Registering for an Account
To register, visit www.emailaprisoner.com, click 'Sign-up', and follow the step-by-step instructions.
You will need to provide:
• your name
• your email address
• your residential address
You can also choose whether to receive marketing emails about new offers and updates.
Cancelling Your Account
If you wish to close your account, please email our support team at uk@emates.com from your registered email address and ask for your account to be cancelled.
A member of the team will process your request as soon as possible.
Adding Pay as You Go Credit
You need to add credit to your account to send messages, pay for replies and add photo attachments. If you do not have sufficient credit in your account, you will not be able to use these paid features.
Once logged in, go to the menu and click 'Add Credit'.
Using a Credit or Debit Card
Enter the amount you wish to add (minimum £5.00), select 'Credit/Debit Card', check your address details, and click 'Add credit to account'. You will then be redirected to a secure page to complete the transaction.
Making a Payment from Overseas
Click 'Overseas Payment', enter the amount, and note the reference number and bank details provided. You should then make the payment from your bank and include the reference number.
Paying by Cheque, Postal Order or Cash
If you wish to add less than £5.00, or cannot use a card, you can send a cheque, postal order or cash by recorded delivery. Select 'Postal Order/Cheque/Cash', click 'Add Credit to Account', and note the reference number provided.
Please include that reference, together with your name and address, when sending your payment.
Make all cheques and postal orders payable to:
Unilink Software Ltd
PO Box 81026
London
SE1P 6WJ
Unilink does not charge a processing fee, so if you send £10, the full £10 will be credited to your account. There is no minimum payment amount when paying by cheque, postal order or cash.
Pay as You Go Charges
Cost per message (2,500 characters): 42p
Cost per extra page (after the first 2,500 characters): 37p
Cost per prisoner reply: 26p
Photo attachments: 32p
The eMates Email a Prisoner service is free for prisoners and prisons to receive.
Requesting a Refund
Refunds for unused credit are available in accordance with our Terms and Conditions. If you believe you have been charged in error, or have a specific concern about your account, please contact our support team at uk@emates.com with the details and we will review your request.
Adding a New Recipient
Go to 'My Recipients', then click 'Add New Recipient'.
You will need to provide:
• their full name
• the prison they are in
• their prisoner number
Fill in the details and click 'Add Recipient' to save them.
If you do not know which prison they are in, you can use the GOV.UK service to find a prisoner's location online.
Updating a Recipient's Details
Click on 'My Recipients', then select 'Edit' next to the recipient. Update their prison location and/or prisoner number and click 'Save Changes'.
Please note that we do not hold information about the location of individual prisoners. If your recipient has moved to another establishment, you will need to update the details yourself.
Changing Your Email Address
Please email us at uk@emates.com from your current registered email address, stating the new email address you would like to use.
For security reasons, we can only process this request if it comes from the email address currently associated with your account.
Changing Your Password
Log in to your account and select the 'Change Password' link from the header. You will then be able to set a new password.
If you forget your password, use the 'I forgot my password' link on the login screen. You will be sent a link so that you can set a new one.
