Do prisons accept postal orders?

It keeps everyone who works and lives there safe. “From November 2nd, unless you have an ‘exemption’ from the Governor, you can no longer send: money by bank transfer; money by pre-paid debit card; cash, cheques or postal orders.”

Can I send a parcel to a prisoner UK?

Gifts and parcels Prisoners must first apply to have any items posted in. Only when approved should any items be sent. Women in Send are also able to buy items from approved suppliers through a catalogue system.

How do I send books to prisoners UK?

Most prisons in the UK will not accept books from local bookstores. You need to ship your books direct from a national bookstore. Prisons will not accept books from friends and family of the prisoner. You have to ship direct from a major national bookstore like Amazon.

How much can I send a prisoner UK?

There is not a limit on how much money you can send to a prisoner in the UK. However, they are limited in what they are allowed to spend. Across most prisoners, prisoners are limited to spending £15.50. They are able to transfer a small amount from their private cash account to their spending account each week.

How do I send a parcel to a HMP?

Parcels to the prison can only be sent through Parcel Force. The prison will not accept Royal Mail parcels. Only court clothes can be posted in without the need for an application being made first. The parcel must be clearly marked as ‘court clothes’ and cannot contain any other additional items.

How do I fill out a postal order for a prisoner?

You can send a cheque or postal order and write the prisoners’ name and prison number on the back. Most prisons have their own bank accounts an ask for cheques/postal orders to be made payable to ‘HM Prison Service’ or ‘The Governor’. Call the prison directly beforehand to check which system they use.

How long does it take for prisoner to receive money?

Money usually takes around 3 working days to reach a prisoner’s account.

Can you send hardback books to prisoners?

Inmates held in low- and minimum-security federal prisons can be sent magazines, newspaper clippings, paperback as well as hardcover books. The items must be sent directly from the publisher or a bookstore—sending used books from your home is strictly forbidden.

How do inmates know when they have money on their books?

Only the inmate knows their own balance. If you deposited to an Inmate’s Account, you will need to ask the inmate what their balance is. You can do this over the phone or schedule a video visitation or send a message, if available.

Can I send items to a prisoner?

Convicted Prisoners No prison allows food or drink, tobacco or cigarettes or toiletries to be handed or posted in to a prisoner. Magazines and newspapers can be purchased for the prisoner but this must be done through a local newsagent with whom the prison has an arrangement.

Can prisoners have Christmas presents?

Prisoners can receive approved gifts from friends and family, however all items are subject to normal security processes to prevent contraband entering the prison.

How much does a postal order cost?

Prices

Purchase value per order	Fee payable
£0.50 – £4.99	50p
£5 – £9.99	£1.00
£10.00 – £99.99	12.50% of the face value
£100 – to maximum value of £250	Capped at £12.50

How does a postal order work?

A postal order is comparable to a cheque in many ways, but the major difference is that it’s not tied to any bank account. Another key difference is that you’ll pay a fee to the Post Office to use this service, which tends to make a postal order payment more costly than simply writing a cheque.