Onley Prison
Source: gov.uk (2025-12-03)

Onley Prison is a men’s prison in Rugby, Warwickshire.

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Book and plan your visit to Onley

To visit someone in Onley you must:
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit in advance
- have the required ID (#entering-onley) with you when you go
You can book 48 hours before provided there is space. 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 Onley.

Call xx-xxxx-xxxx if you have any questions about visiting.

Please arrive promptly. You must be booked in before 2:30pm or you may be denied entry.

Contact Onley (#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 Onley
- 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)
- telephone xx-xxxx-xxxx
Booking line opens, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

Visiting times:
- Monday, no visits
- Tuesday, 2pm to 4pm
- Wednesday, No visits
- Thursday, 2pm to 4pm
- Friday, 2:30pm to 4pm
- Saturday, 2pm to 4pm
- Sunday, 2pm to 4pm
How to book official visits

To arrange an official visit you can:
- email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
Official video visit times:
- Tuesday, 2pm to 2:45pm and 3pm to 3:45pm
- Thursday, 2pm to 2:45pm and 3pm to 3:45pm
- Friday, 2:30pm to 3:15pm and 3:30pm to 3:45pm
Official face to face visits:
- Tuesday, 2pm to 4pm
- Thursday, 2pm to 4pm
- Friday, 2pm to 4pm
Getting to Onley

Find Onley Prison on a map (https://xxx@xxx.xx,-1.2487628,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x48773f3d8956c0a3:0x1e54171a26ff5fbb!8m2!3d52.3269943!4d-1.2465741)

The closest railway station is Rugby. From there you can get a taxi.

The sat nav postcode is CV23 8SZ.

There is a free visitors car park.

There is also a disabled visitors car park. Disabled visitors who want to use this car park do not need to contact the prison.

To plan your journey by public transport:

use National Rail Enquiries (https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/). The closest train station is Rugby. There is no bus service from the station. Taxis take about 20 minutes.

use Traveline (http://www.travelineeastmidlands.co.uk/em/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en&timeOffset=15)

Entering Onley Prison

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).

All visitors (including children) will be given a rub-down search. You will be required to remove shoes and may also be sniffed by security dogs.

Visitors must follow the prison dress code that applies.

You can request more details on your first visit and find them displayed in the visitors’ centre.

Visitors should wear smart clothes. You should not wear:
- vests
- low-cut tops
- shorts
- short dresses
- headwear, unless worn for religious reasons
- ‘Hoodrich’ branded clothing
- ripped clothing
- skin-tight clothing including bodysuits
- puffer or padded jackets and coats
There are strict controls on what you can take into HMP Onley.

You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker in the visitors’ centre or in your car - this includes pushchairs and car seats.

We allow a few items, including a single sealed food pouch for babies and a spare nappy.

You can find a full list in the visitors’ centre.

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.

Call the booking line if you have any questions about visiting.

Visiting facilities

There is a visitors centre run by PACT. It includes toilets and a children’s play area, and staff are available to offer support and advice to visitors.

The visitor’s centre sells ‘refreshment tokens’ until 2pm.

You can use these tokens to buy food and drinks in the visits hall.

You must purchase your refreshment tokens with cash in the visits centre before you enter the prison. (You cannot use cash in the visits hall.)

The visitors centre is open every day from 1pm to 4:30pm.

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

Family days

Family days are run once per month, often on the 4th Wednesday of the month.

Our family days are themed to make them more fun for our prisoners and their loved ones. For example, Mother’s Day, Superheroes, Summer Fun, Back to School, Space.

Booking is easy but spaces are limited.

Your family member or friend in prison will apply in advance of the dates each month.

Keep in touch with someone at Onley

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

Phone calls

Prisoners do not have phones in their cells so they will always have to call you. To do this, they have to buy phone credits and use Pin phones on the wings when they are out of their cells.

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 to help keep people safe.

Email

You can send emails to someone in Onley using the Email a Prisoner service (https://www.emailaprisoner.com/).

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies from the prisoner.

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

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 (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-a-prisoner-using-a-video-call)

Letters

You can write at any time.

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

If you do not know their prison number, contact Onley (#contacts). 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

People in Onley are given a list of approved items that can be sent to them as gifts. Contact Onley Prison (#contacts) for more information on what’s allowed.

You can send in clothing parcels if the prisoner has reached and been on ‘enhanced’ status for six months.

Family and friends 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. Make sure to include the person’s name and prison number on the parcel.

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Family and friends of prisoners 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).

Contact the prison or visitors centre (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nottingham-prison#visitors-centre) where available for more information on what’s allowed.

Life at Onley Prison

Onley Prison is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where prisoners can learn new skills to help them on release. There are also opportunities for prisoners to recover from drug and alcohol addiction.

Security and safeguarding

Every prisoner at Onley 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).

Prisoners can also get support from ‘peer supporters’ and ‘listeners’. These are other prisoners who help those at risk of self-harm.

Arrival and first night

When a prisoner first arrives at Onley Prison, 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. They will have the opportunity to speak to a support worker.

Induction

Each prisoner who arrives at Onley Prison gets an induction that lasts about five days. They get an induction booklet and 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 742 prisoners are at Onley. There are 11 wings, each with a mixture of single and double cells. On different wings are a care and separation unit, a resettlement unit, a first-night unit and two substance misuse recovering units. All cells have a toilet, sink and a phone.

Education and work

Prisoners at HMP Onley are encouraged to take part in meaningful activity and gain qualifications by enrolling into education and vocational training or work in one of the prison industries or domestic roles.

Prisoners are offered either full-time or part-time education which meets the needs of both the National Curriculum and the national specifications for numeracy, literacy and information technology (IT).

The Shannon Trust (https://www.shannontrust.org.uk/) trains prisoners who can read to help others improve their reading.

There’s a library with books, magazines, newspapers, audio books, DVDs, multimedia computers and reprographics facilities that is open every day.

It opens 4 evenings a week and learning support is offered then.

Training is in catering, fork-lift truck driving, gardening, contract work, kitchen work, industrial cleaning, bikes academy, carpentry workshop, painting & decorating, barbering, and recycling.

We have partnered with employers who are working with prisoners in custody and offering them employment on release.

Functional skills, key skills and language support is offered to all prisoners. Particular support is offered to prisoners who finish their NVQ portfolios and other qualifications. Distance Learning/Open University is available to all prisoners if they wish to extend their learning further.

Onley has a multi-faith chaplaincy team that provides corporate worship, faith-based teaching, and pastoral care. Each new prisoner is seen by chaplaincy on arrival and extra support can be given at difficult times. The prison fellowship (https://www.prisonfellowship.org.uk/) charity work in partnership with chaplaincy delivering Sycamore Tree courses. The course addresses victim awareness and principles of restorative justice.

There are several offending behaviour programmes and interventions (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/offending-behaviour-programmes-and-interventions) offered at Onley.

There are resettlement services that offer advice on housing, debt management and help with finding employment.

Temporary release

HMP Onley does not currently operate the ROTL scheme.

Organisations Onley works with

Onley healthcare services (including dental and optical) are open 7 days a week provided by the Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust (https://www.nhft.nhs.uk/). They include a primary care team, a mental health team and an integrated drug treatment service.

Onley also provides a range of drug and alcohol support services in partnership with the Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust (https://www.nhft.nhs.uk/) and Forward Trust (https://www.forwardtrust.org.uk/). Forward Trust also gives prisoners access to Alcoholics Anonymous and to a peers’ supporter scheme.

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).

Support at Onley

A family support worker helps to find useful services for family and friends. For more information, you can contact Phoenix Futures (https://www.phoenix-futures.org.uk/).

To contact our head of family provision at HMP Onley visit the Pact website www.prisonadvice.org.uk (http://www.prisonadvice.org.uk) or by email: 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 any other problem contact Onley (#contacts).

Inspection reports

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

Contact Onley Prison

Governor: Mark Allen

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

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

Follow Onley on Twitter/X (https://twitter.com/HMP_Onley)

Address

HMP OnleyRugbyWarwickshireCV23 8AP

See map (https://xxx@xxx.xx,-1.2487574,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x48773f3d8956c0a3:0x1e54171a26ff5fbb!8m2!3d52.3269943!4d-1.2465741)

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