Cheap Prison Calls:
How Much Do Prison Calls Cost?

Communication with loved ones is one of the most important aspects of maintaining emotional stability for prisoners. However, the cost of prison phone calls can be a significant burden on both inmates and their families. For many, the price of making regular calls can quickly add up, straining already limited financial resources. In this article, we’ll explore the various costs associated with prison phone calls in the UK, including the different types of calls, available services, and the overall impact these costs have on prisoners and their families.

Types of prison calls

When it comes to making calls from prison, inmates typically have access to two main types of calls: calls to landlines and calls to mobile phones. The costs associated with each vary significantly, and understanding these differences is crucial for families hoping to manage the financial burden.

Landline to Landline Calls
Calling a landline from a prison phone tends to be the cheapest option available. During peak times, which are from 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Friday, the cost of calling a landline is around 7p per minute. For those calling outside of peak hours, the rate drops slightly to approximately 6p per minute. These rates may seem affordable on the surface, but for prisoners who need to make regular contact, even small costs like these can accumulate quickly.

Landline to Mobile Calls
Calls to mobile phones, on the other hand, are significantly more expensive. Regardless of the time of day, calling a mobile phone costs about 13p per minute. This rate can make maintaining contact with family members who only have access to a mobile phone particularly challenging. If a prisoner makes a ten-minute call to a mobile every day, the cost for just one week of calls can amount to £9.10. Considering the limited wages prisoners earn for prison jobs, this can be a substantial portion of their weekly income.

Virtual Landline Services
To help alleviate the cost of calling mobiles, some prisoners or their families may choose to set up a virtual landline. These services allow prisoners to call a landline number, which is then forwarded to a mobile phone. The cost of using a virtual landline is usually around 8p per minute for landline calls and 18p per minute for calls to mobiles. While this is slightly more expensive than a regular landline call, it can still offer some savings compared to directly calling a mobile phone.

Prison phone call costs breakdown

Different prison systems and services may have slightly varied rates for phone calls, but the general costs for common services are as follows:

Landline to Landline (Peak Times): Approximately 7p per minute.
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‍Landline to Landline (Off-Peak): Around 6p per minute.
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‍Landline to Mobile: Typically 13p per minute.
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‍Virtual Landline: Calls to landlines cost about 8p per minute, and calls to mobiles cost around 18p per minute.
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‍Prison Phone Services: Calls are charged at local landline rates, which generally range from 4p to 9p per minute depending on the provider.

‍Children and Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ): Calls to landlines cost 7p per minute during peak times and 6p per minute off-peak. Calls to mobiles remain at 13p per minute throughout the day.

Managing phone lists and call restrictions

Prisoners are limited in terms of who they can call, and they must add phone numbers to an approved list before they are allowed to make contact. Each prisoner can list up to 20 numbers for personal reasons, and five for business reasons. These numbers may include close family, friends, legal advisors, or other professional contacts.

Calls can last for a maximum of 30 minutes, though many prisoners opt for shorter calls to stretch their limited resources. Prisoners are also permitted one free video call per month, which is a newer service aimed at improving family ties during times of restricted in-person visitation, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Impact on prisoner finances

The high cost of making regular phone calls poses a significant challenge for many inmates. Most prisoners earn very low wages while working prison jobs, which they often rely on to fund their phone calls. Typical wages for prisoners range between £5 and £12 per week, with some enhanced jobs paying up to £22 per week. Even for those with better-paying roles, making regular phone calls—particularly to mobile numbers—can quickly eat up a large portion of their earnings.

For example, if a prisoner spends £9.10 per week on calls to a mobile phone, this could represent up to 80% of their weekly income. This leaves very little for other essential items, such as toiletries, snacks, or additional rehabilitative materials.

In addition to their prison wages, inmates may receive money from personal accounts, often contributed by friends or family members. However, these contributions can place an additional financial strain on families already dealing with the loss of an income provider due to imprisonment. For many, the ongoing costs of maintaining contact with an incarcerated loved one can be difficult to manage.

Services to help reduce call costs

Given the financial strain of prison phone calls, some services are available to help reduce these costs. For example, Prison Voicemail offers a "Live Call Add-On" feature, which allows prisoners to make calls through a voicemail system at reduced rates. By leaving a message on the service, families can communicate with inmates without incurring high call charges.

Additionally, various charitable organisations and advocacy groups continue to call for lower prison phone rates. Reducing the cost of communication would not only ease the financial burden on inmates and their families but could also contribute to lower reoffending rates by helping prisoners maintain strong family connections during their sentences.

Lower call rates

There is growing support for the reduction of prison phone call costs. Advocacy groups and prison reform organisations have long argued that maintaining strong family connections is crucial for an inmate's successful rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Family support has been shown to reduce the likelihood of reoffending, which benefits both the individual and the wider community. However, the high cost of maintaining contact can undermine these positive outcomes, particularly for families with limited financial means.

Some advocacy groups are pushing for calls to be free or at least significantly cheaper, especially considering the small margins of profit that private prison phone providers may be making. Lower rates could alleviate the financial pressure on prisoners and their families, fostering better rehabilitation outcomes and reducing the likelihood of inmates falling back into criminal behaviour upon release.

The role of family in rehabilitation

One of the key benefits of affordable prison phone calls is the ability for inmates to maintain close ties with their family members. Studies have shown that prisoners who have strong support systems in place—particularly from family—are more likely to successfully reintegrate into society and less likely to reoffend.

Regular communication with loved ones helps to provide prisoners with emotional support, which is vital in coping with the stresses of prison life. For many inmates, hearing a familiar voice can offer comfort and hope, giving them the strength to participate in rehabilitation programmes and make positive changes.

Children, in particular, benefit from ongoing communication with their incarcerated parents. The prison system recognises this and encourages family involvement through initiatives like free video calls and parenting programmes. However, the high cost of regular phone contact can still make it difficult for prisoners to maintain these important relationships.

The future of prison call costs

As the debate over the cost of prison phone calls continues, there are some signs that change could be on the horizon. Several countries, including the United States, have taken steps to reduce the cost of inmate phone calls, and there are hopes that the UK will follow suit. Prison reform advocates are urging the government to review current phone pricing structures and consider how reducing costs could positively impact rehabilitation outcomes.

There is also the potential for further technological advancements to play a role in reducing call costs. With the rise of internet-based communication, new systems could be introduced that offer lower rates or even free services for certain types of calls, such as video conferencing.

In the meantime, prisoners and their families continue to navigate the financial challenges of staying connected. For many, the high cost of prison phone calls remains a barrier to maintaining close relationships during an already difficult time.

The cost of prison phone calls can place a heavy burden on both inmates and their families. With prisoners earning low wages and often relying on financial support from their loved ones, the expense of making regular calls—especially to mobile phones—can quickly add up. However, maintaining regular contact with family and friends is essential for the well-being and rehabilitation of inmates.

As discussions around prison phone call costs continue, there is hope that future reforms will help reduce these financial pressures. Lowering the cost of communication would not only benefit prisoners and their families but also contribute to reduced reoffending rates and improved rehabilitation outcomes.

In the meantime, services like Prison Call and other providers like can offer some relief, helping prisoners stay connected without breaking the bank.