Moorland prison
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-30)

Moorland is a prison and young offender institution (YOI) near Doncaster, South Yorkshire for men aged 18 and over.

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Book and plan your visit to Moorland prison

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 Moorland prison
- Somewhere to stay overnight
- Meals
To visit someone in Moorland you must:
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit in advance
- have the required ID (#entering-moorland) with you when you go
A visit can only be booked 28 days in advance.

Contact Moorland (#contacts) if you have any questions about visiting.

How to book family and friends visits

There are two ways a visit boking can be made at HMP Moorland:

Using the online booking service (https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits). These requests are monitored Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am and 4pm.

Although the system advises you will hear back within 3 days, this is not always possible as we work in visit date order and so, if your requested date is further in the future, it will take longer than 3 days for a response.

On the online booking service, please choose HMP Moorland Closed.

By calling our visits booking line on xx-xxxx-xxxx.

This telephone line is open every Tuesday and Thursday between the hours of 9:30am and 3:30pm.

Visiting times:
- Tuesday, 2pm to 4pm
- Thursday, 2pm to 4pm
- Saturday, 2pm to 4pm
- Sunday, 2pm to 4pm
Please be aware, visits can only be booked 28 days in advance.

How to book official visits

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

This mailbox is monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm but please allow up to 5 working days for a response.

Official face to face visit times:
- Tuesday: 2pm to 4pm
- Wednesday: 2pm to 4pm
- Thursday: 2pm to 4pm
Getting to Moorland

The closest railway station is Doncaster and you can get a taxi from there.

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 visitor car park available on Vulcan Way.

Entering Moorland

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).

Moorland has a strict dress code policy, which means visitors should wear smart clothes. None of the following are allowed:
- vests
- low-cut tops
- shorts
- short dresses
- headwear – other than that worn for religious items
- open toe shoes, flip flops or crocs
It is up to prison staff to make decisions and judgements as to when clothing is inappropriate. When making these decisions, staff will always consider decency and diversity. You may be asked to adjust clothing or wear alternative clothing if available. As a last resort your visit may be cancelled if the dress code cannot be followed.

A full list can be found in the visits waiting area.

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.

To visit someone at HMP Moorland you must:
- be listed on that person’s visitor list
- have at least 1 of the 3 visitors over 18 years of age
- book your visit at least 48 hours in advance
have the required ID with you when you come

Keep in touch with someone at Moorland

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

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)

Phone calls

Prisoners have phones in their cells so they will be able 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.

They can call at these times:
- Mondays to Fridays: 6.30am to 8am, 9am to 1.30pm, 4pm to 11.30pm
- Weekends: 6.30am to 11.30pm
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 Moorland using the Email a Prisoner service (https://www.emailaprisoner.com/).

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

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 Moorland (#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

People in Moorland are given a list of approved items that can be sent to them as gifts. Prisoners need to apply for permission to have items sent in.

Contact Moorland (#contacts) for more information on what’s allowed.

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).

Make sure to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel.

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Visiting facilities

The crèche area is now open with table based baskets of activities available.

A full list of refreshments is available. This includes nappies, baby food and milk. All milk brought into the establishment needs to be in sealed cartons and not pre-prepared unless it is medicated and supported by a prescription / specialist letter.

Family days

Family Days are taking place at HMP Moorland. Your loved ones will be informed of how to apply for this when one is arranged.

Life at Moorland

Moorland 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 Moorland 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 also a ‘Listener’ scheme for those prisoners who may be at risk from suicide or self-harm.

Arrival and first night

When a prisoner first arrives at Moorland, 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 Moorland 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

Moorland houses about 1,000 prisoners in 7 units, mostly in single cells.

It has a modern gym, including 2 weight and cardiovascular gyms, a remedial gym area, sports hall and external football field. Full-time courses lead to vocational qualifications in personal training, cycling, healthy living and first aid.

Education and work

Moorland provides 3 offending behaviour programmes (‘interventions’) which focus on thinking skills, anger management and recovery from substance abuse. There is peer group support around these.

It also runs 2 non-accredited programmes which help offenders to talk about their offending behaviour and look at what it is to be a man.

Workshops and work experience are available in farms and gardens, furniture and TV repair, industrial cleaning, kitchens, lighting, painting and decorating, tailoring, joinering, recycling and Braille.

The education department encourages prisoners to get vocational qualifications in basic English and maths, computing, bricklaying, art, hospitality, catering and horticulture to prepare them for release.

There are other courses available about drugs, alcohol, rights and responsibilities, society and family relationships.

Temporary release

Release on temporary licence (ROTL) is based on an individual risk assessment.

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 Moorland

The Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) (https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/hmp-moorland) is the family services provider for Moorland.

Two full time family support workers help prisoners at Moorland.

The family support workers strengthen relationships with families and children in a number of ways.

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 Moorland (#contacts).

Inspection reports

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

Contact Moorland

Acting Governor – Simon McDonnell

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

Address

HMP/YOI MoorlandBawtry RoadHatfield WoodhouseDoncasterSouth YorkshireDN7 6BW

See map (https://xxx@xxx.xx,-0.97413,15.84z)

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