What Can You Send to Prisoners? The Complete UK Guide for 2026

By Daniel Hockey | Former Category B, C & D Prisoner | Author of Prison Survival Guide | Updated March 2026

When someone you care about goes to prison, one of the first questions that hits you is simple: what can you send to prisoners? I know because I’ve been on both sides of this. During my time inside across different category prisons in England and Wales, the parcels that arrived meant everything. My mum didn’t always get it right the first time – none of us do – but knowing what can you send to prisoners, and how to do it properly, made all the difference between him having decent stuff and getting into trouble he didn’t need.

In this guide, I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know about what can you send to prisoners in UK jails. From the approved friends and family list to banned items that’ll cause major headaches, from clothing to toiletries to books – I’ve lived through the system and I’m going to give it to you straight.

The Approved Friends and Family List – What It Is and Why It Matters

Right, let’s start with something that sounds boring but is actually critical: the approved friends and family list. When I first got into Category C, one of the first things my family had to do was get me on their approved list. I didn’t really understand why at the time, but it made a huge difference to what could actually come through to me.

Every prisoner in a UK jail can nominate who they want on their approved friends and family list. This is the list of people who are allowed to send you parcels, visit you, and put money on your account. Not everyone can just send stuff to a prisoner – the sender has to be on that list, and their name has to be registered at the prison.

Here’s the practical bit: if someone who isn’t on the approved list tries to send you a parcel, it’ll get rejected or handed to the Governor to decide what happens to it. I’ve seen this happen. My mate got a parcel from a cousin who wasn’t on his approved list, and it got binned. Total waste. The prisoner doesn’t even get to see what was in it. It’s frustrating as hell.

To add people to the approved list, a prisoner needs to submit a request form to the prison. Different prisons call it different things – sometimes it’s the “Personal Officer” system, sometimes you fill out an app form – but it’s all the same principle. The prison keeps a record of who can send what. When you’re filling in your approved list, make sure you get the spellings right and the full addresses correct. Mistakes here cause problems down the line.

The approved friends list also matters because it protects the prisoner. It means the prison knows who’s sending parcels to them, and they can log and inspect everything that comes in. If something dodgy shows up in a parcel, staff can trace it back to who sent it. That’s partly why the system exists – security.

What Can You Send to Prisoners: Books and Magazines

Books and magazines are among the best things what can you send to prisoners. Seriously. When I was inside, a good book was like currency. Better than currency, actually – money can’t give you three hours of escape into another world.

The basic rule is straightforward: you can send new books and magazines to prisoners in most UK jails. New is the key word here. Most prisons won’t accept second-hand books because they’re harder to inspect properly – there’s more risk of contraband being hidden inside the spine or covers. Some prisons are stricter than others, but if you’re sending new books, you’re usually safe.

What counts as acceptable? Fiction, non-fiction, educational books, poetry – almost anything really. I read everything inside. Prison libraries exist but they’re limited. Being able to get books from outside meant I could read what I actually wanted, not just whatever was on the dusty shelf that nobody else wanted. My mum sent me a lot of crime novels and biographies. I went through entire series.

Magazines are fine too, and they arrive quicker than books usually. Magazines about hobbies, sport, history, celebrity gossip – whatever the person’s interested in, it’s probably okay to send. Some prisons restrict certain adult magazines, so check with the individual prison if you’re unsure, but mainstream magazines from newsagents are generally fine.

Here’s what you need to be careful about: don’t send books or magazines with loose pages, damaged covers, or anything that looks like it’s been tampered with. Prison staff inspect these items. If a book arrives with the spine split open or pages coming loose, staff might reject it because they can’t be certain nothing’s been hidden inside. Send them in good condition, ideally in the original packaging if they’re new.

Also, avoid books with removable covers or those old boxes of books that’ve been sitting in someone’s attic for years. Prisons are picky about this stuff. Stick to relatively new books from proper sources – bookshops, Amazon, WH Smith – and you won’t have problems.

Clothing and What Can You Send to Prisoners by Post

I get asked a lot about clothing, and it’s one of those things where the rules vary a bit depending on the prison. Some jails provide basic clothing, others expect families to send items in. Either way, understanding what can you send to prisoners in terms of clothes is important because the wrong stuff will get rejected.

Generally, you can send plain clothing items: socks, underwear, t-shirts, sweatshirts, trainers. Keep in mind though that most prisons have rules about what can be worn. For instance, the Category C I was in didn’t allow anything with large logos or bands on it – that was considered security risk nonsense, but that’s how it was. No camouflage patterns either, no Adidas with the three stripes in certain colors, none of that. The rules are there supposedly to prevent gang identification, though honestly it’s implemented inconsistently.

Footwear is allowed but check the rules – some prisons say no laces (because of self-harm concerns), only slip-on trainers or shoes. It sounds dramatic but it’s real procedure in some places. I knew blokes who got decent trainers sent in only to have the laces removed on arrival.

What you can’t send clothes-wise: anything with metal components like studs or chains, anything that could be used to create weapons, nothing overly baggy that could conceal contraband. Branded sportswear is often restricted – the prison I was in had a whole list of banned brands. It felt petty, but I wasn’t about to argue with the Governor.

The best thing about receiving clothing parcels was getting actual decent socks. Prison-issue socks are the worst – thin, worn out, uncomfortable. Getting a pack of proper socks from your family was genuinely brilliant. Simple stuff like that makes a real difference to quality of life inside.

One practical tip: check with the prison what size the prisoner is now. I’d dropped weight inside, and clothes my mum sent at the beginning didn’t fit properly by the time they arrived. Getting measurements right means they’ll actually wear what you send rather than it being wasted.

Food and Toiletries – What’s Allowed and What Isn’t

This is where things get really important and really strict. What can you send to prisoners when it comes to food and toiletries is heavily regulated, and the rules make sense once you understand them – but they’re still frustrating.

Let’s start with food. The general rule: food has to be sealed and unopened. You can’t send home-made items, loose food, or anything that’s already been opened. So no homemade cakes from mum, no portion of your Sunday roast, no casserole you spent hours making. Prison policy is that food has to come from commercial sources and be in original packaging. The security reasoning is that contraband – drugs, weapons, mobile phones, all that – can be hidden inside homemade food.

What can you send then? Sealed biscuits, chocolate, sweets, instant noodles, tins of beans, tins of soup, protein bars, cereal bars, instant coffee, powdered milk – anything in original, sealed packaging from a supermarket or shop. A lot of prisoners use commissary money to buy this stuff through the prison shop anyway, but sometimes families want to send items as a surprise or something that’s not available in the commissary.

There are restrictions on specific items. Anything with too much sugar content might be limited (prisons are trying to reduce sugar intake, supposedly). Alcohol is obviously banned – no bottles of wine hidden in a parcel, no liqueurs, nothing. Any food containing meat products might be restricted depending on the prison and religious requirements. It’s worth checking.

Toiletries are where it gets detailed. You can send basics: toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shampoo, deodorant, razor, shaving cream – but again, these need to be sealed and original. The prison provides basics but they’re pretty rubbish quality. Getting decent toiletries from outside makes a difference, especially if someone’s skin sensitive or has particular preferences.

What you absolutely cannot send as toiletries: anything with alcohol content (including mouthwash – this is a big one because people don’t think about it), anything aerosol-based, anything with sharp components, certain types of nail care items. Razors are allowed but disposable ones, not anything where the blade’s exposed. Nail clippers are restricted in some prisons.

Here’s something I learned the hard way: medication. You cannot send prescription medication or over-the-counter medication in parcels. If someone needs medication, it has to go through the prison medical services. This is strict and non-negotiable. Sending medications, even aspirin or ibuprofen, can cause real problems. Don’t do it.

Photos and Printed Materials

When I was inside, photos from home were one of the most important things I had. I had photos of my mum, my nieces and nephews, my dog, my mates from before. They went up on the wall of my cell and they reminded me what I was working towards. So yes, what can you send to prisoners absolutely includes photos, and I’d strongly encourage it.

The rules around photos are fairly consistent across UK prisons: you can send printed photos (physical photos, not printouts from home printers usually), no Polaroids (for some reason), photos that comply with basic decency standards (no explicit content), and photos shouldn’t show anything that could compromise prison security. So don’t send a photo that accidentally shows your house layout in detail or has anything that could be used to identify locations.

Size restrictions vary. Some prisons limit the number of photos you can have at any one time (I’ve seen limits of 10-20 photos), and they might specify maximum dimensions. Standard photo sizes are usually fine. Giant poster-sized prints are typically not allowed.

As for other printed materials: you can often send printed letters, news articles, educational materials, religious texts. Printed lyrics or poems are usually fine. What you cannot send: anything that glorifies violence, extremist material, explicit sexual content, or anything that could be used to organise illegal activity. inflexible. If your family member needs specific medication, they need to request it through the prison healthcare system or bring it during visits in some cases. Don’t try to sneak paracetamol or anything in – it’ll be rejected and you’ll cause problems.

Women prisoners have slightly different rules around toiletries – menstrual products are provided but quality varies, so some women’s prisons allow these to be sent in. Check with the specific prison.

Photos and Printed Materials

Photos are allowed and they’re brilliant for morale. You can send photographs of family, friends, pets, whatever. I had photos on my cell wall the whole time I was inside. My little nephew’s photo was there throughout. Kept me sane, to be honest.

There are rules though. Photos can’t be explicit or contain nudity – that’s going to get rejected immediately. They can’t show anyone breaching prison security or breaking the law, obviously. They need to be reasonable sizes – prison cells are small and photos get damaged if they’re oversized. Standard photo sizes are fine, polaroids are fine, printed digital photos are fine.

Printed materials beyond photos: letters are fine, printouts of news articles are fine, printed documents are generally fine. You can send instruction manuals, educational materials, that sort of thing. Some prisons allow printed music if someone’s interested in that.

What you can’t send: anything printed with offensive content, anything promoting violence or illegal activity, anything sexually explicit. Pretty obvious when you think about it, but worth stating clearly.

The Voucher System (Argos, Amazon, Other Retailers)

The voucher system is one of the smartest ways to help someone inside. Instead of figuring out what can you send to prisoners through the post, you can send a voucher and let them order what they actually need from their commissary.

Different prisons have partnerships with different retailers. Argos vouchers are accepted in many prisons – prisoners can order items from Argos and they get delivered to the prison. Some prisons accept Amazon gift cards. Others have their own prison shop system where you can add money directly to the prisoner’s account, and they order from the prison’s approved supplier.

The advantage of vouchers is huge. The prisoner gets exactly what they want, it goes through the proper channels so there’s no risk of rejection, and you don’t have to worry about whether a specific item is allowed. You just need to check what retail partnerships the specific prison has.

Amazon Fresh and general Amazon – check before sending a gift card because different prisons have different agreements. Argos is pretty universal. Some prisons have Sweethome or Freecan as their commissary provider – check the prison’s official website.

The downside: vouchers obviously have monetary limits depending on the amount. They’re not hands-on – you’re not personally selecting items. But practically speaking, this is often the easiest solution.

How to Send a Parcel to a Prisoner

Actually getting a parcel to someone inside requires following specific procedures. Here’s the step-by-step based on what I’ve seen work and what I’ve seen go wrong.

First, check that the person is on the approved friends and family list. I can’t stress this enough. Without this, the parcel gets rejected. Ring the prison’s main number or check their website for how to add someone to the list. It usually takes a few days to process.

Second, check what can you send to prisoners at that specific jail. While general rules apply across the UK prison system, individual prisons have specific policies. Visit the HMP’s official website – there’s usually a page about sending parcels that lists exactly what’s allowed. Different establishments have different vendor partnerships and different security protocols.

Third, pack your parcel sensibly. Use a sturdy box or padded envelope. Include a packing list – write down everything that’s in the parcel. Don’t seal it completely; many prisons open and inspect parcels before they reach the prisoner. Address it clearly with the prisoner’s full name, prisoner number, their location within the jail (the wing or unit), and the prison’s full name and address.

A typical address looks like this:

John Smith
A1234BC
B Wing
HMP [Prison Name]
[Full Address]
Postcode

Get the prisoner number right. This is critical. Without it, the parcel might not reach them. If you don’t know their prisoner number, ring the prison.

Fourth, send the parcel via a tracked method. Royal Mail Special Delivery, DPD, DHL – something where you can track it and confirm delivery. This protects both you and the prisoner. If something goes missing, you’ve got proof you sent it.

Fifth, don’t include anything not on the allowed list. I’ve seen parcels held up for weeks because someone put in an item that wasn’t approved. The parcel sits in the security office while staff decide what to do. Sometimes it gets returned, sometimes items are removed. It’s a hassle nobody needs.

Finally, be patient. Parcels can take time to get processed once they arrive at the prison. It’s not like normal post. Security staff have to inspect everything. I’ve waited anything from a few days to a couple of weeks for parcels to reach me. Sometimes items went missing in the inspection process – nothing dodgy on my family’s part, just stuff that got damaged or mislaid.

What You Cannot Send – The Banned Items List

Understanding what you can’t send is just as important as knowing what can you send to prisoners. There’s a fairly extensive banned list, and these rules are enforced strictly.

Anything that could be a security threat: weapons obviously, but also anything that could be fashioned into a weapon. No tools except very basic items like nail clippers. No sharp objects that aren’t explicitly approved. No glass items (broken glass is a weapon). No items with metal components that could be detached.

Drugs and alcohol: Absolutely nothing. No cannabis, cocaine, heroin, nothing. No legal highs, no pills that could be misused. No alcohol – no wine, beer, spirits, nothing. This extends to mouthwash and hand sanitizer with alcohol. I knew someone who got done because their family sent alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Be careful.

Electronics: Mobile phones are the big one – prisoners getting phones inside is a massive security issue, so anything that looks like it could be a phone or could work with a phone is banned. No sim cards, no chargers that could work with phones. Watches are sometimes restricted depending on the prison (though this feels excessive to me). No USB drives or memory cards. No headphones or earbuds.

Money: Cash cannot be sent by post to prisoners. It’ll be rejected. Money has to go through approved payment methods – bank transfer, phone payment, postal order through the prison’s system, or vouchers. Loose notes in a parcel will be confiscated.

Flammable materials: Lighters, matches, anything aerosol-based. This is another one that catches people out. Someone sends a parcel with a lighter in a side pocket and didn’t think to mention it – parcel rejected.

Items promoting illegal activity or violence: Anything with images or messages promoting gang violence, anything that could be construed as gang-related, anything promoting illegal activity. Certain types of books or comics might fall into this category depending on content.

Medications: As I mentioned earlier, don’t send medications. This includes over-the-counter painkillers. If someone needs medication, it goes through the prison medical system.

Religious items: Most religious items are allowed – prayer books, beads, that sort of thing – but check with the prison. Some religious items might be restricted depending on security concerns and the individual prison’s policies.

Items in bulk: Most prisons limit quantities. You can’t send ten pairs of trainers or forty T-shirts. There are limits on quantities of things like socks, underwear, toiletries. It’s to prevent hoarding and trading.

Items that could contain contraband: Anything that could have drugs or weapons hidden inside – this is at staff’s discretion. Anything with broken seals, anything that’s been opened, home-made items. If something looks like it’s been tampered with, it’s getting binned.

When I was inside, the banned list was posted on the notice board but honestly, most prisoners didn’t read it. Then you’d see someone get a parcel rejected and get surprised. It’s worth taking the time to check your prison’s specific policy. Call them, ask them directly. It prevents disappointment.

Sending Money vs Sending Goods

This is a practical consideration that affects what can you send to prisoners overall. You basically have two routes: sending physical goods, or sending money that the prisoner can use to buy goods themselves.

Sending money has real advantages. The prisoner gets exactly what they want. There’s no risk of items being rejected or lost in security inspection. They can make decisions about what to spend on. It’s less hassle for you – you don’t have to figure out what’s allowed, pack it, post it.

Money can be sent several ways: direct bank transfer to the prison’s account with the prisoner’s number, phone payment systems that most prisons now accept, postal orders, or by adding credit to their commissary account if you know the system the prison uses. Most prisons now accept digital payments which makes it faster. The prisoner can then use that money to buy from the prison shop – toiletries, snacks, clothing, sometimes books and magazines, phone credit if they’ve got an in-prison phone, that sort of thing.

The advantage for families is you’re not stressing about whether the specific deodorant brand you sent is acceptable or whether the parcel’s going to get held up in security. The disadvantage is you’ve got less control over what they’re spending the money on – that’s the prisoner’s choice once it’s in their account.

Sending goods is good for different reasons. If you’re sending something specific you know they need or want, it feels more personal. Books, clothing items, specific toiletries – physical items you’ve chosen. It’s thoughtful. But it requires you to understand what can you send to prisoners, it requires packaging and posting, and there’s risk of rejection or items getting lost in the system.

Honestly, most families do both. Send some money regularly so the prisoner’s got access to commissary, and occasionally send a parcel with specific items – books, photos, that sort of thing. It’s the combination that works best.

How Prisons Inspect Parcels and What Happens if Banned Items Are Found

This is the bit that happens behind the scenes that most families don’t think about. Understanding what happens when your parcel arrives at the prison is useful because it explains some of the frustration.

When a parcel arrives, it goes to the security office. Staff will open it – and I mean properly open it, check everything. They’ve got x-ray machines in some jails, drug-sniffing dogs, experienced staff who know what they’re looking for. They’re checking for drugs (hidden in toothpaste tubes, in the bindings of books, anywhere really), weapons, phones, anything on the banned list.

If everything’s fine, it gets passed through to the prisoner. This can take days or sometimes weeks depending on the prison’s volume of mail. There’s no priority processing unless something’s urgent.

If a banned item is found, the parcel gets held. The prison will usually notify the prisoner that something’s been found and they have an opportunity to explain or appeal. Sometimes the item gets removed and the rest of the parcel passed through. Sometimes the whole parcel gets rejected and returned. It depends on what’s found and the prison’s policy.

I had a parcel held once because my mum had put a handwritten card inside with a sticker on it – she thought it was nice, decorative. The sticker had a small bit of glitter. Staff were concerned the glitter could be concealing drug residue. They kept the parcel for three weeks while they inspected it. Eventually it came through, but without the card – they’d removed it as a precaution. It seems paranoid, but from the prison’s security perspective, they can’t take risks.

If serious contraband is found – drugs, weapons, anything criminal – that becomes a formal security incident. The prisoner faces potential disciplinary charges, loss of privileges, loss of enhanced status if they had it, possibly even criminal charges if the contraband’s serious enough. And the family member who sent it could face questions from the police.

This is why the rules matter. It’s not bureaucratic nonsense just for the sake of it. If you’re putting banned items in a parcel, you’re putting the prisoner at risk – even if they didn’t ask for the banned stuff and even if you didn’t mean anything dodgy by it.

Daniel’s Personal Experience Receiving Parcels Inside

Let me tell you what it was actually like for me getting parcels, because knowing the rules is one thing, but understanding why they matter is different.

The first parcel I got inside was probably three weeks after I’d arrived at Category C. My mum had done everything right – she’d got me on the approved list, checked the rules, sent books and toiletries. I remember the day it came through. I was sat in my cell working or reading something, and an officer came and told me I had a parcel. It was like Christmas, genuinely.

I opened it and it had socks – decent socks, the sort you can actually buy outside, not the paper-thin stuff the prison issues. It had a couple of books. It had toothpaste, a decent shampoo. It had a photo of my family. And it had a chocolate bar. Nothing spectacular by normal standards, but inside, it felt huge. It meant my family had taken time to work out what was allowed, had sent it properly, had thought about what I actually needed. It made a real difference.

But I also saw the other side. My cellmate – I’ll call him Mark – got a parcel that got held up for weeks. His girlfriend had sent it, but she’d put in some things that weren’t allowed. I think it was a lighter or something. The parcel just disappeared into the security office. When it finally came back, half the items were missing because staff had removed the questionable stuff. Mark was gutted. His girlfriend thought she’d done something nice and instead nothing reached him the way she’d intended.

Over the years inside, parcels were highlights. Regular contact from people on the outside reminds you that you’re still part of the world beyond the walls. I appreciated the books massively – reading was my escape. I appreciated decent toiletries because you do care about basic hygiene even inside; it’s one of the things you can control about your environment. I appreciated photos because they kept me connected to people I cared about.

But I also understood the security procedures, even when they seemed excessive. I’d see things held up or rejected and I’d think, “Yeah, I get it. The prison’s got to check everything.” If someone sends drugs or weapons through parcels, the whole system becomes stricter. Every parcel takes longer. The rules get tighter. It’s in everyone’s interest – staff and prisoners – to keep the system clean.

The best advice I’d give anyone sending a parcel to someone inside: take the time to understand what can you send to prisoners at that specific jail, check the rules, follow them exactly, and then relax. Parcels take time, but they get through. Your family member will get whatever you’ve sent and they’ll appreciate it, even if it’s just socks and a book.

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