Staying in regular contact really matters – and Scotland has its own rules and support in place to help with visiting.
Booking a visit. Visits are normally booked in advance, either directly with the prison or through its visitor booking system. It’s best to contact the specific prison for exact times and how to book, as these vary from place to place.
How many visits. How many visits someone’s entitled to is set locally by each prison, alongside their own privilege arrangements – see our Incentives and Privileges page for more on this.
Help with the cost. If you’re on a low income, the Help with Prison Visits scheme can help cover the cost of one visit every two weeks. You can apply via gov.uk, and get your form stamped by SPS staff at the prison.
Island and remote travel. If you’re travelling from Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, or parts of the Highlands, Argyll & Bute or North Ayrshire, you can get extra support – up to £200 twice a year – regardless of income, to help with the extra cost and distance involved.
Families Outside can also help with advice on visiting, including the Prison Visitors’ Centres available at many Scottish prisons – see our Getting the Help You Need page.
Other ways to stay in touch. Beyond visits and standard phone calls, a few other services are worth knowing about. Prison Voicemail is available in every Scottish prison – it gives you a personal number to call any time, so you can leave a message for a prisoner even if you can’t be by the phone when they call, and they can leave you a reply from inside. Virtual Visits, run through Unilink, let you have a video call instead of an in-person visit, which can be useful for family who live far away or can’t travel easily. And Email a Prisoner lets you send a message online, which is printed out and delivered to the prisoner inside – a good option alongside ordinary letters.