Wormwood Scrubs Prison

Book and plan your visit to Wormwood Scrubs

To visit someone in Wormwood Scrubs you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit at least 2 days in advance
• have the required ID with you when you go

At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit.

There may be a limit to the number of visits a person can have. You can check this with Wormwood Scrubs.

Contact Wormwood Scrubs if you have any questions about visiting.

Help with the cost of your visit

If you get certain benefits or have an NHS health certificate, you might be able to get help with the costs of your visit, including:

• travel to Wormwood Scrubs
• somewhere to stay overnight
• meals

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online or by telephone.

Telephone booking and information line: 0300 060 6511
Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

The booking line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Visiting times

Visitors arriving more than half an hour late will not be admitted.

Weekdays:

• Monday: A wing 9:30am9am to 11am and 2:30pm2pm to 4pm
• Tuesday: B wing 9:30am9am to 11am
• Wednesday: C wing 9:30am9am to 11am and 2:30pm2pm to 4pm
• Thursday: D wing 9:30am9am to 11am and 2:30pm2pm to 4pm
• Friday: E wing 9:30am9am to 11am

Weekends:Weekend dates:

DA and EB wing visits on the following dates (Saturdays only):

• Nov:August: 1210th, and 2624th
• Dec:September: 107th, and 2421st
• Jan: 7 and 21
• Feb: 4 and 18

D wing:and 9am to 11am
E wing: 2pm to 4pm

A and B wing visits on the following dates (Saturdays only):

• Nov:August: 19
• Dec:3rd, 3,17th 17 and 3131st
• Jan:September: 1414th, and21st 28
• Feb: 11 and 2528th

AC wing:wing 9am‘family todays’ 11amvisits
Bin wing:August 2pmPM to 4pmonly:

• Sunday 4th August
• Sunday 18th August
• Sunday 1st September

CFamily wingdevelopment visitsday sessions on the following dates (Sundays only):only, except August): 2pm to 4pm

• Nov:August: 20
• Dec:Wednesday’s 4PM andsessions 18
• Jan:7th, 1,14th, 1521st and- 292pm to 4pm
• Feb:September: 12Sunday’s andPM 26Session biweekly - 2pm to 4pm

FamilyChildren’s developmentVisits dayDays sessionsduring on the followingSummer:

• Wednesday dates7 (SundaysAugust: only): 2pm to 4pm
  • Nov: 13 (Olympic and 27themed)
  • Dec:Wednesday 1114 andAugust: 25
  • Jan:2pm 8to and4pm 22(Olympic themed)
  • Feb:Wednesday 521 andAugust: 192pm to 4pm (Carnival themed)

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  How to book legal and professional visits

  Legal visits can take place at an open table or a closed booth.booth, face to face or via video link.

  Legal

  Face visitingTo times

  Face
  • Monday to Friday: 9am to 11am9:55am, 10:05am to 11am, 2pm to 2:55pm and 3:05pm to 4pm

  Booking via email: hmppsvisitbooking@justice.gov.uk

  Booking via phone: 0300 060 6511

  Double sessions can be booked if you would like to utilise 2-hour slots, but we ask that you only book a double session if needed.

  Video Links

  • Mondays to Fridays: (1 hour sessions) 9am to 10am, 10am to 11am, 2pm to 3pm or 3pm to 4pm

  2 hour session:

  • 9am to 11am
  • 2pm to 4pm

  Booking via email: videolinkbooking.hmpps@justice.gov.uk

  Booking via phone: 0300 060 6511

  There needs to be 2 working days’ notice before any bookings or amendments are made.

  If you no longer require your legal visit slot then please make cancellations or amendments at the earliest possible opportunity, failure to attend without cancellation results in a lost slot which others could utilise.

  Getting to Wormwood Scrubs

  Find Wormwood Scrubs on a map

  Wormwood Scrubs is a 10-minute walk from East Acton underground station. The closest mainline railway station is London Paddington. Several local bus routes pass the prison.

  To plan your journey by public transport:

  • use Transport for London journey planner
  • use National Rail Enquiries

  If coming by car, you can park outside the prison. You will need to pay and display at certain times during the week. Check times and prices on the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham website.

  There is no visitor parking in the prison.

  Entering Wormwood Scrubs

  All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison.

  All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

  Wormwood Scrubs has aclothing family-friendlyrequirements dressthat codemust policy which means visitors should dress appropriately. You may be turnedadhered awayto if you are wearing items like vests, low-cut tops, high-cut shorts or dresses, ripped jeans, flip-flops or headwear other than that worn for religioussecurity reasons. Additionally,Please yoube cannotadvised wearthat anythingthese withhave offensivebeen patternsupdated orrecently:

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  There are strict controls on what you can take into Wormwood Scrubs. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security, including pushchairs and car seats. You will need a £1 coin for the locker.

  You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.

  Visiting facilities

  There is a visitors centre run by the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) charity.

  The centre is open: *

  • Monday to Thursday, 8am to 5pm *
  • Friday 8am to 1pm *
  • Saturday 8am to 5pm *
  • Sunday 1pm to 5pm

  Email: wormwoodscrubs@prisonadvice.org.uk
  Telephone: 020 8735 0595
  Find out about call charges

  Family Development Sessions

  A Family Development Session is held on alternating Sunday afternoons on a wing-by-wing basis. This session may include family days, children’s visits, homework clubs and other initiatives.

  Keep in touch with someone at Wormwood Scrubs

  There are several ways you can keep in touch with a prisoner during their time at Wormwood Scrubs.

  Secure video calls

  SecureTo videohave callinga issecure availablevideo atcall thiswith prison.someone Familyin andthis friendsprison willyou need toto:

  • Download download the Prison Video app,app
  • Create create an account,account
  • Register register all visitors
  • Add and add the prisoner to theiryour contact list.

  How to book a secure video call

  Secure video calls at this prison can be requested by prisoners only.

  You will receive a notification if a prisoner has requested a video call with you.

  Read more about how it works

  Phone calls

  Prisoners have access to in-cell and landing phones for making outgoing calls to preapproved phone numbers only.

  They can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security when they first arrive so it may take a few days before they are able to call.

  You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service.

  Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.

  Email

  You can send emails to someone in Wormwood Scrubs using the Email a Prisoner service.

  You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies from the prisoner, depending on the rules at Wormwood Scrubs.

  Letters

  You can write at any time.

  Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.

  If you do not know their prisoner number, you can use the Find a prisoner - GOV.UK service online.

  All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.

  Send money and gifts

  You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison.

  You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post.

  If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you:

  • are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet
  • do not have a debit card

  This will allow you to send money by post.

  Gifts and parcels

  Prisoners are given a list of approved items that can be sent to them as gifts. Contact Wormwood Scrubs for more information on what’s allowed.

  Family and friends are strongly advised to use Parcelforce to send parcels in to prisoners to ensure successful delivery. Parcelforce are reliably able to comply with the prison’s local security requirements for receiving parcels. Whilst other couriers may be used, if they cannot comply with the prison requirements parcels this can lead to delays or parcels being returned.

  Make sure to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel.

  All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

  Friends and families of prisoners are permitted to send books directly to their loved ones, or can order books from approved retailers, which can source and send the books on to prisoners.   For the full list of approved retailers, you can read the HMPPS Incentives Policy, Annex F.

  Life at Wormwood Scrubs

  Wormwood Scrubs is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where menprisoners can learn new skills to help them on release.

  Security and safeguarding

  Every person at Wormwood Scrubs has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.

  For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website.

  All safeguarding processes are overseen by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Safeguarding Adults Board.

  Arrival and first night

  When a prisoner first arrives at Wormwood Scrubs, they will be able to contact a family member by phone. This could be quite late in the evening, depending on the time they arrive.

  They will get to speak to someone at the prison who will check how they’re feeling and ask about any immediate health and wellbeing needs.

  Induction

  Each person who arrives at Wormwood Scrubs gets an induction that lasts about a week. They will meet professionals who will help them with:

  • health and wellbeing, including mental and sexual health
  • any substance misuse issues, including drugs and alcohol
  • personal development in custody and on release, including skills, education and training
  • other support (sometimes called ‘interventions’), such as managing difficult emotions

  Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety, and how things like calls and visits work.

  Accommodation

  AroundThere 1200are menaround live1,200 prisoners at Wormwood Scrubs in a mixture of single and shared rooms.cells. There are 5 main wings (A to E) plus a number of smaller specialist units.

  Facilities include book rooms on all wings and a fully equipped gym.

  Wormwood Scrubs Prison has a diverse, multi-faith chaplaincy team providing support to prisoners.

  Education and work

  Prisoners can choose from a broad range of learning opportunities, including:

  • english
  • maths
  • information and communication technology (ICT)
  • english for speakers of other languages (ESOL)
  • catering
  • customer service
  • barbering
  • rail-track laying

  There are several contract workshops at Wormwood Scrubs where prisoners can gain work experience and qualifications, including industrial cleaning, laundry, and textiles.

  Support for family and friends

  Contact point for families & significant others: SocialVisits.WormwoodScrubs@justice.gov.uk.

  Find out about about advice and helplines for family and friends.

  ProblemsConcerns, problems and complaints

  In an emergency

  Call 020 8588 3200 if you think a prisoner is at immediate risk of harm. Ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency.

  Contact category	Phone number	Additional information
  Non-emergency	0208 588 3216	Call this number if you have concerns about a prisoner’s safety or wellbeing which are serious but not life-threatening or complete a safer custody contact form on the Prisoners’ Families Helpline website.
  Health concerns	0117 240 1193	If you have a health concern about someone in HMP Wormwood Scrubs, call the Prisoner Health Information and Liaison Line (Call PHILL) to speak to the health team confidentially.
  Staff Integrity Hotline	0800 917 6877 (24 hours answering machine)	This number can be called anonymously. If you are concerned about a prisoner being bullied by a member of staff, you can use this number. As this line is managed separately from the prison, you can call this number anonymously.
  Prisoners’ Families Helpline	0808 808 2003	The Prisoners’ Families Helpline can provide confidential support, advice and guidance.
  Unwanted Prisoner Contact	0300 060 6699	If a prisoner is contacting you and you want them to stop, you can use the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service. You can complete the Stop prisoner contact online form, email unwantedprisonercontact@justice.gov.uk or contact by phone.

  Problems and complaints

  If you have a problem contact Wormwood Scrubs.

  Independent inspections

  HM Prison and Probation Service publishes action plans for Wormwood Scrubs in response to independent inspections.

  Contact Wormwood Scrubs

  Governor: Amy Frost

  Telephone: 020 8588 3200
  Fax: 020 8588 3201
  Find out about call charges

  Address

  HMP Wormwood Scrubs
  PO Box 757
  Du Cane Road
  London
  W12 0AE
  

  See map

  Safer custody hotline

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