This service is via the Information Commissioners Office and will create an email to the organisation you specify with your request for personal information and everything they need to respond. You'll also get a copy for your records.

The organisation should reply to you directly. Nobody else will see the reply.

What you'll need

You will need:

• the name of the organisation you're making your request to; and

• the email address of the organisation.

• Tip: you can usually find a suitable email address in the organisation's Privacy notice.

You should also provide:

• proof of ID, either a copy of a passport or driving licence; and

• proof of address, either a copy of a bank statement, utility bill, or TV licence.

If you are making the request for someone else, you should provide proof of ID and address for them (not for you). You will also need to provide evidence that you're allowed to make the request for them eg a signed letter of consent, a power of attorney document or proof of parental responsibility such as a birth or adoption certificate.

Make a Subject Access Request (S.A.R) via the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).

Use this service to ask an organisation for your personal information.

Request a basic DBS check

Apply for a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to get a copy of your criminal record. This is called ‘basic disclosure’. It’s available for people working in England and Wales. You have to do this directly with the Disclosure and Barring Service. The button below will take you to the correct page

You can make a request yourself, for your child under 13 (for whom you have parental authority), or for someone who you have a legal authority. 

What you will need

• A proof of identity - they require one of the following as proof of your identity:

  • Driving Licence

  • Passport

  • National ID card

  • Birth certificate

  • Adoption certificate

Access information held about you on the Police National Computer (PNC).

Access your POLICE Record

Request information from Prison Service and National Probation Service

Get help with the cost of prison visits

You may be able to get help paying for the cost of visiting someone in prison if you get one of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit - if your household gets no more than £1,250 a month, excluding housing costs

• Pension Credit

• Income Support

• income-based Job Seekers Allowance

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance

You could also get help if you have a HC2 or HC3 certificate through the NHS Low Income Scheme.

There are different rules for Northern Ireland.

Who you can get help to visit

You can get help with the costs if you’re visiting someone who is:

• your husband, wife or civil partner

• your partner (if you lived together before they went into prison)

• your son or daughter - including adopted and stepchildren

• brother or sister - including half and stepbrothers or stepsisters

• your parent or grandparent - including adoptive and step-parents

• someone recorded as your next of kin

You could also get help if you’re visiting someone who has not had any other visitors in the last 4 weeks.

If you take a child with you or someone to help you (for example, because you’re disabled) you might also be able to get help paying for their visit.

What you can claim for

What you can claim depends on how far you’ll need to travel.

You’ll need to include receipts or tickets when you claim.

Travel costs

If you travel by public transport, you’ll get the amount for the cheapest way to travel. For example, if you travel by train but a coach is cheaper, you’ll only get the coach fare.

If you visit a prison in England and Wales by car or motorbike, you can get 20 pence for each mile you travel.

If you visit a prison in Scotland by car or motorbike, you’ll get 30 pence for each mile.

You could also get £40 a day for hiring a car.

Food and drink

If your journey to visit a prison in England or Wales takes between 5 and 10 hours, you can claim £3.50 for food or drink.

If you visit a prison in Scotland, you can claim £4.50.

If your journey takes more than 10 hours, you can get £5.10 to visit a prison in England, Scotland or Wales.

Overnight stays

You might be able to claim for overnight stays if you need to leave home before 6am or arrive home after midnight. You’ll need to get approval before you book.

In London and the South East, you can claim up to £34 for an adult and up to £17 for a child aged 3 to 13.

Elsewhere, you can claim up to £28 for an adult and £14 for a child.

Apply online

You can apply to get help paying for visits that you:

• have made in the last 28 days

• want to make in the next 28 days

If you’ve used this service before, sign in using your reference number.

Start now