Can anyone write to a prisoner in the UK?

Generally yes, unless contact is prohibited by a court order, prison restrictions or another safeguarding requirement. Respect any restriction on contact, and ask the prison if you are unsure.

Do I need the prisoner number?

GOV.UK says to write the prisoner number on the envelope. Include it with the person's full registered name and the correct prison address. Ask the prisoner or use the official location service if you do not have the details.

Are letters to prisoners read?

Most letters sent to and from prison are checked by prison staff, and ordinary correspondence may be read. Legal and confidential mail has separate protections and procedures. Check the individual prison's current rules.

Why did my letter arrive as a photocopy?

Some prisons photocopy incoming correspondence as a security measure and give the prisoner the copy. The handling of originals and colour images varies, so ask the prison about its current policy.

How many letters can I send?

GOV.UK says there is normally no limit on the number of letters you can send. Local restrictions, monitoring arrangements and rules about content or length may still apply.

Check with the prison first. It may restrict the number, format and content of photographs or provide photocopies instead. Do not assume a fixed allowance applies to every prison.

Can I send stamps so they can reply?

Do not put stamps or stamped envelopes in your letter unless the prison explicitly allows it. Ask the prison about its reply-postage arrangements and any approved way to provide stamps.

How long does a letter take to reach a prisoner?

Allow for both Royal Mail delivery to the prison and the prison's own screening and distribution. First Class aims for the next working day and Second Class normally takes two to three working days to the address, but internal checks can add several days or longer. There is no guaranteed date for the prisoner to receive or read it.

Can I write to a prisoner from abroad?

Yes, subject to the same contact restrictions and prison mail rules. If you order online, we print and post the letter from the UK, so it travels to the prison as domestic post. send a letter to a prisoner online.

How to Write to a Prisoner in the UK: Rules & Address Format

A letter can be a meaningful way to stay in touch with someone in prison. It can be read again, kept where permitted and answered without arranging a visit. You need the prisoner's correct details and must follow the prison's mail rules. If you have no printer or stamps, you can send a letter to a prisoner online.

This guide explains how to find where someone is held, format the address, check what you can send and understand screening. The detailed guidance is for England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate prison services and rules. Check the receiving prison's official page before sending.

Step 1: Find out where they are

You need the exact prison, the person's full name as registered there and their prisoner number. Do not assume they are still at the prison you last heard about.

Ask for confirmed details. If the person calls or writes, ask which prison they are in and their prisoner number. An authorised representative may also be able to help, subject to consent and confidentiality.
Use the official location service. The GOV.UK Find a Prisoner service now has an online application for England and Wales. You need their name and, if known, their date of birth or age and prisoner number.
Allow time and respect consent. The prisoner must give permission for their location to be shared. GOV.UK says you will receive a reply within four weeks, so do not rely on this for urgent contact. Solicitors must use the separate route shown on that page.
Check after a transfer. Confirm the new address with the prison or an authorised contact. Ask the old prison about forwarding rather than assuming a letter will reach the new one immediately.

For Scotland, use the Scottish Prison Service. For Northern Ireland, contact the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

Step 2: How to address a letter to a prisoner

Include the prisoner's full registered name and number, followed by the full prison name and its current postal address. GOV.UK specifically asks you to put the prisoner number on the envelope.

Full registered name
Prisoner number (for example A1234BC)
HMP [Prison name]
Street address
Town
Postcode

This is an address template, not a real delivery address. The hero image also uses fictional details. Replace every example with the recipient's verified information.

Use the registered name. A nickname alone may not identify the person correctly.
Use the complete institution name. Check whether it is HMP or HMYOI and whether a wing or other identifier is required.
Check the current postcode. Use the prison's own page in the official prison directory, not an old address copied from another website.
Include your sender details. Put your name and return address inside the letter and follow the prison's requirements for the envelope. If you post it yourself, a return address on the back helps if it cannot be delivered.
Date the letter. This helps the recipient follow the conversation if screening delays it or letters arrive out of order.

Step 3: What you can send, and what to leave out

There is no single enclosure list you should treat as permission for every prison. Check the individual prison's rules before sending anything beyond a plain letter. The table below is a starting point, not a guarantee of acceptance.

Prison letter contents and checks to make before posting
Item	General guidance	What to check
Handwritten or typed letters	Generally accepted	Use plain paper and clear text. Check local rules on length and content.
Printed letters	Generally accepted	A plain printed letter is an option if you do not write by hand. Local mail rules still apply.
Photos	Check first	Ask about the permitted number, size and content. Some prisons supply photocopies rather than originals.
Children's drawings	Check first	Use plain paper. Avoid glitter, glue, stickers and anything attached to the page.
Greetings cards	Check first	Ask whether plain cards are accepted. Avoid padded, musical, glittery or perfumed cards.
Newspaper or magazine cuttings	Check first	Rules vary. Whole publications may need to come from an approved supplier.
Stamps or stamped envelopes	Do not enclose without permission	Ask the prison about its arrangements for reply postage rather than putting stamps in a letter.
Cash, cheques or postal orders	Do not enclose	Use the official money-transfer route and check any eligibility or exception rules.
Books, parcels or clothing	Not through ordinary letter posting	Check the prison's current property and approved-supplier arrangements.
Staples, paper clips or decorations	Avoid	Send plain sheets without attachments that could raise a security concern.

Do not include threats, instructions for crime, prohibited messages or attempts to bypass contact restrictions. Content can be withheld where it creates a security or safeguarding concern. If you write in a language other than English, ask whether translation checks could delay it.

To send money, use the official GOV.UK service and check its conditions. Do not put payment or valuables in the letter.

Step 4: What happens when your letter arrives

GOV.UK says most prison letters are checked by staff. Ordinary letters may be opened, screened and read. Do not treat personal correspondence as confidential. Legal and qualifying confidential mail follow different rules.

Some prisons give prisoners photocopies of incoming letters rather than the originals as a security measure. Write clearly, use dark text and do not rely on colour alone. Ask the prison whether photos or cards will be copied and what happens to originals.

Allow time for two separate stages: postal delivery to the prison, then internal screening and distribution. First Class aims for the next working day and Second Class usually takes two to three working days to the address. Those are postal aims, not promises that the prisoner will receive the letter then. Prison checks can add several days or longer, particularly during busy periods.

If a letter does not reach the person, check the address and ask the prison about its process. Do not assume every rejection will generate a notification or a returned letter. Tracking can show delivery to the prison, not that the person has received or read the contents.

Other ways to keep in touch

A letter is one option, not the only one. Services and eligibility vary between prisons.

Phone calls. The prisoner normally calls you from a prison phone. Your number must be approved, and most calls can be monitored.
Visits. Book through the prison or the official booking route and check the visitor rules and ID requirements.
Video calls. Secure video calls are available at some prisons. Follow the current official booking instructions.
Approved messaging services. Some prisons offer managed email-to-print or voicemail services. These are not private, direct email or ordinary messaging apps.

Follow the official staying-in-touch guidance and the receiving prison's page for available options.

Legal letters and Rule 39

Legal correspondence and qualifying confidential-access mail have special protections. Simply writing “Prison Rule 39” on a personal letter does not make it privileged. Friends and family should use ordinary correspondence and must not misrepresent themselves as legal advisers.

The official Send Legal Mail service creates unique barcodes for approved senders in England and Wales. Access requires a Criminal Justice Secure Mail address ending in cjsm.net. GOV.UK also describes an alternative double-envelope procedure, with specific details and a signature on the inner envelope.

Our standard online letter service is not a substitute for that process. It does not promise the official legal-mail barcode or double-envelope handling. If you are sending privileged correspondence, follow the current official guidance and confirm your method with the prison first.

How to send a letter to a prisoner online, without a printer or stamps

If you are abroad, housebound or do not own a printer, you can send a letter to a prisoner online with Send Letters Online. We print and post from the UK, even if you place the order from another country.

Write your letter in the browser or upload a supported document.
Enter the prisoner's registered name, number and verified prison address. Include the number in the recipient details so it appears with the address, and check the preview before paying.
Include your own name and return address within the letter. Do not assume your billing address will be printed or placed on the back of the envelope.
Choose printing and postage, review the document and final total, then pay.

Standard letters are printed on A4 paper and sent in a plain windowed envelope. Orders placed before 1:30pm on working days are normally despatched that day; orders after the cutoff or at weekends are normally despatched the next working day. Postal and prison processing times still apply.

Prices start at £2.99 for Second Class and £4.99 for First Class. The standard card payment processing fee is £0.99, shown at checkout. Extra pages and selected options can change the total. See current prices before ordering.

You can include images within your uploaded document if the receiving prison allows them. We do not add physical enclosures such as loose photographs, stamps or cards. A plain printed document can still be refused if its content or format breaches local rules.

Where posting is confirmed, a Send Letters Online posting confirmation can be available in your order details. It is not an official Royal Mail certificate and does not prove delivery to, or acceptance by, the prisoner. Tracking is only available for supported tracked services.

Ready to write?

Check the prison's rules, prepare the recipient details and review your letter before you pay.

send a letter to a prisoner online

What to write

Most people stall at the blank page, not at the rules. You do not need a perfect opening. A clear, personal letter about ordinary life can be enough.

Share ordinary news. What the children did, a match result, a meal you cooked or a small event can help keep the person connected to everyday life.
Ask questions they can answer. Give them something to respond to without putting them under pressure.
Remember that staff may read it. Avoid jokes about contraband, coded language or messages that could be misinterpreted.
Respect contact restrictions. Do not pass messages from someone who is prohibited from contacting the prisoner.
Keep the tone steady. If something is difficult, explain it clearly rather than hinting at it.
Date or number regular letters. It helps the recipient follow the conversation if the post arrives out of sequence.
Sign off with your name and address. Make it easy to reply and to identify you if the letter is separated from its envelope.

For help with layout, see our formal letter guide. Our letter templates can also give you a structure to adapt.

Sources and checking local rules

Official guidance checked on 24 October 2026. Prison procedures can change. Use the current receiving prison's instructions for a specific letter. This is general practical guidance, not legal advice or a guarantee of acceptance.

How to write to a prisoner in the UK (2026 guide)