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Guidance: Wormwood Scrubs Prison

Ministry Of Justice

November 11
16:49 2022

Book and plan your visit to Wormwood Scrubs

Visiting rules may change if there is a COVID outbreak within the prison.

If you are unable to visit someone in prison you can still keep in touch.

You can also contact the Prisoners Families Helpline on 0808 808 2003. You will not be able to book a visit using this number.

To visit someone in Wormwood Scrubs you must:

  • be on that persons 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

Visiting times

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

Weekdays:

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

Weekends:

D and E wing visits on the following dates (Saturdays only):

  • Nov: 12 and 26
  • Dec: 10 and 24
  • Jan: 7 and 21
  • Feb: 4 and 18

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

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

  • Nov: 19
  • Dec: 3, 17 and 31
  • Jan: 14 and 28
  • Feb: 11 and 25

A wing: 9am to 11am
B wing: 2pm to 4pm

C wing visits on the following dates (Sundays only): 2pm to 4pm

  • Nov: 20
  • Dec: 4 and 18
  • Jan: 1, 15 and 29
  • Feb: 12 and 26

Family development day sessions on the following dates (Sundays only): 2pm to 4pm

  • Nov: 13 and 27
  • Dec: 11 and 25
  • Jan: 8 and 22
  • Feb: 5 and 19

Email: hmppsvisitbooking@justice.gov.uk

You can also book by telephone.

Booking line: 0300 060 6511
Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

Legal visits can take place at an open table or a closed booth.

  • Monday to Friday: 9am to 11am and 2pm to 4pm

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:

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 a family-friendly dress code policy which means visitors should dress appropriately. You may be turned away 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 religious reasons. Additionally, you cannot wear anything with offensive patterns or slogans, uniforms, steel toe-capped boots or motorcycle boots. You will need to remove hats, scarves, sunglasses and metal accessories before you go in. Ask in the visitors centre if you have questions about the dress code.

Each adult visitor is allowed to take in a maximum of 25 to buy food and drink from the canteen in the visiting hall.

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, childrens 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

Secure video calling is available at this prison. Family and friends will need to download the Prison Video app, create an account, register all visitors and add the prisoner to their contact list.

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 persons 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, cheq

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