Jailbirds now blow a lot less on the blower than the rest of us after their call charges were cut by 60%.
Lags have a special BT deal on jail coin and card operated phones that means they pay just 3.1p-a-minute to call landlines on a weekday and only 2.75p at weekends, as well as 6.88p-a-minute to mobiles on weekdays and 4.5p at weekends.
Meanwhile BT’s law abiding customers outside on its Pay As You Go deal pay an expensive 22.84p a minute for calls to UK landlines and UK mobiles day or night – plus £23.05-a-month standing charge per household for the privilege. BT also offer a Line Only Discount rate for households without fixed line broadband service at £11.32pm.
The prison discount was revealed by David Spencer, research director for the Centre for Crime Prevention campaign group.
He said: “It is a disgrace convicted criminals are getting discount phone calls while the rest of us are struggling to make ends meet.
“During a cost of living crisis, prisoners are already getting full board and lodging on the taxpayer.
“This is really rubbing our noses in it.”
Official figures reveal six out of seven prison cells in England now have landlines following a steep increase in installations in the wake of the pandemic. It is understood 80 out of 93 jails now have them inside cells, believed to be card operated, as well as coin operated phones on landings.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Maintaining family ties cuts re-offending, which protects the public and saves the taxpayer money.
“The rates that BT has agreed to set make it easier for prisoners to keep in touch with their loved ones and relatives.”
A BT spokesperson claimed call rates are set by the prison service.
Mr Spencer told us: “It is fundamentally wrong that being behind bars means that people have perks like this. The MoJ needs to give some serious thought to how this looks to victims and their families who are struggling this Christmas.”
