Q: It is taking several days for my letters to get to my daughter in prison. I am dealing with her affairs in her absence and as it is taking so long for my correspondence to reach her, she is worrying that there may be something important she needs to know in the meantime. I am wondering therefore whether it is possible to email a prisoner?
A: Yes, it is. ‘Email a prisoner’ enables you to send messages to prisoners in the UK, to all Prison establishments that offer that service. It is free to sign up and only takes a few seconds to register. Once you are a member you will be able to send an email to your daughter, or any prisoner within the UK, as long as you know their prisoner number and which prison they are located at.
‘Email a prisoner’ offers a quick and efficient alternative method of communication. Your message is delivered within seconds and can be delivered the next day. It costs 40 pence per email, which is less than a first class stamp. Some prisons also give you the option to receive a reply from your recipient for an additional charge of 25 pence, or to add an attachment where you can upload up to 4 photos per message at a cost of 30 pence per image.
In order to sign up go to: emailaprisoner.com and register. Once you are logged in you can click on ‘buy credit’ and enter the amount you wish to credit. The minimum is £5.00. If you are not able to add credit to your account using a debit or credit card, or you wish to add less that £5.00, you can send a cheque or postal order in the post.
(Published 26.03.18)
