Oakwood Prison Telephone Number, Visits and Address
Last reviewed: July 2026
HMP Oakwood is a category C training and resettlement prison just north of Wolverhampton and, with room for around 2,100 men, one of the largest prisons in the country. It is also, unusually for a page like this, a prison with a genuinely good reputation: inspectors have repeatedly held it up as the best of its type in England and Wales. Because it is privately run, though, some of the practical details work differently from public prisons – and that catches families out.
Key details at a glance
| What you need | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | HMP Oakwood, Oaks Drive, Featherstone, Wolverhampton WV10 7QD |
| Operator | G4S (private), on contract to the Ministry of Justice |
| Contact and visits info | hmpoakwood.co.uk (GOV.UK directs all enquiries there) |
| Visit booking | Oakwood’s own system – typically prisoner-initiated from kiosks inside; not the GOV.UK online service |
| Type of prison | Category C training and resettlement, men, approx. 2,100 places |
| Inspection standing | Rated by HMIP as a benchmark category C prison (2024); praised again in the Chief Inspector’s 2025 annual report |
How visits work at Oakwood
The single most important thing to understand: you generally cannot book an Oakwood visit through the GOV.UK website. Because G4S runs its own systems, visits are usually set in motion by the prisoner, who books from a kiosk on his wing and nominates his visitors. Your job as the visitor is to make sure he has your correct details for his approved visitor list, agree dates with him by phone or letter, and then confirm the arrangements. Current session times and any booking phone line are published on hmpoakwood.co.uk – check there before travelling, as private-prison arrangements can change. Typical patterns have included weekday afternoon and evening sessions and weekend morning and afternoon sessions, but treat the prison’s own site as the final word. Our booking a visit to Oakwood prison page has more detail, and the general prison visiting rules apply as normal: photo ID for every adult, dress code, and nothing in your pockets past security.
What HMP Oakwood is like in 2026
Opened in 2012, Oakwood had a rocky start but has become the prison inspectors point to when they want to show what a category C jail can be. The August 2024 inspection described it as a benchmark for training prisons, with good ratings across safety, respect and purposeful activity, and the Chief Inspector’s annual report in July 2025 again singled it out as the best prison of its type in the country. In practice that means more time out of cell, a lot of education and workshop places, and peer-support roles that give men real responsibility. Daily life is covered on our what is Oakwood prison like page and the HMP Oakwood profile.
For families, Oakwood has a visitors’ centre and runs family-focused events through the year; because it is a training prison drawing men from across the Midlands and beyond, many visitors travel a long way, so double-check bookings before setting off.
• Trying to book on gov.uk/prison-visits – Oakwood uses its own G4S system, usually started by the prisoner.
• Assuming public-prison phone numbers apply – use the contacts on hmpoakwood.co.uk.
• Travelling without confirming the session – it is a long trip for many families.
• Forgetting photo ID for every adult visitor.
• Posting cash – use the official send money to someone in prison service, which does cover Oakwood.
Writing, phoning and sending money
Letters go to Oaks Drive, Featherstone, Wolverhampton WV10 7QD with the prisoner’s full name and prison number. Prisoners call out from their phone accounts – you cannot call in – and money for phone credit and canteen goes through the GOV.UK money service; our prison phone credit guide explains the details. Men at Oakwood have in-cell phones, so calls are usually easier to arrange than at older prisons.
A note from experience
Prison Guide’s founder Daniel Hockey served a sentence himself, from HMP Wandsworth through to open conditions at HMP Ford, and wrote The Secret Prisoner (2021). His take on training prisons like Oakwood: encourage the person inside to use every course going – it shapes parole, category reviews and life after release.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs HMP Oakwood?
G4S runs Oakwood under contract to the Ministry of Justice. It has been privately operated since it opened in 2012.
Is Oakwood the biggest prison in the UK?
It is one of the largest, with capacity for around 2,100 men – among the biggest in England and Wales.
Can I book an Oakwood visit online at GOV.UK?
No. Visits are arranged through Oakwood’s own system, normally initiated by the prisoner. Check hmpoakwood.co.uk for current arrangements.
Is Oakwood a good prison?
Inspectors think so – HMIP rated it a benchmark category C prison in 2024 and called it the best of its type in the 2025 annual report. No prison is easy, but Oakwood’s regime and activity levels are among the strongest in the country.
Official sources: GOV.UK – Oakwood Prison and HM Inspectorate of Prisons.
