Family communication toolkit

Contacting HMP Altcourse

A step-by-step guide for families using the United Kingdomprison system. Everything below is aggregated from public sources; the prison's own official channels are linked where available.

Data is aggregated from public sources and may be incomplete or out of date. Always verify with primary sources before acting on any figure. See data sources.

Send mail to United Kingdom

Address block. Copy and paste into your envelope or shipping label.

Prisoner Full Name & Prisoner Number
HMP Altcourse
United Kingdom

This prison's specific mail rules

We last inspected Altcourse in 2017 when, in keeping with earlier visits to the

Country-wide mail rules

· Cash not accepted — use Send Money to a Prisoner (free, GOV.UK).
· Paper letters only; no laminated photos, polaroids, stickers, glitter.
· Books direct from a reputable retailer (e.g. Amazon, Foyles) are accepted in most prisons.
· Legal mail (Rule 39) is confidential between counsel and inmate.

Send money (GBP (£))

Send Money to a Prisoner — GOV.UK
Free, online. Funds typically appear in 3 working days.

Phone calls

· PIN-phone system in cells (most prisons since 2021): inmate calls a pre-approved number list.
· Inmate buys credit from their canteen account.
· Most calls are recorded and may be listened to.
· Legal calls to numbered exempt-list lines are unmonitored.

Visiting

Book a visit: Prison Visits Booking — GOV.UK

Book online; allow at least 7 days. Free to family.

This prison's visiting rules

Altcourse is a much better prison than many of the reception jails that we visit, We last inspected Altcourse in 2017 when, in keeping with earlier visits to the form of activity. Again, this was much better than most prisons we have visited

Country-wide visiting rules

· Government photo ID required on arrival.
· Dress code: no head coverings (except religious), no overly revealing clothing.
· Children under 18 must be on the inmate's approved visitor list and accompanied.
· Arrive 20 minutes early for processing. Visits typically 1–2 hours.

Send an email to an inmate

Email a Prisoner
Pay per message; the prison prints it and delivers in the inmate's daily post.

First-visit checklist

Government photo ID (driving licence, passport, blue-badge)
Visit confirmation reference (email)
Coins for the visitor-centre locker and refreshments
Plain clothing — leave belts, jewellery, sunglasses in the locker
No phone in the visits hall; leave in the locker

Legal aid

Find a Legal Aid solicitor — GOV.UK

Helpful to know

· Assisted Prison Visits Unit (apvu.homeoffice.gov.uk) reimburses travel for visitors on a low income.
· Pact (Prison Advice and Care Trust) runs visitor centres at many prisons and offers practical support.

Important

This toolkit aggregates publicly available guidance. Rules vary by facility and change over time — always confirm with the prison's official contact channels before sending mail, money, or attempting a visit.