Helpful organisations

Pact provides services in England and Wales. If you are looking for support in Scotland please contact Families Outside and for support in Northern Ireland, contact NIACRO.

Prison Reform Trust - carry out research, campaign for prison reform, and provide information and resources to the public and prisoners.

Howard League for penal reform - carries out research, lobbies Parliament, and campaigns for prison reform.

CLINKS - the national umbrella body for organisations that work with prisoners, at prisons and with probation services.

Inquest - campaigns against deaths in custody, and offers free advice to bereaved families and friends, lawyers, policy-makers and the public. 

CSAN (Caritas Social Action Network) - an agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, and an independent charity. CSAN works to support poor, vulnerable and marginalised people to find their voice and to enable them to improve their lives.

Adfam - works to support families affected by drugs and alcohol. They provide direct support to people through publications, prison visitors' centres, and outreach work.

Alcoholics Anonymous - the leading national organisation for people who have problems with alcohol or are addicted. They have a confidential helpline: 0845 769 7555.

Release - offers a range of specialist services to professionals and the public concerning drugs and the law. They give free and confidential advice to drug users, their families and friends, and others about legal issues relating to drugs. Their helpline number is 0856 4500 215.

Frank - Frank offers free, confidential advice, 24 hours a day. You can e-mail them, or phone 0300 123 6600. You can talk to Frank in 120 languages. There's a very useful "A-Z of drugs" on their website.

Al-Anon Family Groups - support groups that are for, and run by, friends and relatives of alcoholics. Group meetings take place all over London; visit their website for a directory. Anyone who has been affected by someone else's drinking is welcome to attend.

Samaritans - Samaritans provide confidential non-judgemental emotional support, 24 hours a day, no matter what's on your mind or what you're going through. Phone 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. 

Childline - for children who are worried and need to talk about anything. Calls are free and confidential: the number is 0800 1111.

Counselling Directory UK - a national directory of counsellors and counselling services.

Community Chaplaincy Association - Community Chaplaincies work alongside prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families, offering practical, social, relational and spiritual support within prison, through the gates and out in the community.

Prisons Week and Prisoners' Sunday - Every year, the church marks Prisons Week and Prisoners' Sunday. Pact joins them by making available a Parish Pack full of useful tips and ideas.

Catholic Social Action Network - CSAN (Caritas Social Action Network) is the social action arm of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

The Welcome Directory - a nationwide directory of faith communities who have identified themselves as places that will provide a genuine welcome and appropriate support for people leaving prison.

Prison Fellowship - support for prisoners by coming alongside them, praying and supporting them to change.

GamCare offers support and treatment for people experiencing gambling harm, as well as family and friends who are impacted by gambling. They also run the National Gambling Helpline: Freephone 0808 8020 133.

GambleAware is the leading independent charity and strategic commissioner of gambling harm education, prevention, early intervention, and treatment across Great Britain. Their website offers a range of resources.

Shelter - provides housing advice and information and campaigns for decent housing for everyone.

St Mungo's - London's largest charity for homeless people. It provides practical support to homeless people in London.

Centrepoint - a national charity that supports homeless young people. It provides a range of accommodations, including emergency night shelters and special projects for ex-offenders.

Crisis - a national charity for homeless people that runs Crisis Skylight, Crisis Open Christmas, and much more.

LHF is the London Housing Foundation, which funds projects and ideas to tackle homelessness in London.

Thames Reach -  a London charity helping homeless and vulnerable people to find decent homes, build supportive relationships and lead fulfilling lives.

If you would like any more information on how we or other organisations can help you, please call the Prisoners' Families Helpline on 0808 808 2003.

Prisoners' Families Helpline website - run by Pact on behalf of HMPPS, the website offers a range of resources about the criminal justice system, including videos on prison life.

Ministry of Justice - the government department that runs the Prison Service, as well as the courts, probation, criminal law and sentencing.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons- the independent inspection body which reports on conditions in prisons in England and Wales. You can download inspection reports directly from their website.

Prisons and Probation Ombudsman - the ombudsman, Stephen Shaw, investigates complaints from prisoners and others. He is completely independent from the Prison Service and the Probation Service.

Inside Time - the newspaper for prisoners. Their website also contains information about prisons and visiting someone inside.

Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody - an independent panel that helps shape government policy in this area.

Mind is a mental health charity, making sure no one has to face a mental health problem alone.

Rethink helps over 48,000 people a year and runs more than 130 support groups for people with mental health problems. Their website contains lots of useful information and advice.

Sane - the SANEline telephone helpline is open every day from 6 pm - 11 pm. Call 0845 767 8000.

SiblingLink runs a support group for adults over 18 who have a brother or sister living with mental illness. In whatever capacity, whether registered or unregistered carer, worried for, living with - the person whose sibling is living with mental illness will be experiencing their own concerns and challenges as a result. SiblingLink provides a safe space for those who want to meet and talk through their situation and exchange supportive hints and advice that has worked for them.

Shelter - Provides information and advice around debt and arrears.

Citizens Advice Bureaux - CABs provide free advice about debt and money, plus a host of other issues.

Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) - a registered charity that provides confidential advice and support to people who are worried about debt.

National Debtline - free, independent advice about debt problems. Visit their website for factsheets, advice, sample letters and more; or call their helpline on 0808 808 4000.

Quaker Social Action (Made of Money) - support on gaining control of your financial future.

Grandparents' Plus has launched an advice service for grandparents and other family members who are bringing up the child of a relation or a friend. The telephone line - 0300 123 7015 - is open 10am-3pm Monday-Friday; email: advice@grandparentsplus.org.uk.

Family Rights Group - the charity in England and Wales that advises, advocates and campaigns for families whose children are involved with, or require, social care services.

Separated Families - a national charity that works with everyone affected by family separation in order to bring about better outcomes for children.

Family Lives - a charity that provides support and advice to parents. There's a freephone helpline - 0808 800 2222.

Gingerbread- campaigns for single parents and their children, and operates a Single Parent Helpline: 0808 802 0925.

Family Rights Group - this charity advises parents (and other family members) whose children are involved with or require social care services. They run a confidential phone advice service for families: 0845 4349585

Contact a Family - for families with disabled children. They provide a vast range of factsheets, e-bulletins, a special "dads area" on their website, and a freephone helpline: 0808 808 3555.

The Restorative Justice Consortium - the national voice for restorative justice organisations in England and Wales.

The Forgiveness Project - works in prisons, schools, faith communities, and with anyone who wants to explore the nature of forgiveness.

The Prisoners' Families Helpline offers support to families who have a loved one in contact with the criminal justice system and provides information on all aspects of the criminal justice system. Call the Helpline (Freephone) on 0808 808 2003 (9 am - 8 pm Monday to Friday and 10 am - 3 pm at the weekend and bank holidays - exc. 25th & 26th December), email info@prisonersfamilies.org or contact the team through their website.

Prison Chat UK is an online community that supports those who have a loved one inside a British prison.

POPS - a charity that runs visitors' centres and supports prisoners' families in the North West of England.

Ormiston Families- works to promote the wellbeing of children and young people, including prisoners' children; this includes running visitors' centres and play services.

Nepacs - works in the north east of England to support a positive future for prisoners and their families for over 130 years. Provides children's play facilities, tea bars and play areas in visitors' centres and offers support to offenders' families.

Email a Prisoner - currently available at many prisons in the UK.

Out There is a registered charity providing emotional and practical support and an information service for families of prisoners in Greater Manchester.

NICCO provides support for all professionals working with prisoners’ children and their families.

Prisoner Location Service - use the Prisoner Location Service to find people in prison when you don’t know which prison they are in.

Help with Prison Visits - help with travel expenses for families with a loved one in prison.

Sussex Prisoners' Families support families and friends of people facing arrest, court or prison in Sussex. They offer information and advice, one-to-one support, help in court, and group activities for families. You can email them at info@sussexprisonersfamilies.org.uk or call 01273 499 843.

Time Matters UK provides group and individual support for children aged 5 - 18 years who have a parent in prison. They are based in Merseyside but welcome children from all over the UK to join.

Prison Voicemail - a service enabling families to exchange voicemail messages with their loved ones in prison.

Prison Reform Trust's advice and information service - provides free information about prison life, rules and regulations, and prisoners' rights. They also give advice and assistance (please note they cannot give legal advice). Prisoners (or their relatives) can write to them or phone 020 7251 5070.

Nacro provides liaison and diversion services at police custody and court; accommodation or wellbeing support services for people under probation supervision or leaving prison; and a Criminal Record Support Service providing advice to individuals and employers about disclosing criminal records

Unlock - a national organisation that supports and advocates for people with criminal records in England and Wales.

Stop it Now - supports adults to play their part in preventing child sexual abuse. Call the freephone helpline on 0808 1000 900. 

Prisoners Advice Service - free legal advice for prisoners. 

SSAFA - SSAFA provides welfare and support for those serving in the armed forces, veterans and armed forces families.

Veterans UK - Veterans UK administers the armed forces pension schemes and compensation payments for those injured or bereaved through service.

Veterans' Gateway provides a single point of contact for veterans and their families seeking support 24/7, 365 days a year. Many of the team are veterans themselves to they understand the issues that people face after leaving the Armed Forces. They work with people on a one-to-one basis, connecting them with the right support as soon as possible. As well as online support, you can contact the helpline on 0800 802 1212 or text 81212.

Victim Support - the national charity for people affected by crime. They provide free and confidential support and advice for victims of crime. 

Unwanted Prisoner Contact service (formerly HMPPS Victims Helpline) - helps protect all victims from receiving unwanted contact from prisoners.

Family Matters - counselling service based in Kent for children and adult survivors of sexual abuse and rape.

Survivors UK - support & counselling for male victims/survivors of rape and sexual abuse, as well as their family and friends.