Custody InsightsConsulting
Resources
Everything a family needs, in one place
Every resource we publish is free to read and download: plain-English guides to the UK custodial system, printable PDFs for the paperwork that follows a sentence, a directory of legal help, and straight answers to the questions families ask us most. Everything is written by ex-Prison Service advisers and checked against published HMPPS policy. We are not solicitors — this is operational guidance to complement your legal team, not replace it.
Free guides, written for families under pressure
Six in-depth guides covering the moments that matter most — from the first 24 hours to supporting someone through a sentence. Read them online or download them to keep.
Families, partners and next of kin
6 min read
The Emergency Safer Custody Call Script for Families
Exactly what to say, who to ask for, and what to record when raising a welfare concern with a prison in England and Wales.
Families, employers and first-time clients
8 min read
Understanding HMPPS: The Family Plain-English Glossary
ACCT, IEP, OMU, Cat-D, ROTL, HDC — the terminology you will hear from staff and letters, decoded without jargon.
Individuals facing custody and their families
9 min read
First 24 Hours in Custody: What to Expect
Reception, first night and induction across the prison estate in England and Wales, step by step and in order.
Families, partners and next of kin
7 min read
How to Support a Family Member in Prison (England & Wales)
Where to reach them, how money and visits work, and what to do when something goes wrong — the complete first weeks, in plain English.
Families of individuals awaiting sentencing
6 min read
What Families Need to Know Before Sentencing
What actually happens in the hours after a custodial sentence — and the practical steps that make the first weeks easier for everyone.
Defence solicitors and direct access counsel
7 min read
What Solicitors Need to Know About Operational Custody Reality
What actually happens between the dock and the wing — the operational facts that strengthen mitigation and keep clients stable through the process.
Downloads
Fee schedule, referral brief and intake questionnaires
Printable PDFs for every stage: our current fee schedule, the referral brief for defence solicitors, and intake questionnaires for individuals, families and legal teams preparing an engagement.
Open the download portalLegal help
Finding a solicitor, and working with one
We are not solicitors and never will be — but every family needs a good one. Our solicitor directory and referral brief explain how to instruct legal representation, and how we work alongside it with operational insight.
Browse legal resourcesFAQ
The questions families ask us most
Ten straight answers covering confidentiality, costs, urgent cases, young people and how our advisory work sits alongside legal representation.
Read the FAQBlog
Short, honest articles from our advisers
What prison visits are really like, how to read a sentence, and how to prepare for release — practical reading for the whole journey.
Read the blogFree discovery call
Read what helps — then talk to someone who knows.
The first conversation is confidential, free of charge and carries no obligation.