Women in Prison

What Women in Prison does

Women in Prison is a UK registered charity (charity number 1118727, company number 5581944) founded in 1983 and headquartered in London, operating across England and Wales with approximately 70 staff. Its functional purpose is to support women affected by the criminal justice system — including women in prison, women on remand, and women in the community — through specialist in-prison services in 9 prisons, a network of women's centres and community hubs (including the WomenMATTA centre in Manchester), and 4,000+ advice and support sessions annually delivered to 1,600+ women. Core 'products' are service programmes (advice and guidance, women's centres, in-prison projects), advocacy outputs (the Still I Rise magazine, the only UK publication produced by women in prison, plus a publications library of policy research), and national campaigns on domestic abuse, self-harm, mental health, pregnancy and maternity, and sentencing reform.

The business model is non-commercial: all beneficiary services are free, funded through a mix of individual donations, major-gift philanthropy, legacies and bequests, and institutional grants. Marketing and distribution rely on the charity's own website, an email newsletter, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), earned media via a press office, creative content through Still I Rise, and educational webinars. Technology usage is limited to standard non-profit SaaS — Google Analytics, Enthuse for donation processing, Impact Stack for campaigning, and Cloudflare/reCAPTCHA for security — with no proprietary platform or AI capabilities. Co-production with women who have lived experience of the justice system is embedded at strategic and operational levels, and the charity participates in the Remand Collective (launched 2024) alongside Firebird Foundation and six other national organisations to advance gender justice for women on remand.

Name

Women in Prison

Legal name

Women In Prison Limited

Website

https://womeninprison.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Women in Prison is a UK charity founded in 1983 that provides specialist in-prison and community-based support to women affected by the criminal justice system across England and Wales, and campaigns for systemic reform of women's justice policy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social services / criminal justice support

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services (BPAGAEAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD), Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD), Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF)

Keywords

• Criminal justice support
• Women's rehabilitation services
• Prison reform advocacy
• Community-based support
• Gender-specific services

Headquarters

HQ city

London, England

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations from supporters who contribute to fund transformational support for women affected by the justice system. Donations meet urgent needs and build futures free from harms of prison and criminalisation.
2. Major Gifts and Philanthropy: Major gifts from philanthropists who partner with Women in Prison for systemic change. Donors receive tailored giving opportunities, impact reporting, event invitations, and recognition.
3. Legacies and Bequests: Gifts left in wills to create lasting change for women affected by the criminal justice system, helping future generations access support and systemic change.
4. Campaigning and Advocacy: Non-revenue generating activities focused on ending harms of the criminal justice system through policy work, campaigns, and public affairs influencing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Women in Prison provides specialist, gender-specific and trauma-informed support services to women in contact with the criminal justice system in England and Wales, delivered directly through women's centres and hubs, in-prison programmes across 9 prisons, and community-based outreach. Alongside frontline services, the charity runs national campaigns and policy/public affairs work to drive systemic reform, and publishes Still I Rise, the only UK magazine produced by and for women in prison. All services are offered free of charge to beneficiaries, funded through donations, major gifts, legacies and grants.

Product overview

Women in Prison operates as a service-focused charitable organization rather than a technology product company. The organization provides a unified portfolio of support services for women affected by the criminal justice system, comprising: Still I Rise Magazine (the only UK magazine produced by women in prison); Women's Centres and Hubs offering community-based support; Advice and Guidance Services in prisons and communities; Campaigns Programme addressing systemic issues; Policy and Public Affairs work for advocacy; and Programmes and Projects delivering direct services. These offerings are integrated through a comprehensive approach combining frontline support, publications, and national campaigning to challenge oppressive systems and rebuild women's lives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Still I Rise: The UK's only magazine produced by women in prison, published by Women in Prison to amplify women's voices and lived experiences.
• Women's Centres and Hubs

Products and services

• Women's Centres and Hubs Physical community-based centres providing specialist, gender-specific, trauma-informed support services for women affected by the criminal justice system, offering advice, guidance and tailored support to help women rebuild their lives, including the WomenMATTA centre in Manchester.
• Advice and Guidance Services Specialist support services delivered in prisons and communities across England and Wales, providing tailored guidance to help women address the root causes of offending and rebuild their lives.
• Programmes and Projects Projects and programmes delivering direct support services across 9 prisons and communities in England and Wales, including specific initiatives such as the WomenMATTA centre in Manchester.
• Campaigns Programme National advocacy and campaigning addressing issues including domestic abuse, self-harm, mental health, support for pregnant women in the justice system, and challenging systemic racism.
• Policy and Public Affairs Influencing and policy work created with frontline colleagues and women with lived experience to drive systemic change in the criminal justice system at national level.
• Still I Rise Magazine The only UK magazine produced by and for women in prison, featuring artwork, poetry, creative writing and stories from women affected by the criminal justice system; published by Women in Prison and used as an advocacy and creative-expression platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,600+ women supported annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Remand CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn outcomes-focused collaboration to end the unjust and unfair imprisonment of women awaiting trial or sentencing. Consists of 7 national core organisations, 12 justice experience women, and 3 foundations pooling funds to build a movement of change. Strategy is led by 'Compass' comprising sector expertise, women with lived experience, and Liberty Grace representing women in prison on remand.
• Liberty Grace (women with lived experience)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Remand Collective's Compass leadership group, representing the 400+ women sitting in prison on remand at any given time. Embodies the principle that CEOs, women with direct insight into the justice system, and funders all have equally vital roles to play in advancing change.
• Hibiscus InitiativesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as a sister organization working on migrant women in the criminal justice system. Both organizations recognize that migrant women, many victim/survivors of VAWG and human trafficking, are often pushed to offend through force, coercion, or social and economic inequality.
• Women's AidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDomestic abuse organization referenced in context of Lucy Russell's career history. Organizations share expertise on domestic abuse as a driver of women's criminalisation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Switchback: UK charity supporting young men leaving prison with one-to-one mentoring. Comparable in operating model (frontline support in and post-prison, evidence-led, focus on reoffending reduction) but serves a different demographic, positioning it as a category peer rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Prison Reform Trust: Long-established UK charity campaigning for reform across the whole prison estate. Operates in the same criminal-justice advocacy space at broader scope, often partnering with Women in Prison on shared policy asks rather than competing on service delivery.
• Women's Aid: National federation working to end domestic abuse against women and children in the UK. Directly relevant given domestic abuse is a key driver of women's criminalisation that Women in Prison addresses; overlap in subject-matter expertise and shared leadership connections.

Others

• Clinks: Infrastructure body supporting the voluntary sector working in criminal justice across England and Wales. Not a direct competitor but a sectoral peer that Women in Prison is part of, influencing commissioning, funding flows, and policy affecting the whole ecosystem.
• Revolving Doors Agency: Charity working with people who come into repeated contact with the criminal justice system due to multiple and complex needs. Closely related thematic peer, with overlapping policy agenda on diversion, mental health, and women's pathways out of the justice system.
• Agenda Alliance: Alliance of organisations working with women and girls facing multiple disadvantage, including contact with the criminal justice system. Thematic coalition peer rather than a service-delivery competitor; potential partner in shared advocacy campaigns.

Direct peers

• Centre for Women's Justice: Legal charity that challenges systemic failures in the criminal justice system through strategic litigation and policy work on behalf of women. Comparable as a UK women-and-justice-focused organisation combining advocacy with casework targeting the same beneficiary population.
• Hibiscus Initiatives: Specialist UK charity supporting migrant and BAME women in contact with the criminal justice system. Directly comparable in mission, beneficiary profile, and front-line service model to Women in Prison; both are referenced as sister organisations and focus on women affected by VAWG, trafficking, and the justice system.
• Advance (UK): UK charity providing one-to-one advocacy and support for women involved in the criminal justice system, particularly those from minority backgrounds. Direct service delivery peer with overlapping beneficiary segments and a similar trauma-informed, gender-specific model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/womeninprison
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women-in-prison
• Instagraminstagram.com/womeninprisonuk

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Women in Prison