Winson Green local, eleven wings, public again
HMP Birmingham, Winson Green Road, Birmingham B18 4AS. GOV.UK (updated 26 August 2026) lists Governing Governor Neil O’Connor and a 24-hour switchboard on 0121 598 8000. Around 1,000 men, mixed cells, eleven wings including an older-prisoners unit, a drug recovery unit and a first-night centre. Education: Novus, with trades listed from bricklaying to barbering.
The 2010s private-operator crisis is why older news pages still read like a different jail. The visit desk you will deal with now is HMPPS and PACT. History is not a visiting timetable.
Every day — if you are on the list
Social visits: 0333 207 2490 or visits.birmingham@justice.gov.uk, Monday–Friday 10:00–15:00 (GOV.UK, August 2026). Sessions Monday to Sunday 09:30–11:30 and 14:00–16:00. Up to three adults and three children. £35 per table, cards accepted. Book at least two days ahead.
PACT: Birmingham@prisonadvice.org.uk, 0121 598 8178 (10:00–15:00 weekdays). Six family days a year. Dress code is long and specific — no shorts of any length, no sports logos, no hoodies, skirts calf-length when seated. Read GOV.UK before you dress a teenager.
New Street, then tram to Winson Green Outer Circle
About two miles from Birmingham New Street. Closest tram: Winson Green Outer Circle. Free visitors’ car park with disability access — official. Network West Midlands for local buses.
Visiting times (from the official page)
Copied from the official HMP Birmingham guidance. Re-check that page before you travel — slots move.
| When | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Sunday | 09:30–11:30 and 14:00–16:00 |
Questions about HMP Birmingham
- Is Birmingham still privately run?
- No. It is an HMPPS prison. Oakwood, nearby in Staffordshire, is the large private Category C people often confuse with it.
- Are there Friday visits?
- Yes. GOV.UK listed sessions every day, including Friday, at 09:30–11:30 and 14:00–16:00. Still recheck before you travel.