Holme House Prison
Holme House is a men’s prison in Stockton on Tees, northeast England.
Applies to England and Wales
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Book and plan your visit to Holme House
To visit someone in Holme House you must:
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit at least 1 day in advance
- have the required ID with you when you go
At least 1 visitor must be 18 or older.
There may be a limit to the number of visits a prisoner can have. You can check this with Holme House.
If you are tagged or have been in prison in the last 2 years, you must first get written permission to visit from the prison.
For any visitors using a wheelchair or needing assistance, please add the details of your helper to the prisoner contact list.
Contact Holme House if you have any questions about visiting.
Help with the cost of your visit
If you get certain benefits or have an NHS health certificate, you might be able to get help with the costs of your visit, including:
- travel to Holme House
- somewhere to stay overnight
- meals
How to book family and friends visits
You can book your visit online or by telephone.
Booking line: 0300 060 6602
The booking line is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 8:30am to 4:30pm
Find out about call charges
Visiting times:
- Tuesday: 2pm to 3:30pm and 5:15pm to 6:45pm
- Wednesday: 2pm to 3:30pm
- Thursday: 2pm to 3:30pm and 5:15pm to 6:45pm
- Friday: 2pm to 3:30pm
- Saturday: 8:30am to 11am and 1:30pm to 3:30pm
- Sunday: 8:30am to 11am and 1:30pm to 3:30pm
If you have any concerns or individual needs when visiting Holme House, please contact the prison prior to arrival, or approach any member of staff on arrival. We will ensure to listen to needs/queries and hopefully ensure your visit runs smoothly, with you feeling as comfortable as possible. We are also conscious that some of our visitors may be visiting a prison for the first time, and we recognise this could be an intimidating or anxious time, so please approach staff and we will happily answer any questions that you may have and talk you through the visits process so you are aware of what to expect.
How to book legal and professional visits
Legal and professional visits can be booked via the Legal Visits email of LegalVisits.HolmeHouse@justice.gov.uk.
Legal and professional visiting times:
- Monday to Friday: 9am to 11:30am and 1:45pm to 3:45pm (Video Link)
- Tuesday to Friday: 9am to 11:30am and 1:45pm to 3:45pm (Face-to-Face)
Getting to Holme House
Thornaby, Stockton and Middlesbrough railway stations are all less than 5 miles from the prison. Local buses run from Stockton and Middlesbrough to the prison.
To plan your journey by public transport:
There is a visitors car park, including spaces for Blue Badge holders.
Entering Holme House
All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison.
You need to book in at the visitors centre at least 50 minutes before the finish time for each visiting session.
Staff will search all visitors on entry to the prison.
Holme House has a family-friendly dress code which means visitors should dress appropriately. You cannot wear hooded clothing, ripped jeans, vests, low-cut tops, shorts, short dresses and headwear, other than that worn for religious reasons. Additionally, you may be asked to remove boots, headbands or scarves during the search process. You may be refused entry if you are wearing revealing clothes or clothing with offensive slogans.
There are strict controls on what you can take into Holme House. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker (you will need a £1 coin) . This includes pushchairs and car seats.
You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.
Visiting facilities
Holme House has a visitors centre run by Nepacs who can provide information, guidance and support to families and friends of prisoners.
Refreshments are available in the visits hall during your visit. There is also a children’s play area available to use.
You can contact the visitors centre on: 01642 744 080.
Family days
Mains
- Wednesday 3rd April (applications open Monday 26th February – Monday 11th March)
- Wednesday 29th May (applications open Monday 22nd April – Monday 6th May)
- Wednesday 24th July (applications open Monday 17th June – Monday 1st July)
- Wednesday 28th August (applications open Monday 22nd July – Monday 5th August)
- Wednesday 30th October (applications open Monday 23rd September – Monday 7th October)
- Wednesday 18th December (applications open Monday 11th November- 25th November)
Vulnerable prisoners
- Thursday 11th April (applications open Monday 4th March – Monday 18th March)
- Thursday 15th August (applications open Monday 8th July- 22nd July)
- Thursday 12th December (applications open Monday 4th November- 18th November)
New Dad visits
- Tuesday 2nd April
- Tuesday 7th May
- Tuesday 4th June
- Tuesday 2nd July
- Tuesday 6th August
- Tuesday 3rd September
- Tuesday 1st October
- Tuesday 5th November
- Tuesday 3rd December
Vulnerable prisoners New Dad visits
- Thursday 4th April
- Thursday 2nd May
- Thursday 6th June
- Thursday 4th July
- Thursday 1st August
- Thursday 5th September
- Thursday 3rd October
- Thursday 7th November
- Thursday 5th December
Keep in touch with someone at Holme House
There are several ways you can keep in touch with someone during their time at Holme House.
Secure video calls
To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:
- Download the Prison Video app
- Create an account
- Register all visitors
- Add the prisoner to your contact list.
How to book a secure video call
Secure video calls at this prison can be requested by prisoners only.
You will receive a notification if a prisoner has requested a video call with you.
Phone calls
Prisoners have phones in their cells but can only make outgoing calls, so they will always have to call you. They have to buy weekly phone credits to do this.
They can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security when they first arrive so it may take a few days before they are able to call.
You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service.
Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.
You can send emails to someone in Holme House using the Email a Prisoner service.
You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies, depending on the rules at Holme House.
Letters
You can write at any time.
Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.
If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Holme House.
All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.
Send money and gifts
You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison.
You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post.
If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you:
- are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet
- do not have a debit card
This will allow you to send money by post.
Gifts and parcels
To receive books prisoner must put in an application to coincide with a visit, then visitors will hand in books at the visits center on that day.
All prisoners who have served under 30 days from coming into custody will be eligible to receive an “Early Days Clothing Parcel” from their contact list. This does not have to be from an approved supplier. Please be mindful that this is not 30 days from when arriving in Holme House but 30 days from when first coming into custody at whichever establishment.
For the full list of approved retailers, you can read the HMPPS Incentives Policy, Annex F. Families and friends are also allowed to send or hand in books to prisoners on a booked visit. Visitors will not be allowed to hand books directly to prisoners; they will need to be left with staff to process.
Life at Holme House
Holme House is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where prisoners can learn new skills to help them on release.
Security and safeguarding
Every prisoner at Holme House has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.
For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website.
Holme House also trains prisoners to be “listeners”.
Arrival and first night
When someone first arrives at Holme House, they will be able to contact a family member by phone. This could be quite late in the evening, depending on the time they arrive.
They will get to speak to someone who will check how they’re feeling and ask about any immediate health and wellbeing needs.
Induction
Each prisoner who arrives at Holme House gets an induction that lasts about a week. They will meet professionals who will help them with:
- health and wellbeing, including mental and sexual health
- any substance misuse issues, including drugs and alcohol
- personal development in custody and on release, including skills, education and training and a visit to the Careers Centre
- other support (sometimes called ‘interventions’), such as managing difficult emotions
Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety, and how things like calls and visits work.
Accommodation
Around 1,200 prisoners live at Holme House across 7 self-contained residential communities. One house block is a drugs therapeutic community and one is for vulnerable prisoners.
There is a mixture of single and double cells with toilets and communal showers.
Prisoners have access to a range of healthcare services and facilities, gym, library, exercise equipment in the exercise yards, sports field and multi-faith chaplaincy team.
Education and work
Education in Holme House is provided by Novus which offers a range of academic courses from basic education onwards, as well as vocational courses.
Work opportunities are available in:
- laundry
- warehouse
- woodmill
- joinery and upholstery
- painting and decorating
- textiles
- assembly
- printing
- industrial cleaning
- gardens and horticulture
- waste management
- computer coding
Prisoners can also gain qualifications through working in these areas, as well as in maths and English.
Other opportunities include art and music, and chances to become a mentor.
A range of offending behaviour courses are provided for prisoners who meet the criteria.
Temporary release
Some prisoners at Holme House may qualify to apply for release on temporary licence (ROTL).
Organisations Holme House works with
Holme House works with these organisations which offer prisoners advice and help with housing, family support, employment or related training after release:
- APM
- Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)
- NEPACS
- Novus
- First Point Training
- Changing Lives
- Durham Tees Valley CRC
Support for family and friends
Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.
To contact the Families and Significant Others Functional Head email support@nepacs.co.uk
Support at Holme House
Nepacs offers support to families and can signpost you to other helpful services.
Concerns, problems and complaints
In an emergency
Call 01642 744000 if you think a prisoner is at immediate risk of harm. Ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency.
| Contact category | Phone number | Additional information |
|---|---|---|
| Non-emergency | 01642 744 355 | Call this number if you have concerns about a prisoner’s safety or wellbeing which are serious but not life-threatening or complete a safer custody contact form on the Prisoners’ Families Helpline website. |
| Staff Integrity Hotline | 0800 917 6877 (24 hours answering machine) |
This number can be called anonymously. If you are concerned about a prisoner being bullied by a member of staff, you can use this number. As this line is managed separately from the prison, you can call this number anonymously. |
| Prisoners’ Families Helpline | 0808 808 2003 | The Prisoners’ Families Helpline can provide confidential support, advice and guidance. |
| Unwanted Prisoner Contact | 0300 060 6699 | If a prisoner is contacting you and you want them to stop, you can use the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service. You can complete the Stop prisoner contact online form, email unwantedprisonercontact@justice.gov.uk or contact by phone. |
Problems and complaints
If you have any other problem contact Holme House.
Inspection reports
HM Prison and Probation Service publishes action plans for Holme House in response to independent inspections.
Contact Holme House
Governor: Aled Edwards
Telephone (24 hours): 01642 744 000
Fax: 01642 744 001
Find out about call charges
Address
HMP Holme House
Holme House Road
Stockton on Tees
TS18 2QU
Updates to this page
Published 19 May 2020Last updated 1 April 2022 + show all updates
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Updated visiting guidance based on 1 April COVID rule changes
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Added link to new safer custody information under Security and safeguarding.
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Updated visiting information: Testing for visitors aged 12 and over.
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Added link to information about testing for physical contact at visits.
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New visiting times and booking information added.
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Prison moved into National Stage 3 framework and is now preparing to open visits for family, friends and significant others. We will update this page with specific visiting information as soon as possible.
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Governor change, population capacity, and safeguarding info.
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Updated visit info
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Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.
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Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.
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Updated visiting information in line with new national restrictions in England.
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Updated visiting information in line with coronavirus restrictions.
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Updated governor name
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First published.