison Call Virtual Landline Number

When you join Prison Call, you will be assigned a unique virtual landline number. This number is special because it connects directly to your mobile phone. For the prisoner, it looks and works exactly like calling any other standard landline. For you, it ensures that you can answer from anywhere, whether you are at home, at work, or on the move.

It is important to write this number down carefully, as it is the number that needs to be submitted to the prison for approval. Make sure your loved one in prison has the full and correct number so that they can add it to their list without mistakes.

Submitting Your Number

Once you have the Prison Call number, the next step is to submit it to the prison. This part has to be done from inside by your loved one. In almost all UK prisons, prisoners are required to fill in a PIN phone request form. These forms are normally available on the prison wing and can be obtained from wing officers.

On the form, the prisoner will usually need to provide the full phone number they wish to add, the name of the person who owns the number, and their relationship to that person. This is so the prison can verify that the number belongs to a genuine family member, friend, or professional contact.

Once the form is completed, it is handed to staff for processing. This step cannot be done by you directly on the outside — it must go through your loved one inside the prison.

Security and Verification

Every number added to a prisoner’s PIN list is subject to security checks. This is a routine part of prison life and is carried out for safety and monitoring reasons. The security team at the prison will look into the number, confirm that it belongs to the person it is claimed to, and make sure it is an appropriate contact for the prisoner.

These checks can sometimes be very quick, but in other cases they can take longer. It depends on the prison and the workload of the staff at that time. Families often find that the process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

During this stage, there is nothing the prisoner or the family can do to speed things up other than waiting for the approval process to finish. If the prison has any issues with the number or if further information is needed, staff will usually inform the prisoner.

Approval and Activation

Once the security checks are complete and the number has been approved, it will be added to the prisoner’s PIN list. At this point, the number is live and can be used straight away. From then on, your loved one can pick up the prison phone, enter their PIN, and dial your Prison Call number.

The call will come directly through to your mobile phone, but because it is a landline number, the prisoner will be charged at the lower landline rate rather than the higher mobile rate. This is where the main savings come from. Over time, this makes a huge difference, especially if your loved one makes regular calls to you.

What to Do If It Doesn’t Work

Sometimes, even after approval, calls may not connect properly. Families occasionally find that their loved one tries to call, but the line does not ring through or the call fails to connect. This can be frustrating, but there are usually straightforward explanations.

In some cases, the problem is simply that the prison system has not fully updated. In other cases, there may have been a mistake when staff entered the number, such as a missing digit. It can also occasionally be due to technical problems with the prison phone system itself.

If your loved one is having difficulty, the first step is for them to check with staff to confirm that the number is correctly listed on their PIN account. At the same time, you can also contact the Prison Call support team to make sure everything is working properly on our side.

Adding your Prison Call number to a prisoner’s PIN list is a necessary step, but it is not a complicated one. It simply involves giving the number to your loved one, having them submit it on a form, waiting for the prison to complete its checks, and then using it once it is approved.

Although there can sometimes be short delays or technical hiccups, the process is well established in every UK prison and is something staff are used to handling. Once your number is on the PIN list, the benefits are immediate. Calls become cheaper, more convenient, and easier to manage, and your loved one can stay in touch with you without worrying as much about credit running out too quickly.

If you have recently received your Prison Call number, encourage your loved one to submit it on their next PIN request form as soon as possible. The sooner it is approved, the sooner you can start enjoying better and more affordable communication. Staying connected is one of the most important supports for anyone in custody, and with Prison Call, it becomes simpler and far less costly.