Family communication toolkit

Contacting HMP Pentonville

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Data is aggregated from public sources and may be incomplete or out of date.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 Pentonville
HMP/YOI Pentonville Caledonian Road London N7 8TT See map Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey .
London N7 8TT
United Kingdom

This prison's specific mail rules

Format: Prisoner Name & Number, HMP Pentonville, HMP/YOI Pentonville Caledonian Road London N7 8TT See map Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey .. Use Send Money to a Prisoner (GOV.UK) for funds — cash not accepted.

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.

This prison's general number: 0300 060 6504(administrative — you cannot speak to inmates this way)

Visiting

Book a visit: Prison Visits Booking — GOV.UK

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

This prison's visiting rules

in 2019 was no exception to this sorry history, but at our scrutiny visit in 2020 All visits carried out by HM Inspectorate of Prisons contribute to the UK’s response to its requires that all places of detention are visited regularly by independent bodies – known as Independent reviews of progress (IRPs) are a new type of visit designed to improve

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.

Prisoner Full Name & Prisoner Number HMP Pentonville HMP/YOI Pentonville Caledonian Road London N7 8TT See map Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey . London N7 8TT United Kingdom