Leicester prison is a men’s prison in the centre of Leicester.

Updates to this page

30 October 2026 Added link to the Leicester families and significant others strategy.

Added link to the Leicester families and significant others strategy.

26 September 2025 Updated Governor to, Matt Davies.

Updated Governor to, Matt Davies.

16 September 2025 Updated booking information for official video and face to face visits.

Updated booking information for official video and face to face visits.

18 June 2025 Updates to information under sections: Family days, Employment & Resettlement and Education, Skills and Work

Updates to information under sections: Family days, Employment & Resettlement and Education, Skills and Work

19 January 2024 Updated dress code policy: no hoodies are allowed to be worn during a visit.

Updated dress code policy: no hoodies are allowed to be worn during a visit.

14 December 2023 Visitors are no longer able to book visits via the visitor centre. Online booking and prisoner led applications are still available to use.

Visitors are no longer able to book visits via the visitor centre. Online booking and prisoner led applications are still available to use.

1 April 2022 Updated visiting guidance based on 1 April COVID rule changes

Updated visiting guidance based on 1 April COVID rule changes

18 March 2022 Added link to new safer custody information under Security and safeguarding.

Added link to new safer custody information under Security and safeguarding.

10 January 2022 Updated visiting information: Testing for visitors aged 12 and over.

Updated visiting information: Testing for visitors aged 12 and over.

9 August 2021 Updated physical contact guidance

Updated physical contact guidance

25 May 2021 New visiting times and booking information added.

New visiting times and booking information added.

30 April 2021 Prison moved into National Stage 3 framework and is now preparing to open visits for family, friends and significant others. We will update this page with specific visiting information as soon as possible.

Prison moved into National Stage 3 framework and is now preparing to open visits for family, friends and significant others. We will update this page with specific visiting information as soon as possible.

21 December 2020 visit info

4 December 2020 Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.

Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.

2 December 2020 Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.

Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.

6 November 2020 Updated visiting information in line with new national restrictions in England.

Updated visiting information in line with new national restrictions in England.

12 August 2020 Updated visiting information in line with coronavirus restrictions.

Updated visiting information in line with coronavirus restrictions.

24 July 2020 Added confirmation of secure video calls being made available at this prison.

Added confirmation of secure video calls being made available at this prison.

1 May 2020 Updated survey link

25 March 2020 Prison visits update.

18 December 2019 First published.

Applies to England and Wales

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Book and plan your visit to Leicester prison

To visit someone in Leicester Prison you must:

be on that person’s visitor list

have the required ID with you when you go

At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit.

There may be a limit to the number of visits a prisoner can have. You can check this with Leicester prison.

Contact Leicester Prison if you have other 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 including:

travel to Leicester Prison

somewhere to stay overnight

How to book family and friends visits

prisoner led application - prisoner submits an application form for a social visit to wing staff

Visits Entitlements

Enhanced IEP prisoners – maximum of 4 visits per month

Standard IEP – maximum of 3 visits per month

Basic IEP prisoners – 2 visits per month.

Remand prisoners – up to 3 per week. Remand prisoners can book on both Saturday and Sunday, but a maximum of 1 visit can be in on the afternoon session.

Tuesday, 2pm to 4pm and 5pm to 6:30pm

Thursday, 2pm to 4pm and 5pm to 6:30pm

Saturday, 9:30am to 11:30am and 2pm to 4pm

Sunday, 9:30am to 11:30am and 2pm to 4pm

Bank holidays, as a rule, visits will run on bank holidays if scheduled. Christmas Day and Boxing Day will not have visits.

How to book official visits

To arrange an official visit you can:

email, HMPLeicesterLegalVisits@justice.gov.uk

The booking line open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Official video visit time slots:

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Time slots start on the hour and last for one hour. More than one slot can be booked where required.

Official face to face visit time slots:

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Visiting time slots start on the hour and last for one hour. More than one slot can be booked where required.

Getting to Leicester Prison

Find Leicester Prison on a map

The closest railway station is Leicester. The prison is opposite Leicester Royal Infirmary (hospital) which is well signposted.

To plan your journey by public transport:

use National Rail Enquiries

use Traveline for local bus times

There is no car parking available at Leicester Prison but there are ‘pay and display’ spaces nearby and in the city centre.

Entering Leicester 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.

Refreshments on visits are purchased in bundles of £5 for a quantity of items. These are paid for in cash prior to entry into the visit hall.

All visitors will need to be given a rub-down search, including children.

You may need to have your finger or thumb prints scanned (or an iris scan) as part of a security check. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

Leicester Prison has a dress code policy.

This means visitors should wear clothing that is considered decent for consideration of all visitors who may attend. You can’t wear:

headwear, other than that worn for religious or medical reasons, which may require a private search)

You can wear lightweight cardigans and jumpers without hoods.

Thick or heavy jacket-type clothing may be refused.

There are strict controls on what you can take into prison. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security. This includes pushchairs, car seats, mobile phones and cameras.

Visitor conduct and expected behaviours are displayed on each table in the visiting hall. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.

Visiting facilities

A family-friendly visitors centre is run by the charity, Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT).

It has a children’s play area, drinks and snacks.

Family days

We run Family Days at the prison 12 times a year, in conjunction with PACT.

These are significantly different from daily social visits. Family Visits offer a more relaxed environment for both prisoners and visitors. Sessions are run to a theme such as sports day, back to school, Christmas and others.

During all Family Day sessions there are activities on offer such as:

guest appearances from outside partner agencies such as football clubs etc

In addition to various activities, catering/refreshments are provided by the prison at no cost. Refreshments tend to follow the days theme.

Family Days are held 12 times a year and are offered to both prisoners and families. Depending on the number of applications, families may not be able to attend every event.

Keep in touch with someone at Leicester Prison

You may not be able to speak with someone during their first few days. This is because it can take time to approve who they can be in touch with. But usually a PIN phone account is set up on the second day and then the prisoners can submit their contact list.

Phone calls

Prisoner do have prison PIN phones in their cells. They will always need to call you, rather than you call them.

His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service has a duty to ensure that prisoners can maintain contact with friends and family where this is in the best interests of both parties. The PIN phone system is one way of achieving this.

All calls except those which are confidential (legal advisers as notified by the prisoner to the PIN phone clerk), courts, MPs, or Confidential Access organisations) are recorded but not all are monitored. There must be a justifiable reason before communications are monitored.

If you need to contact the prison, telephone: 0116 228 3000.

Prisoners can phone anyone named on their approved contact list of friends and family. This list is checked by security.

You can also exchange voicemails using the prison voicemail service.

Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:

Download the Prison Video app

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

Email

You can send emails to someone in Leicester Prison using the Email a Prisoner service.

Letters

You can write at any time.

Include the person’s name and prison number on the envelope, under the address. If you do not know their prison number, contact Leicester.

Write your own name and address on the back of the envelope.

Paper and envelopes can be bought from ‘canteen’ (the prison shop), so prisoners can write back.

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.

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 - for example if you:

are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet

This will allow you to send money by post.

Gifts and parcels

Gifts are not permitted under any circumstances at Leicester Prison.

You can send prisoners money instead which they can use to buy items through a catalogue system.

Life at Leicester Prison

Leicester Prison 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 Leicester 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.

Peer workers are on site to provide help and support to prisoners going through difficult times. ‘Listeners’ are similar but are selected, trained and supported by the Samaritans. They offer 24/7 confidential support to prisoners in distress and help reduce levels of self-harm.

Faith services

A chaplaincy team serves the staff and prisoners of all faiths and none, offering help and support to anyone at a time of crisis. The team helps to resettle prisoners released back into the community in the Leicester area.

Arrival and first night

When someone first arrives at Leicester 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 fee…