Belmarsh Prison
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-21)

Belmarsh is a high security prisoner’s prison in southeast London.

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Book and plan your visit to Belmarsh

To visit someone in Belmarsh you must:
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit in advance
- have the required ID (#entering-belmarsh) with you when you go
A visit can be booked up to 2 weeks in advance.

Contact Belmarsh (#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 Belmarsh
- somewhere to stay overnight
- meals
How to book family and friends visits

To arrange a visit you can:
- book your visit online (https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits)
- email, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
- telephone, xx-xxxx-xxxx
- book in person after a visit, in the enrolment centre
The booking lines are open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 3pm Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

You can arrive up to 1 hour before the time of your visit to go through security and check in.

Parking is limited so please arrive with plenty of time to park or use local transport.

All visits must be booked in advance. Only those visitors whose details have been listed on the Prisoner’s Authorisation Contact List (as provided by the prisoner) and those who are named on the booking will be allowed entry into the prison.

Prison staff cannot add visitor(s) to a Prisoner’s Authorisation Contact List without the consent / authorisation of a Prisoner.

Visiting times:
- Tuesday to Thursday, 9:15am to 11:15am and 2:15pm to 4:15pm
- Friday, 9:15am to 11:15am
- Saturday, 9:15am to 11:15am and 2:15pm to 4:15pm
- Sunday, 2:15pm to 4:15pm
How to book official visits

To arrange an official visit you can:
- email for official video, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
- email for official face to face, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
Official video visit times:
- Monday to Thursday, 9:30am to 11:30am and 2:30pm to 4:30pm
- Friday, 9:30am to 10:30am and 2pm to 4pm
All category A prisoner bookings will require photo ID of all attendees when booking and attending the visit. Booking must be through a CJSM email account.

Official face to face visits:
- Tuesday to Thursday, 9:15am to 11:15am and 2:15pm to 4:15pm
- Friday, 9am to 10:30am
Any authorised electronic equipment such as laptops, must have a visible factory printed serial number for entry. Please query any issues with the booking team.

Getting to Belmarsh

Find Belmarsh on a map (https://consent.google.com/m?continue=https://xxx@xxx.xx,0.xx-xxxx-xxxx,805m/data%3D!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47d8a8b52ec3843f:0xf874d5da3cab0a75!8m2!3d51.4961652!4d0.xx-xxxx-xxxx?shorturl%3D1&gl=IE&m=0&pc=m&uxe=eomtm&cm=2&hl=en&src=1)

The closest railway stations are Woolwich Arsenal and Plumstead. From Plumstead, you can walk to Belmarsh, or from Woolwich Arsenal you can take a bus.

To plan your journey by public transport:
- use Transport for London journey planner (https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/)
- use National Rail Enquiries (https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/)
- use Traveline for local bus times (https://www.traveline.info/)
There is a visitors car park with spaces for Blue Badge holders.

Entering Belmarsh

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 (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).

Visitors coming for the first time must bring a proof of address.

Photographic ID is required for every visit.

All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children. On your first visit, you will have your photo taken. You may have your fingerprints taken and an eye scan. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

Belmarsh has a strict dress code policy, which means visitors should wear smart, family-friendly clothes (no ripped clothing, no vests, no low-cut tops, no shorts, no short dresses, no sports team clothing, no watches, no hoodies, no stiletto style shoes, only minimal jewellery, no offensive slogans and no headwear, other than that worn for religious reasons).

Refreshments are available during your visit.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Belmarsh. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker (you will need a £1 coin) or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats.

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 family-friendly visitors centre run by the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) (https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/prisons/hmp-belmarsh/).

Visitors should arrive to the visitors centre to book in for a visit. There is a tea bar in the visitor’s centre outside the prison and a full tea bar inside the main visits hall. Only cash will be accepted as payment within the main visits hall.

Currently we can only accept cash payment within the main visits hall for items purchased from the tea bar.

There is also a small play area in the visits centre and a larger staffed creche area in side the main visits hall.

Prisoners’ property can be handed in on a visit by application.

PACT telephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx (Visitors centre - open when visits are running) Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Family days

Belmarsh is running 1 family day session per month.

Keep in touch with someone at Belmarsh

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

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)

Video call timings
- Tuesday to Thursday, 9:15am to 10:15am, 10:45am to 11:45am, 2:15pm to 3:15pm and 3:45pm to 4:45pm
- Friday, 9am to 10am and 10:30am to 11:30am
- Saturday (High Security Unit only), 9:15am to 10:15am, 10:45am to 11:45am, 2:15pm to 3:15pm and 3:45pm to 4:45pm
- Sunday, closed
Phone calls

Prisoners have phones in their cells but will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this. The phones are inactive after 10pm, but available at many times during the day.

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. This can take longer depending on individual cases.

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

Letters

You can write at any time.

Include the person’s name and prisoner number (or date of birth) on the envelope. You must also write your own name and address on the back of the envelope.

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

National Prison Radio’s Family and Friends request show

National Prison Radio broadcasts into prison cells across England and Wales 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Family and friends can stay connected with their loved ones in prison by sending song requests, written messages and voice recordings. They are then read and played out on weekly episodes.

You can send in a message, and hear the show, at nationalprisonradio.com (https://prison.radio/national-prison-radio/#songrequest)

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

Prisoners are not allowed to have parcels sent into Belmarsh unless there is an exceptional circumstance.

Prisoners are able to buy items from catalogues of approved suppliers.

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 Belmarsh

Belmarsh 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 Belmarsh 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).

Arrival and first night

When someone first arrives at Belmarsh, 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.

In some cases, a phone call can be made by a member of staff at the prisoner’s request.

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 person who arrives at Belmarsh 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

Around 726 prisoners are accommodated at Belmarsh, across 4 main units plus a high security unit, healthcare and a segregation unit. Cells are made up of single and double cells.

Education and work

Prisoners in Belmarsh can access education, workshops and gym activities.

There is a detoxification and drug support service that can continue to offer support after release through community links.

Prisoners are offered help to resettle by working with agencies in the following areas:
- accommodation
- education
- training
- employment
- health
- children and families
- finance, benefits and debt
- attitudes, thinking and behaviour
- victims of domestic violence
- victims of sex work
- mentoring in custody and on release
There is a listener scheme for prisoners at risk from suicide or self-harm.

There is a support group for foreign nationals and they can get advice on immigration law.

Temporary release

Prisoners can apply for Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) and will be assessed individually in accordance with the strict regulation framework.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends (https://www.gov.uk/support-for-families-friends-of-prisoners).

The Family and Significant Other Lead at HMP Belmarsh can be contacted via xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Support at Belmarsh

The Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) (https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/prisons/hmp-belmarsh/) offers support, information and guidance about prison visits to friends and family.

Telephone (PACT): xx-xxxx-xxxx (Visitors centre - open when visits are running)

Concerns, problems and complaints

In an emergency

Call xx-xxxx-xxxx or 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.

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

Inspection reports

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

Contact Belmarsh

Governor: Jenny Louis

Telephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx Monday to Friday, 7am to 8pm, weekends, 7am to 5pm Fax: xx-xxxx-xxxx Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Follow Belmarsh on Twitter/X (https://twitter.com/hmpbelmarsh).

Address

HMP BelmarshWestern WayThamesmeadLondonSE28 0EB

See map (https://consent.google.com/m?continue=https://xxx@xxx.xx,0.xx-xxxx-xxxx,805m/data%3D!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47d8a8b52ec3843f:0xf874d5da3cab0a75!8m2!3d51.4961652!4d0.xx-xxxx-xxxx?shorturl%3D1&gl=IE&m=0&pc=m&uxe=eomtm&cm=2&hl=en&src=1)