Highpoint Prison

Book and plan your visit to Highpoint

To visit someone in Highpoint you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit 3 to 5 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 prisoner can have. Depending on individual privileges, prisoners can have 2 to 4 visits a month. There are extra visits too, such as family days and ‘lifer’ visits.

Highpoint tries to offer 2 hour visits instead of the national entitlement that states visits are one hour long.

Contact Highpoint 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 Highpoint
• somewhere to stay overnight
• meals

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online or by telephone.

Booking line: 0808 168 8200
Line opens Monday to Friday, 8am to 2pm
Find out about call charges

Highpoint has two Visit Halls, one on Highpoint South and the other on Highpoint North.

Visitors have to check into the Visitors Centre on South.

Highpoint North visiting times:

• Friday, 2:30pm to 4:30pm
• Saturday, 2:15pm to 4:15pm
• Sunday, 2:15pm to 4:15pm

Highpoint South visiting times:

• Monday, 2:15pm to 4:15pm
• Friday, 2:30pm to 4:30pm
• Saturday, 2:30pm to 4:15pm
• Sunday, 9:30am to 11:30am and 2:15pm to 4:15pm

How to book legalofficial and professional visits

LegalTo visitsarrange takea placevisit Tuesdaysyou and Thursdays. They can beemail, booked via LegalVisits.Highpoint@justice.gov.uklegalvisits.highpoint@justice.gov.uk

Legal/professionalFace visitsto face visiting times:

• Highpoint North, Tuesday, 2pm to 4pm and Thursday, 9am to 11am
• Highpoint South, Tuesday, 2pm to 4pm and Thursday, 9am to 11am

You will require prior approval if you would like to bring in laptops or other digital equipment for.

Getting to Highpoint

Find Highpoint on a map

There are car parks at both North and South sites with limited spaces for Blue Badge holders.

The closest railway stations to Highpoint Prison are Cambridge, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Audley End. From all these, you would need a taxi to the prison. But from Bury St Edmunds, you can walk to the bus station then take the number 15 bus to the prison. This is the only bus that goes to the prison.

To plan your journey by public transport:

• use National Rail Enquiries

Entering Highpoint

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

Highpoint has a strict dress code policy, which means visitors should wear smart clothes (no vests, no low-cut tops, no shorts, no short dresses or skirts, no ripped jeans and no headwear, other than that worn for religious reasons).

Refreshments are available to purchase during your visit.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Highpoint. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker (they take a £1 coin) or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats. You can take in a clear jar of baby food or milk and Highpoint will provide nappies.

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 are children’s play areas run by the Ormiston Families in both North and South visitor halls which offer books, toys and various activities.

Family days

Monthly family and children’s visits are held at both sites. Prisoners can apply for these.

Keep in touch with someone at Highpoint

There are several ways you can keep in touch with someone during their time at Highpoint.

Phone calls

Prisoners have phones in their rooms and can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. They have to buy phone credits to do this.

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 Highpoint using the Email a Prisoner service.

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:

• Download the Prison Video app
• Create an account
• Register all visitors
• Add the prisoner to your 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

Letters

You can write to someone at Highpoint at any time.

You need to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.

If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Highpoint.

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 can only buy items from the approved catalogue and can not receive gifts.

Sometimes clothing parcels can be sent in with permission from the Governor.

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 thePrison HMPPSeducation Incentivesand Policy,library services, Annex FA.

Life at Highpoint

Highpoint is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where prisoners can learn new skills to help them on release.

Security and safeguarding

Every prisoner at Highpoint 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.

Arrival and first night

When someone first arrives at Highpoint, 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 who will check how they’re feeling and ask about any immediate health and wellbeing needs.

Induction

Each prisoner who arrives at Highpoint gets an induction that lasts about a week. They will meet prisoners trained to answer any questions they may have.

They will also 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

Prisoners are issued with a handbook. They will also learn about basic rules, fire safety and how phone calls and visits work.

Accommodation

Highpoint has about 1300 prisoners and is made up of two sites, North and South.

South has 10 residential units, plus segregation. North has 5 residential units. There is a mix of double and single cell accommodation. All cells have toilets and most have showers.

Units have a range of cooking facilities to encourage prisoners to cook for themselves.

Education and work

Prisoners are offered a range of workshops and offending behaviour courses.

There are education classes available, including numeracy and communication skills, art, business enterprise, construction, graphics, barbery, carpentry and painting and decorating.

Prisoners can gain qualifications in the physical education department and in first aid. They can work in the kitchens, gardens and do domestic work.

Temporary release

Access to Release on Temporary Licence (RoTL) is limited to prisoners who meet certain criteria. Prisoners make an application directly to the Offender Management Unit (OMU) to discuss.

Organisations Highpoint works with

Prisoners can get support from the organisations Highpoint works with, such as the Ormiston Families and Toe by Toe.

Highpoint also works with the Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equalities (ISCRE), and the substance misuse service Phoenix Futures.

Healthcare is provided by PracticePlus and dentistry is provided by Suffolk Community Dental Services, education is run by NOVUS and the Shannon Trust inspires prisoners to help other prisoners to learn to read.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.

Support at Highpoint

Our Safer Prisons team and chaplaincy offer general support to family and friends.

Concerns, problems and complaints

Contact category	Phone number	Additional information
Non-emergency	01440 743004	Call this number and leave a message 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.
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 any other problem contact Highpoint.

Inspection reports

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

Contact Highpoint

Governor: Nigel Smith

Telephone: 01440 743 100
Fax: 01440 743 092
Find out about call charges

Address

See map