Lewes Prison
Lewes is a men’s prison in Lewes, East Sussex.
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Book and plan your visit to Lewes
Prison social visits are temporarily suspended at Lewes following national lockdown. We will update here as soon as this changes. There may be the opportunity for visits under exceptional compassionate reasons, which should be agreed in advance with the prison prior to travel. We will update here as soon as this changes.
Find out more about visiting someone in prison during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can also follow @HMPPS on Twitter and read a rolling update page.
There are a number of other ways to contact someone in prison if you are unable to visit them. You can:
- leave a voice message using the Prison Voicemail Service
- send them an email using the email a prisoner service
- write to them
- use secure video calling
You can also contact the Prisoners’ Families Helpline on 0808 808 2003.
Keep in touch with someone at Lewes
There are several ways you can keep in touch with a resident during their time at Lewes.
Secure video calls
Secure video calling is available at this prison. Family and friends need to download the purple visits app, create an account, register all visitors, and add the prisoner to their contact list.
Phone calls
Residents have phones in their rooms but they will always have to call you. They buy phone credits to do this and can call anytime between 6am and midnight.
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 Lewes using the Email a Prisoner service.
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 Lewes.
All post apart from legal letters will be opened and checked by officers.
Each week, residents can send 2 second class letters and one first class legal letter.
Send money and gifts
You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison.
You can also send:
- postal orders
- cheques
- cash
Postal orders and cheques should be made payable to ‘The Governor’ and include the resident’s name and prisoner number and your name and address on the back. If you send cash, you must include these details in a letter.
Gifts and parcels
You can not bring anything with you for the resident on a visit unless they have already applied for that item to be brought in. This application must be completed within the first 28 days of arrival in prison, and at least 3 days ahead of your visit. You can hand in items at the prison anytime between Monday and Friday, during normal visit times. Make sure to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel. All parcels will be opened and checked by officers. The ‘facilities list’ tells you what the resident is allowed and is available in the visitors centre.
After the first 28 days, additional items must be ordered by the resident from a catalogue.
Life at Lewes
Lewes is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where residents can learn new skills to help them on release.
Security and safeguarding
Every person at Lewes has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.
All safeguarding processes are overseen by East Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board.
Arrival and first night
When a resident first arrives at Lewes, 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, and they are only allowed 2 minutes.
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 person who arrives at Lewes 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
- 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
Lewes holds 692 residents in a mixture of single and double rooms.
Facilities include a gym, library, a healthcare unit, an onsite pharmacy and a multi-faith centre.
Education and work
Lewes provides a range of work, education and training facilities including IT, kitchen work, painting and decorating, barista work, food safety and preparation, waste management, horticulture, first aid and sports leadership.
A physical education programme is offered, as well as weekly library sessions and there are courses to reduce the risk of re-offending.
Temporary release
Applications for release on temporary licence (ROTL) can be submitted and are individually assessed.
Organisations Lewes works with
Lewes works with the Samaritans to train a team of ‘Listeners’ who are then available day and night for those who need additional support.
It also works with The Forward Trust, which offers help around substance misuse and delivers a number of ‘family ties workshops’. This is in partnership with Care UK and can offer detoxification, if necessary.
Lewes also works with Storybook Dads which helps dads create a bedtime story CD or DVD for their children.
Support for family and friends
Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.
Support at Lewes
Spurgeons delivers family services at Lewes, offering support and advice. It works alongside Sussex Prisoners’ Families, a community organisation which provides peer support and help in court.
Problems and complaints
If you have a problem contact Lewes. If you cannot resolve the problem directly, you can make a complaint to HM Prison and Probation Service.
HM Prison and Probation Service publishes action plans for Lewes in response to independent inspections.
Contact Lewes
Governor: Hannah Lane
Telephone: 01273 785 100
Monday to Friday, 7am to 8pm and weekends, 7am to 5pm
There is a 24 hour redirect service outside these hours
Fax: 01273 785 101
Find out about call charges
Email: Correspondence.Lewes@justice.gov.uk
Address
HMP/YOI Lewes
1 Brighton Road
Lewes
East Sussex
BN7 1EA
Safer custody hotline
Residents or their families can use the safer custody hotline to report bullying or concerns about self harm or suicide.
It is staffed during office hours. At other times, there is an answerphone which is checked and followed up every day. Leave your name, the resident’s name, a return contact number and brief details about your concern and a member of staff will call you back.
Safer custody hotline: 01273 785 392
Find out about call charges
You can also email: safercustodylewes@justice.gov.uk
If it’s urgent, call the main switchboard number (staffed 24 hours a day) and ask for the orderly officer.
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Last updated 1 April 2021 + show all updates
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Updated contact email address.
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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 local restriction tiers.
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Updated the email contact address for families.
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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: HMP Lewes visiting times and visiting procedure changes in line with coronavirus restrictions.
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updated survey link
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Updated survey link
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First published.