Lincoln Prison
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-25)

Lincoln is a prison and young offender institution (YOI) in the East Midlands, for men aged 18 and over.

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Book and plan your visit to Lincoln Prison

To visit someone in Lincoln Prison you must:
- be on the prisoners approved visitor list
- book your visit 48 hours in advance
- have the required ID (#entering-lincoln-prison) with you when you go
At least one visitor at each visit must be 18 or older.

A maximum of 3 adults up to 6 children (aged 16 and below) can attend each visit.

There may be a limit to the number of visits a prisoner can have.

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 Lincoln
- somewhere to stay overnight
- meals
How to book family and friends visits

You can book a visit by calling the telephone booking line, xx-xxxx-xxxx. Approved visitors can book their visit online (https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits) or by telephone.

The booking line is open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to midday, except bank holidays

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

Visiting times:
- Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2pm to 4pm
- Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 11am and 2pm to 4pm
We also offer family visits once a month. These are extended visits often with a specific focus and prisoners apply for these internally.

How to book official visits

For official video visit bookings, you can email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Official video visit times:

(One-hour slots are available.)
- Monday, 9am to 4pm
- Tuesday, 2pm to 4pm
- Wednesday , 9am to 4pm
- Thursday, 2pm to 4pm
- Friday, 9am to 4pm
- Saturday, 9am to 4pm
- Sunday, 9am to 4pm
To book official face to face visits:
- email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
- call the booking line: xx-xxxx-xxxx
The booking line is open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to midday, except bank holidays.

Official face to face visit times:
- Tuesdays, 2pm to 4pm
- Thursdays, 2pm to 4pm
- Saturday, 9am to 11am and 2pm to 4pm
- Sunday, 9am to 11am and 2pm to 4pm
Electronic equipment such as laptops will need to be authorised before a visit.

All equipment must have a visible factory printed serial number for to be allowed entry.

You can request an authorisation from the booking team by email, where you can also raise any queries them.

Getting to Lincoln Prison

Find Lincoln Prison on a map (https://consent.google.com/m?continue=https://xxx@xxx.xx,-xx-xxxx-xxxx,15z/data%3D!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x59cd368e3cabc65a!8m2!3d53.2353989!4d-xx-xxxx-xxxx?shorturl%3D1&gl=IE&m=0&pc=m&uxe=eomtm&cm=2&hl=en&src=1)

The prison is opposite Lincoln County Hospital. The closest railway station is Lincoln Central. The prison is a 20 minute walk from the train and bus station.

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 are limited spaces in the pay and display car park near the prison for family and friends visiting. There are also limited Blue Badge holder spaces directly in front of the prison gate.

Entering Lincoln 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).

For your first visit, please arrive from 12:20pm and look out for the ‘purple people’ so that you can have an induction prior to booking in (from 1:30pm).

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

There are strict controls on what you can take into Lincoln Prison. You will be provided with a locker key when you book in. Please be aware that there is only limited space for belongings available. Pushchairs and car seats can be left with security.

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.

Visitors Dress Code

Visitors to HMP Lincoln must be dressed appropriately at all times, reflecting our aim to create a family atmosphere as part of the Reducing Reoffending and Decency agenda. This instruction applies to all visitors to the establishment regardless of age and gender.

At HMP Lincoln it is considered to be inappropriate to wear the following types of clothing:
- short/cropped tops that reveal naked midriff
- low cut tops or shirts that unbutton to reveal cleavage or bare chest
- vests (as a single garment)
- mini-skirts that are shorter than knee length and expose thighs
- shorts that are shorter than knee length and expose thighs
- all types of see-through clothing
- headwear (other than for religious purposes)
- clothing that is offensive in nature or displays offensive discriminatory, or inappropriate material
- ripped clothing
- no cloaks, capes, scarves, jackets, coats, hoodies or gloves or other articles that could prevent staff from observing visitors or prisoners in the visits hall
These items need to be removed before entering visits hall.

Any visitor that does not comply with this dress code will not be permitted entry to HMP Lincoln at the discretion of the visits staff.

This notice will be displayed in the visitors centre and available as an annex to the visits policy.

Visitors must leave all property in their vehicle or the visitors centre with the exception of the articles listed below:
- card (only for purchasing refreshments)
- medication (to be held by visits staff for emergency use only)
- babies dummies
- baby’s bottle with dry, powdered milk (water to be supplied by refreshments team) and an unopened jar of baby food (not glass)
- locker key
- In the case of legal advisors or other professional visitors, documents, and briefcases, containing documents needed for the visit.
No recording equipment may be taken into the visit room without express permission from the Head of Security.

Visiting facilities

Lincoln Prison has a tuck shop where you can purchase food and drink during weekend visits, or you can order food from ‘On a Roll’ prior to your visit which will be delivered to the prison. Please order your food from this website (https://www.foodbooking.com/ordering/restaurant/menu?restaurant_uid=452a3664-1cbb-475b-b232-7faf20aec7d8)

There is also a facility in the visits centre for a sit-down meal in the training restaurant ‘Berties’ on weekdays only. Enhanced prisoners can apply for this. All payments for this service are card only.

Counter service is also available for all visitors.

The children’s play area is available for use.

Family days

We offer family visits once per month, these are extended visits often with a specific focus and are applied for internally by prisoners.

For more information regarding family visits, please call the visits booking line or Lincolnshire Action Trust for more information.

Keep in touch with someone at Lincoln Prison

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

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
- Be an approved visitor on the prisoners’ visitors 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)

Please note that a prisoners’ call list and visitors list are different. You will need to be added to both in order to receive calls and visit a prisoner.

Phone calls

Prisoners do not yet have phones in their cells 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 Lincoln Prison 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 on the envelope.

If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Lincoln Prison (#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

Prisoners are given a list of items they can have in prison, known as the ‘facilities list’.

Convicted prisoners can not have any items posted or handed in and must save their money and buy them from the approved catalogue.

Un-convicted men on remand can have clothes handed in or posted, but in limited amounts. Make sure to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel.

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. 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).

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers. Contact Lincoln Prison (#contacts) for more information on what’s allowed.

Life at Lincoln Prison

Lincoln Prison is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where men can learn new skills to help them on release, including workshops, education and vocational courses.

Security and safeguarding

Every prisoner at Lincoln Prison 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).

There is a Listeners’ Scheme, prison mentors and peer support schemes to aid well-being. There is addiction counselling available.

Charity workshops are available and many community links, for example, volunteers who help with family visits.

Arrival and first night

When a prisoner first arrives at Lincoln 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.

Induction

Each prisoner who arrives at Lincoln Prison gets an induction that lasts about a week. They will meet professionals and peers (known as ‘Insiders’) 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
Every prisoner is allocated a key worker officer who meets them weekly to monitor progress and discuss any problems. Prisoners also find out about the rules, fire safety, and how things like calls and visits work.

Accommodation

Around 650 prisoners live in Lincoln Prison across 4 main residential wings. A, B and C wings hold a mix of prisoners while E wing holds any prisoners who are considered vulnerable.

All wings have access to showers, telephones, toasters and recreational activities, such as pool and table tennis.

Education and work

Lincoln offers a wide range of education, including English and maths, and also vocational courses in painting and decorating and bricklaying.

There are tailoring workshops, a laundry and a recycling centre where prisoners can earn recognised qualifications.

Temporary release

There is no release on temporary licence (ROTL) at Lincoln.

Organisations Lincoln Prison works with

Lincoln works with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), Shelter (https://www.shelter.org.uk/) and Lincolnshire Action Trust (http://latcharity.org.uk/) which offer varied resettlement support. Support is offered with employment, accommodation, mental and physical health and drug support services in the community.

Support at Lincoln Prison

Further information and support provided by Lincolnshire Action Trust (http://latcharity.org.uk/) for children and families of a person in prison.

Telephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx

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 problem with any aspect of the prison, please write to the prison governor.

Contact Lincoln Prison

Governor: Colin Hussey

Telephone: 01522 663 000 24 hours Fax: xx-xxxx-xxxx Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

Follow Lincoln Prison on Twitter/X (https://twitter.com/hmprisonlincoln)

Address

HMP/YOI LincolnGreetwell RoadLincolnLN2 4BD

See map (https://consent.google.com/m?continue=https://xxx@xxx.xx,-xx-xxxx-xxxx,15z/data%3D!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x59cd368e3cabc65a!8m2!3d53.2353989!4d-xx-xxxx-xxxx?shorturl%3D1&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/lincoln/).