Featherstone Prison
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-06)

Featherstone is a men’s prison in the village of Featherstone, near Wolverhampton.

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Book and plan your visit to Featherstone

To visit someone in Featherstone you must:
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit at least 2 days in advance
- have the required ID (#entering-featherstone) with you when you go
You can book up to 14 days in advance.

Prisoners can have up to 3 adult visitors at a time (18 or over) plus children.

A prisoner can have as many visits as they have visiting orders for. You can check this with the prisoner you are going to visit.

Contact Featherstone (#contacts) 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 (https://www.gov.uk/help-with-prison-visits), including:
- travel to Featherstone
- somewhere to stay overnight
- meals
How to book family and friends visits

You can:
- book your visit online (https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits)
- use the telephone booking line: xx-xxxx-xxxx
Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

The booking line is open, Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm.

Telephone bookings can be made up to 2 days prior to a visit.

If you have any questions you can email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx), however they are not able to book a visit.

For general visits queries, not booking requests, you can also contact PACT by phone on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from midday to 5pm on xx-xxxx-xxxx Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

Visiting times
- Tuesday, 2pm to 4pm
- Wednesday, 2pm to 4pm
- Thursday, 2pm to 4pm
- Saturday, 9:30am to 11:30am and 2pm to 4pm
- Sunday, 2pm to 4pm
Signing-in for visits

Visitors must be signed into the visits centre 30 minutes before the visits session starts.

For an afternoon visit, please sign in by 1:30pm.

For the Saturday morning session, please sign in by 9am.

Signing in on time allows us to bring visitors over in a timely manner, so we can allow you up to 2 hours of a visit session, where possible.

Visitors who are late may be turned away, however exceptions apply.

How to book official visits

To arrange an official visit, email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

We will reply within 2 working days.

All appointments are limited to one hour.

Video link appointment times:
- Monday to Thursday: 9:15am, 10:15am, 2:15pm, 3:15pm
- Friday, 9am, 10:15am
Although video time slots are available, we give priority to video to court links.

Face-to-face appointment times:
- Tuesday, 9am to 11am
- Thursday, 9am to 11am
The latest arrival time is 10:30am.

As part of booking, please provide:
- three preferred dates and times (in order of preference)
- all requests must be from a CJSM or an official work account
HMP Featherstone operates paperless visits and legal visitors may bring in plug in fire sticks or similar devices to access paperwork which will be securely printed in the visits room. Legal visits staff will provide stationery for legal visitors to use.

Laptops may be brought in but only if the wifi and camera are disabled.

Questions about required documents can be clarified by calling either xx-xxxx-xxxx or xx-xxxx-xxxx. Please note this number is not staffed all day.

Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

Getting to Featherstone

Find Featherstone on a map (https://consent.google.com/m?continue=https://xxx@xxx.xx,-2.1132486,15.28z/data%3D!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x1b3d999c78640e65!8m2!3d52.6473483!4d-2.1098351&gl=IE&m=0&pc=m&uxe=eomtm&cm=2&hl=en&src=1)

Car: From Wolverhampton take the A449 northbound – there is a visitor’s car parking facility at the prison.

Bus: Take number 70 from Stand AC to Cannock. Depart the bus at Honeysuckle Drive, Featherstone. Then walk along New Road towards the Prison (approx. 25 minutes). The Visitors’ Centre is well signposted.

Train: The Nearest Railway Station is 6 miles away in Wolverhampton and you can complete the rest of journey by bus or taxi.

To plan your journey by public transport:
- use National Rail Enquiries (https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/)
- use Traveline for local bus times (https://www.traveline.info/)
There is a free visitors car park.

There are disabled visitors spaces in our visitors car park.

Entering Featherstone

All visitors must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/management-of-security-at-visits-policy-framework-open-estate/acceptable-forms-of-identification-id-when-visiting-a-prison-in-england-and-wales-annex-a).
- All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children
- You may also be sniffed by security dogs
For security, health and safety reasons, some prisons have a specific dress code for visitors and others have a more relaxed policy, making assessments on a case-by-case basis. At the time we compiled this information, HMP Featherstone’s guidelines were as follows:
- modest dress
- no work clothes (including uniforms and trousers with multiple pockets)
- no jumpers or shirts with hoods. Jumpers without hoods are allowed.
- no mobile phones
- no offensive logos
- no sunglasses
- no hats, headwear or headscarves unless worn for religious reasons
- no ripped jeans
- no vest tops
- no short skirts or dresses, they must be knee length. Shorts are allowed as long as they are knee length
Please see a link to the PACT website which has a copy of the dress code (https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/media/gtbdnkkf/visits-dress-code-december-2023.pdf).

What can I bring in for my children?

Items for babies will need to be placed into a clear bag, which you can collect from the visits centre.

You may bring in:
- dummies
- baby wipes
- nappies
- prescribed medication: only the amount needed during the visit is permitted, will also need to be left with visits staff until needed
- empty baby bottles
- liquid baby formula that is in a sealed bottle
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.
- there are strict controls on what you can take into HMP Featherstone. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker in the visitors’ centre or in your car
- each Table is allowed a maximum of £50 to be brought in that can be coins or £5 or £10 notes. No notes above £10 are accepted.
Call our visits centre if you have any questions about visiting xx-xxxx-xxxx or email them on xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Visiting facilities

There is a visitors centre run by PACT where there are baby changing facilities available.

Refreshments are available to purchase in our visits centre and in the visits room. Visitors can use either coin or notes in the visits centre but we ask all notes to be £5 or £10. Each table is allowed to bring up to £50 in either coins, £5 or £10 notes for purchasing refreshments.

The centre is open daily, except Monday and Friday, from midday to 4:30pm.

Family days

High Featherstone run 12 family visits a year. Details on how these visits run can be found by contacting the PACT team on xx-xxxx-xxxx.

Keep in touch with someone at Featherstone

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

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:
- Download the Prison Video app (https://prisonvideo.com/app)
- Create an account
- Register all visitors
- Add the prisoner to your contact list.
How to book a secure video call

You can request a secure video call with someone in this prison via the Prison Video app.

You will receive a notification when your request has been accepted.

Read more about how it works (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-a-prisoner-using-a-video-call)

Phone calls

Prisoners have phones in their cells but these can only make outgoing calls so they will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this.

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 (https://prisonvoicemail.com/).

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 Featherstone using the Email a Prisoner service (https://www.emailaprisoner.com/).

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies, depending on the rules at Featherstone.

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, contact Featherstone (#contacts).

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 (https://www.gov.uk/send-prisoner-money).

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 (https://send-money-to-prisoner.service.gov.uk/help/apply-for-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

You can only send items to prisoners in Featherstone in exceptional circumstances. Prisoners can apply to the governor for permission.

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 Prison education and library services, Annex A (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prison-education-and-library-services-for-adult-prisons-in-england/annex-a-sending-and-handing-in-of-books-to-prisoners).

Life at Featherstone

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

Security and safeguarding

Every person at Featherstone 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 (https://www.prisonersfamilies.org/pages/category/need-urgent-help?Take=24).

Featherstone also trains prisoners to be ‘listeners’ for those who need support during difficult times.

Arrival and first night

When someone first arrives at Featherstone, 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. All cells in the first night centre have phones that can be used at any time.

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

They will be checked on regularly throughout their first 24 hours at Featherstone to make sure they are supported through their induction.

Induction

Each prisoner who arrives at Featherstone 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.

All new prisoners will be given a key worker who will come and get to know them.

Accommodation

Around 690 prisoners live at Featherstone across 7 house units. There is a mixture of single and shared cells.

Facilities include a gym and library.

Education and work

Education at Featherstone is provided by Novus (https://www.novus.ac.uk/). They run a number of academic courses including Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2 Maths and English and ITQ.

They also run vocational courses including:
- hospitality
- painting and decorating
- brick laying
- cleaning
Prisoners can also complete higher level qualifications through the Open University.

There are a wide range of activities and interventions available for prisoners to develop their skills and progress through their sentence.

Featherstone also runs specialist qualifications in RMF rail track, motor vehicle and tyre fitting.

Prisoners can also work in a wide range of workshops, including industries, construction, textiles and a print shop.

Support for family and friends

At HMP Featherstone we understand how important it is that our prisoners receive support from their families and loved ones. PACT (https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/hmp-featherstone) support our work with families, providing a Family Engagement Worker to our prisoners and visitors with contact and communication with their families.

To contact our head of family provision please email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Our visits centre staff can also provide support to families and visitors. You can contact our visits centre on xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Concerns, problems and complaints

In an emergency

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

Problems and complaints

If you have a problem contact Featherstone (#contacts).

Public correspondence

All Public Correspondence enquiries to be sent to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Inspection reports

HM Prison and Probation Service publishes action plans for Featherstone (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/featherstone-prison-action-plan) in response to independent inspections.

Contact Featherstone

Interim Governor: Rebecca Wyatt

Telephone (24 hours): xx-xxxx-xxxx Fax: xx-xxxx-xxxx Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

Contact the Head of family provision by email to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Address

HMP FeatherstoneNew RoadFeatherstoneWolverhamptonWV10 7PU

See map (https://consent.google.com/m?continue=https://xxx@xxx.xx,-2.1132486,15.28z/data%3D!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x1b3d999c78640e65!8m2!3d52.6473483!4d-2.1098351&gl=IE&m=0&pc=m&uxe=eomtm&cm=2&hl=en&src=1)

Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey (https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/featherstone/).