Low Newton

Role and background

HMP Low Newton is a prison and young offender institution in Brasside, near Durham, for women aged 18 and over.

Inside the prison and daily life

Its accommodation combines single cells with some shared rooms, including a small number for three people. Telephones are on the wings rather than in cells. Chaplaincy, library access and reading support are available.

Education includes literacy, numeracy, digital skills, catering, hospitality, hairdressing, beauty, business and retail. Work and vocational routes also cover areas such as construction, manufacturing, land-based activity and health and fitness.

Work-related learning can be combined with roles in areas such as catering and prison services. Reading support and a library provide additional routes for women who need a different starting point.

Visiting and family contact

Psychology and personal-development programmes sit alongside practical training. Some women may qualify for temporary release following assessment, including for community work, family contact and release planning. Low Newton's provision therefore spans immediate support in custody and preparation for the responsibilities that follow a return to the community.

Families should check visiting times, booking procedures, identification rules and support for children or disabled visitors before travelling. Those details can change. Understanding the establishment's role is useful, but it does not replace confirming the arrangements for a particular visit.

Practical advice before you make arrangements

Use Low Newton's official page below for its current booking route, required identification, permitted items and travel instructions.

Confirm that the person is still at Low Newton and that your visit has been accepted before making travel arrangements. Ask the prison in advance about disability access, medication or children's needs.