0800 Numbers for Prisoners: How Does it Work?
10 July 2024
Calling loved ones from prison can be confusing at first. Do you have credit you can call family and friends with? Are there any particular numbers or services you won’t be able to use? What about 0800 numbers?
In the UK, there are certain rules and restrictions regarding the different numbers and services people can call when incarcerated. Ahead of being sent to prison, you’ll be advised of what’s allowed – but where does this leave family and friends who need to keep in touch?
In most cases, prisoners in the UK will receive a telephone pin and an amount of credit they earn regularly to spend on chargeable calls at specific times. However, as many prisoners find, that credit is soon eaten up – meaning it can be expensive just to have regular phone chats and chinwags with people!
If you have a loved one currently serving time in a UK prison, however, worry not. Phonestar has a fantastic cost-cutting service that can ensure your loved ones can keep in touch with you without them burning through their allowances. Here’s what you need to know.
Setting up your own 0800 number
As someone who keeps in touch with a prisoner in the UK, you can use Phonestar to create your own unique 0800 number. That means, as you might already know, that your loved ones can speak to you absolutely free.
Think of it as a great way to give something back to them while they serve their time. They don’t have to pay a penny out of their credit for any of the time they spend speaking to you, and you get the reassurance that they can always pick up the phone and call you even if they are running low on funds.
Setting up an 0800 number through Phonestar is easy, and you don’t have to worry about tied-in monthly contracts or setup fees. All you ever have to pay for is the calls made to your number – which can either be your existing mobile or landline.
Essentially, Phonestar uses an 0800 number as a label for your existing line. That means your friend or family member can call your unique 0800 and patch directly through to you. There’s no need for them to navigate confusing menus or hold on to speak to operators.
That all sounds pretty fantastic if you have loved ones on their way to prison – but, as always, there are a couple of things worth keeping in mind, at least from the prison side!
Can prisoners call 0800 numbers?
Yes, prisoners in the UK can call 0800 numbers, provided they are approved by the prison they are serving in.
Most of the time, prison calls to 0800 numbers are restricted to specific services and essential lines, such as for legal advice and support. After all, prisoners still need to speak to solicitors if, for example, they want to make an appeal or are considering parole options.
That does mean the prisoner you want to keep in touch with might need to authorise any 0800s they wish to call. Essentially, a prison will want to make sure the line goes directly to someone that a prisoner can legally speak to – and that they’re not calling proxy numbers or switchboards where they get redirected.
As you can imagine, it’s important to keep things above board when it comes to prison communication with the outside world. Provided you set up an 0800 number with Phonestar and your new number is approved by the prison, your loved one can go ahead and call you for free whenever they’re permitted to.
That means you could save serious money on physical visits, too – though it’s always good to meet in person!
How to get started with your 0800 number
If you want to create a free 0800 number for a loved one to call you from prison on, simply head straight to Phonestar’s homepage.
Here, you can select from a list of available 0800 lines that we can route through. Then, enter in the number you’d like calls to transfer to – so, the landline or mobile number where you want to pick up calls through the 0800.
Please note, it has to be a UK number – we can’t support any lines based outside of the UK right now. That, and it’s unlikely a prison will agree to non-UK numbers in quite the same way!
Then, click “Activate Number Now,” and follow the process for topping up your account. Calls to your 0800 number are chargeable at 9p per minute, and at no cost to your caller. That means with a £10 top up, you get just under two hours of talk time – great value for money!
Do make sure to read our full terms and conditions, of course, before you go ahead and set up an 0800 number for the first time. There’s nothing sneaky or tied-in – but it does still pay to read the fine print.
Give your friends and family a lifeline
Chances are, any friends or family members who are serving in prison right now already have a lot on their minds. The last thing they’ll need, then, is to worry about having to pay for calls to the people they miss the most.
By setting up an 0800 freephone number that connects to your landline or mobile, you give your loved one(s) peace of mind and extra credit to use elsewhere.
Getting started couldn’t be simpler – take a look at our homepage and start routing calls through your new 0800 number, with no set up cost or monthly fees.
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