Help for prisoners

For prisoners, we can make grant payments for food and other essentials, depending on where they are held and what other support they receive. We can send magazines and newspapers, information about prison and their rights, and we may be able to help if they need medical treatment in prison. 

Prisoners Abroad helps British prisoners wherever they are in the world, and whatever they have been charged with. We allocate our support purely on the basis of need. All of our services are free and confidential.

Funds for essential needs

We make grant payments to those prisoners we are in contact with if they receive little or no financial assistance from other sources.

• We send funds to prisoners in developing countries to help them pay for essential items such as food, clothing and bedding.
• We fund a vitamin programme for British prisoners in twelve countries where dietary supplements to prison food are essential for survival.
• We have an emergency medical fund to pay for essential medication or treatment, which is not provided by the prison.

Magazines and books

We send magazines and books to British prisoners all over the world. In many cases, our supporters are able to donate magazine subscriptions, which are then sent directly to the prisoner. For more information please contact DirectServices@prisonersabroad.org.uk.

Pen-pals

All British prisoners overseas are offered the opportunity to correspond with our pen pal volunteers or with other prisoners. All correspondence is forwarded via this office. For more information please contact DirectServices@prisonersabroad.org.uk.

Freepost envelopes

We provide international freepost envelopes. A British prisoner overseas may use these, either to write to us, or to forward mail to family and friends via our office.

Newsletters

We send a newsletter three times a year to everyone that we are in contact with which contains useful information, articles written by staff, prisoners and other relevant organisations. Past editions can be viewed on our Newsletters page.