Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
Prisoners' Families Helpline

Helpline opening hours:
Monday - Friday 9am - 8pm
Saturday and Sunday 10am - 3pm

  • Phone
Worried about a prisoner?
  • Twitter
Menu
  • Arrest
    • After arrest
    • Being charged
    • Bail
    • Caution
    • Rights in custody
  • Going to court
    • Types of Courts
      • Magistrates Court
      • Crown Court
      • Youth Court
    • On the day
      • Facilities at court
      • What time to attend
    • Remand in custody
  • Community sentences
    • What are community sentences
    • What is a breach?
    • Offender managers
  • Prison Sentences
    • First days in prison
      • Where will they be taken
      • Locating a prisoner
      • Visiting prison
      • Help with the cost of prison visits
      • Staying in touch
      • Worried about self harm/ suicide
    • Keeping safe in prison
    • Care and support in prison
      • Healthcare in prison
      • Family support
      • Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT)
      • Prisoner debt and money
    • Sentencing
      • Sentence length
      • Indeterminate, extended and life sentences
    • Prison life
      • Prison life videos
      • What to expect
      • Property and money
      • Prisoner Categories
      • Transfers
    • Release On Temporary Licence (ROTL)
    • How to make a complaint
  • Release
    • Release date
    • Release on licence
    • Home Detention Curfew (HDC)
    • Parole
    • Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
    • Recall to prison
  • Support for families
    • Helpline
    • HMPPS Updates to Prisoners' Families
    • Useful links
    • Covid news: How are we doing?
  • FAQs
    • Locating a prisoner
    • Keeping in touch with a prisoner
    • Sending in clothing
    • Making a complaint
    • Probation issues
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • How to make a complaint
  1. Prison Sentences
  2. How to make a complaint

How to make a complaint

If you have a complaint

If you would like to make a complaint about the prison, in the first instance you should write to the Governor.  You should receive a reply to your letter within 28 days.  

If you have not received a response or are unsatisfied with the response, you should outline your complaint and email [email protected] 

If you are not satisfied with the reply, the prisoner can contact that prison’s Independent Monitoring Board (IMB). The IMB is an independent panel of people from the local community who are there to monitor how the prison is run. Please note - it is the prisoner who should make contact with the IMB and not the prisoner's family members or friends. 

If you are still not satisfied you can write to the Prison Service Headquarters and/or your MP.  

If the prisoner has a request or complaint

They should first try to resolve the situation by talking to a member of staff on their wing, ideally their personal officer if they have one. If their request or complaint cannot be dealt with in this way then they should make an application on a request/complaint form called an ‘app’. ‘Apps’ should be readily available on each wing.

What if this does not resolve the problem?

If the problem cannot be resolved in this way then a more senior member of staff can look at the prisoner’s application. Alternatively the prisoner will be told if they need to speak to somebody else.

Can a prisoner complain directly to the Governor?

The prisoner can make a Governor’s application. They should tell the landing officer or wing manager that they want to do this.

What if they want to complain about a member of staff?

If the complaint is of a serious or sensitive nature, or is about a member of prison staff, then the prisoner can submit a complaint using the ‘confidential’ access procedure. They should ask wing staff for a confidential access form and envelope. This allows the complaint to only be read by the person to whom it is addressed.

Confidential access is not a short cut for ordinary complaints. Complaints are more likely to be resolved quickly if the normal procedure is followed.

Can anyone else help to solve problems within the prison?

The prisoner can submit an application to see a member of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB). The IMB members are independent and unpaid, appointed by Home Office Ministers to monitor day-to-day life in their local prison or removal centre and ensure that proper standards of care and decency are maintained. Members have unrestricted access to their local prison or immigration removal centre at any time and can talk to any prisoner or detainee they wish to, out of sight and hearing of a members of staff if necessary.

If a prisoner or detainee has an issue that he or she has been unable to resolve through the usual internal channels, he or she can put in a confidential request to see a member of the IMB.  Problems might include concerns over lost property, visits from family or friends, special religious or cultural requirements, or even serious allegations such as bullying. 

Can a complaint be made outside of the prison system?

If the internal complaints procedure has been exhausted then a complaint can be made to the Prison and Probation Service Ombudsman (PPO). Please note that the PPO cannot help the families and friends of prisoners, the complaint must come from the prisoner themselves.

What complaints can be made to the Prison and Probation Service Ombudsman?

Complaints can be made about almost anything to do with the way the Prison Service has treated the prisoner, except for parole decisions and a few other circumstances that rarely apply (the PPO will notify the complainant if they do).

How to submit the complaint

The prisoner can write to the Prison and Probation Service Ombudsman detailing their complaint, or they can complete an application form (not a request/complaints form) which should be made available upon request. The application form can also be accessed on the PPO website: www.ppo.gov.uk

What happens next?

When the Prison and Probation Service Ombudsman receives a complaint they will decide whether they are able to investigate it further. If appropriate they will begin an investigation by gathering further information about the complaint from the prisoner, the Prison Service and anyone else they think might be able to help.

How long will it take?

The Prison and Probation Service Ombudsman aim to deal with complaints within 12 weeks of starting any investigation. If they agree with the complaint they will make recommendations to the prison service as to how the problem should be resolved.

Can complaints be made to anyone else?

Prisoners have the right to submit a complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman through a Member of Parliament (MP) if other lines of complaints have been exhausted.

How do you contact an MP?

MPs have public contact details so their constituents can get in touch. In most cases you can write, phone, fax or email. MPs will generally only act on behalf of their constituents, so please check that the MP who represents you/the prisoners’ constituency is the one who receives the complaint. 

Families

  • Telephone: Calling with a simple question might get a faster response than writing. You will talk to a relevant office or have to leave a message. Phone the House of Commons switchboard on 020 7219 3000 and ask for your MP by name. If you do not know their name, then phone the House of Commons Information Office on 020 7219 4272. You may also contact your MP through their local constituency office. Addresses and contact numbers will be listed in local libraries, town halls and MP’s personal website or through the House of Commons Information Office.
  • Email: The majority of MPs now have email addresses. Email addresses can be accessed via the MP directory listed at www.parliament.uk or you can find out who your local MP is on TheyWorkForYou.

Prisoner/families

  • By letter: When writing to any MP the address to use is: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA. A letter allows you to explain yourself more clearly and in detail and the MP will have a record of your problem.

Scotland

If your loved one is serving a sentence in Scotland, the Scottish Prison Service’s website outlines the Complaints Procedure you need to follow.

If you have gone through the complaints procedure with the Scottish Prison Service and feel that your complaint has not been dealt with properly, you can also contact the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.


Download and print our fact sheets:

Making a complaint PDF

Jargon buster PDF

Published: 16th October, 2020

Updated: 12th July, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Latest

  • Have a social video call with a prisoner

    Have a social video call with a prisoner

    Did you know that you can have a video call with someone in prison? Every prisoner is allowed one secure social video call per month.

  • Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service

    Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service

    We understand that not all contact from people in prison is welcome. Help is available if you want to stop getting calls, letters or texts from a prisoner.

  • Fideos Bywyd Carchar

    Mae'r gyfres hon o fideos byr wedi'i datblygu mewn partneriaeth â charcharorion a'u teuluoedd. Mae’n archwilio’r gwahanol agweddau ar fywyd carchar a’r cymorth y gall eich anwyliaid ei gael yn ystod ei amser yn y ddalfa.

  • جیل کی زندگی کی ویڈیوز

    مختصر ویڈیوز کا یہ سلسلہ قیدیوں اور ان کے اہل خانہ کے اشتراک سے تیار کیا گیا ہے۔ یہ جیل کی زندگی کے مختلف پہلوؤں کی کھوج کرتا ہے اور آپ کے پیارے کو حراست میں رہنے کے دوران ان تک رسائی حاصل ہو سکتی ہے۔

Related

  • Prison Life Videos

    Prison Life Videos

    This series of short videos has been developed in partnership with prisoners and their families.

  • Visiting prison

    Visiting prison

  • Help with the cost of prison visits

    Help with the cost of prison visits

  • Prisoner debt and money

    Prisoner debt and money

  • Transfers

    Transfers

  • Prisoner Categories

    Prisoner Categories

  • Indeterminate, extended and life sentences

    Indeterminate, extended and life sentences

  • Worried about self harm/suicide

    Worried about self harm/suicide

  • Staying in touch

    Staying in touch

  • Locating a prisoner

    Locating a prisoner

Most read

  • Sentence length

    Sentence length

  • Locating a prisoner

    Locating a prisoner

  • Remand in custody

    Remand in custody

  • Visiting prison

    Visiting prison

  • Transfers

    Transfers

  • Release date

    Release date

  • Prisoner Categories

    Prisoner Categories

  • Property and money

    Property and money

  • Contact our Helpline Team

    Contact our Helpline Team

    We're here to help and support you through your experience with the criminal justice system

  • Recall to prison

    Recall to prison

For more info:

  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland

Follow us

  • Twitter

Useful links

  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy policy
  • Website survey

Helpline

Phone number: 0808 808 2003



© Prisoners' Families Helpline 2023.
All rights reserved.

The National Prisoners’ Families Helpline is operated by Prison Advice and Care Trust under contract to His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS).

The NICCO website provides information for professionals who come into contact with the children and families of offenders.

 

Manage Cookie Preferences