HMP & YOI Bronzefield
Ashford, Privately Managed Prisons
HMP & YOI Bronzefield is a women's prison in Ashford. If someone you care about is here, this page brings together what matters most — visiting, keeping in touch and finding support — in plain, practical English.
Start here
Most people come here for one of three reasons. Pick the one that fits.
Visiting
Visiting takes a little planning. You'll usually need to book ahead, be on the person's visitor list and bring the right ID. The visiting times, how to book and what to expect are below — along with help if it's your first visit or money is tight.
Social visiting times
| Day | Available sessions |
|---|---|
| Monday |
2:00pm–3:00pm
4:00pm–5:00pm
|
| Tuesday |
2:00pm–3:00pm
5:00pm–6:00pm
|
| Wednesday |
2:00pm–3:00pm
5:00pm–6:00pm
|
| Thursday |
2:00pm–3:00pm
4:00pm–6:00pm
|
| Friday |
2:00pm–4:00pm
|
| Saturday |
9:30am–11:45am
2:00pm–3:00pm
4:00pm–5:00pm
|
| Sunday |
9:30am–11:45am
2:00pm–3:00pm
4:00pm–5:00pm
|
Always confirm visiting times when you book — they can change at short notice.
Before you go — checklist
- Be on the person's approved visitor list
- Book in advance and bring valid photo ID
- At least one visitor must be 18 or over
If you’re on a low income you may be able to claim back the cost of visiting a partner or close relative in prison.
Travel
Cheapest public transport fare, or 20p per mile by car (30p in Scotland). Car hire up to £40 a day.
Meals
£3.50 to £5.10 towards food for journeys lasting more than 5 hours.
Overnight stay
£28–£34 per adult and £14–£17 per child where an overnight stay is approved in advance.
Who can get it
You must be the prisoner’s spouse, civil partner or partner, a close relative (child, parent, grandparent or sibling, including step and adoptive), their named next of kin, or their sole visitor.
You also need to get one of:
- Universal Credit — if your household gets no more than £1,250 a month (excluding housing costs)
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- A valid NHS HC2 certificate (or partial help with an HC3 certificate)
How to claim
- Apply online, or by post, phone or email.
- You can claim for visits made in the last 28 days or planned for the next 28 days.
- You’ll need the prisoner number, your National Insurance number, your receipts/tickets and a visiting order stamped by the prison.
You can usually get help with one visit every 2 weeks.
Helpline open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
More support for families
- Prisoners’ Families Helpline — 0808 808 2003 — free, confidential advice
- Pact: first-time families guide — Help with prison visit costs
- NICCO: Assisted Prison Visits Scheme — Directory entry
Rates and rules can change — always check the latest details on GOV.UK before you travel.
More about visiting
Social visits are booked by the woman in prison through the kiosk, so make sure you are on her approved visitor list. There is a free visitors' car park off Woodthorpe Road. Bronzefield has a Mother and Baby Unit.
Secure video (Purple) visits can be booked Monday to Thursday 9am to 6pm and Friday 9am to 5pm by emailing [email protected] — download the Purple Visits app to your phone. For face-to-face legal visits, email [email protected].
HMP & YOI Bronzefield is on Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, TW15 3JZ. The nearest station is Ashford (Surrey) — about a 10-minute walk, or take the 117 bus which stops outside the prison.
By car it is near the M3, M4 and M25 (M4 junction 3, M25 junction 13, or M3 junction 1), then to Woodthorpe Road.
Keep in touch
There are several ways to stay close between visits — phone, secure video calls, email and letters.
Secure video calls
Many prisons offer secure video calls so you can see each other between visits.
How video calls work on GOV.UKMany prisons use the Email a Prisoner service — you pay a small fee per message and can sometimes pay for a reply.
Phone calls
The person inside can only call numbers on their approved list, and most calls are monitored. With Prison Voicemail you can leave a message for them to call you back.
Letters
You can write as often as you like — put the prisoner’s number on the envelope. Most post is checked by staff.
Money & gifts
You can send money online for free with a debit card. Cash, cheques and postal orders by post are no longer accepted.
How to send money
- 1 Use the free GOV.UK "Send money to a prisoner" service with a debit card (Visa, Mastercard or Maestro) — credit cards and prepaid cards are not accepted.
- 2 You’ll need the prisoner’s number and their date of birth.
- 3 Money usually arrives in less than 3 working days, but it can take up to 5.
If you can’t use the online service
No debit card? You can set up a basic bank account to get one.
Can’t use a computer or the internet? You can apply for an exemption to send money by post — this is only granted in exceptional circumstances.
Rules can change — check GOV.UK for the latest details before you send money.
Who do I contact?
There are different numbers and inboxes depending on what you need — we've grouped them by what you're trying to do.
Call the prison Phone
01784 425690The main switchboard for questions about visiting or the person inside.
Correspondence Email
[email protected]Safety or wellbeing concern Phone
01784 425794For serious but non-life-threatening concerns about a prisoner's safety. You can also complete a Safer Custody contact form.
Prisoners' Families Helpline Phone
0808 808 2003Free, confidential advice and a listening ear for anyone with a loved one in prison.
Mon to Fri 9am to 8pm, Sat and Sun 10am to 3pmSamaritans Phone
116 123Someone to talk to any time, day or night, if things are getting too much for you.
Open 24 hours, every dayStop unwanted contact Form
Visit the websiteIf a prisoner is contacting you and you want it to stop, use the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service.
Video call bookings Email
[email protected]Common questions
Most visits are booked free online through the GOV.UK 'Visit someone in prison' service. The person inside must add you to their visitor list first, which can take up to 2 weeks. You will need their prisoner number and date of birth, and the date of birth of everyone visiting. Some prisons take bookings by phone instead.
Everyone aged 16 or over needs valid photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence. You will go through a security check, so leave phones, smart watches and bags in a locker (bring a £1 coin). You can usually take in a small amount of cash for refreshments, essential medication and basic baby items.
If you are on a low income you may be able to claim back travel costs through the Assisted Prison Visits Scheme, which can also help with meals and an overnight stay for longer journeys. You usually need to be a partner or close relative and getting certain benefits.
Send money online for free using the GOV.UK 'Send money to a prisoner' service and a debit card. You will need the prisoner's number and date of birth, and it usually arrives within 3 working days.
You can keep in touch by phone, secure video call, email and letters. Video calls are set up through the Prison Video or Purple Visits app, and many prisons use the Email a Prisoner service for messages.