If you have a loved one inside, you have probably already discovered that phone calls from prison are expensive – and that the prisoner, not you, is the one paying for them out of their own phone credit account. This page explains why calls cost what they do, how a number of commercial services let people on the outside help pay for calls, and what to check before you sign up to one.
The information on this page is based on the law and systems in England & Wales.
How prisoners are allowed to make calls
Every prisoner in England & Wales is given a PIN linked to a personal phone credit account, which they top up themselves or with money sent in by family and friends. Before they can call anyone, the number has to be added to their approved contact list and checked by prison staff – this can take a few days, so it is worth getting numbers submitted as early as possible. Calls are charged per minute from that credit, and are monitored (except for calls to a solicitor).
Why calls are so expensive
Calling a mobile number from a prison payphone costs considerably more per minute than calling a landline – often around three times as much. An investigation by the Prison Reform Trust found that the price of a typical prison call bore little relation to what it actually costs to provide, and that a 30-minute prison call could cost over seven times as much as the same call from a public payphone, even as call costs generally fell elsewhere. Around half of all prison calls last under three minutes, which points to people cutting calls short simply because of the cost. Given that maintaining family contact is one of the strongest known factors in reducing reoffending, and that many prisoners lose contact with family altogether during a sentence, the cost of calls is not a minor issue.
How “virtual landline” services help
Because landline numbers are so much cheaper to call than mobiles, a number of commercial companies now offer what is usually called a virtual landline service. You are given an ordinary-looking UK landline number, which the prisoner adds to their approved contacts as if it were any other number. When they call it, the prison phone system treats it as a landline call and charges the cheaper landline rate – but the call is actually forwarded over the internet, usually through an app, straight to your own mobile phone. You pay a monthly subscription for the service and the number; the prisoner still pays for the call itself, but at the much lower landline rate rather than the mobile rate, so their credit goes a lot further and family conversations become more affordable for everyone involved.
Before you sign up
These are private commercial companies, not part of the Prison Service, and quality varies. Before choosing one:
– Check the number has to go through the same prison approval process as any other contact – a provider cannot skip this, whatever they promise about speed.
– Look up independent reviews (Trustpilot is a good starting point) rather than relying on a provider’s own website.
– Check for a UK company registration number and, ideally, ICO registration, since these services handle personal data.
– Read the cancellation terms before you commit to a monthly plan.
Providers to consider
PhoneSavvy / Cheap Prison Calls – trading as Freedom Telephony Ltd (company no. 14686171), rated “Excellent” (4.9/5) on Trustpilot at the time of writing. Free UK landline number with call forwarding, plans from £24.99 a month covering up to 4,000 minutes.
BluePhone – an app-based service (calls ring straight through to the BluePhone app on your phone) with clear, published information on official prison call rates. Plans from £15 a month or £149 a year.
Virtual Landline – an established general virtual-number provider with a dedicated prison service option. The cheapest entry point of the three, with a Starter plan from £4.50 a month.
Prison Calls – a longer-established provider (company no. SC583318, ICO registered) with several plan tiers including unlimited-minute options. Worth a look, though independent reviews have been more mixed than the providers above – check recent Trustpilot ratings before committing.
DoingTime does not receive any payment or commission from these companies and is not responsible for their service. This is a starting point for your own research, not a recommendation to use any particular one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use one of these services?
No. If the prisoner has credit on their own phone account, they can call any approved number directly at the standard prison rate – it will just cost more per minute if it is a mobile number.
Is this the same as sending money for phone credit?
No. Sending money into a prisoner’s account tops up what they spend on calls at whatever rate applies. A virtual landline subscription is paid by the person outside, and works by making the call itself cheaper because it is billed as a landline call.
Will every prison allow this?
The number still has to be approved through the normal process for adding a contact, which is managed by each individual prison. Approval isn’t guaranteed to be instant, so add the number as early as you can.
Are these companies regulated?
They are ordinary private UK companies, not part of the Prison Service or Ofcom-regulated telecoms providers in the way BT or other prison payphone operators are. Treat them as you would any consumer subscription service: check reviews and read the terms.