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What to do if…
you receive a notice requiring you to surrender to begin a sentence on a specific date

Short answer

Verify the notice is real using independently-found official contact details, then confirm the exact place, date, and time you must report. Aim to arrive early with only essentials—missing the surrender can escalate quickly.

Do not do these things

  • Do not ignore the notice or assume it will be corrected without you doing anything.
  • Do not rely on phone numbers, email addresses, or payment requests shown on a suspicious letter—verify via official contact details you find separately.
  • Do not bring prohibited items (including drugs, alcohol, weapons, or anything you’re unsure about).
  • Do not make travel plans that risk arriving late.
  • Do not post your surrender location, timings, or case details online.
  • Do not “wait to clarify” if the surrender time is close; if you cannot confirm in time, follow the notice instructions and arrive early with your paperwork.

What to do now

  1. Check authenticity and the issuing authority (today).
    • Contact your solicitor (if you have one) and ask them to confirm the surrender requirement and where it came from (e.g., the sentencing court paperwork).
    • If you do not have a solicitor, contact the court that sentenced you using official contact details (court switchboard/contact page you look up yourself) and ask how to verify your surrender instructions.
    • If the notice names a prison, confirm the correct reception point using the prison’s official listing/contact details (not numbers printed on a suspicious letter).
  2. Confirm the exact reporting instructions (write them down).
    • Confirm: date, time, full address, which entrance/reception, and what identification/documents you must bring.
    • Ask what to do if you arrive and staff say you’re at the wrong place (so you know the quickest correction route).
  3. If you may genuinely be unable to attend (medical emergency, hospital admission, etc.), act before the deadline if possible.
    • Contact your solicitor and/or the court immediately and keep proof (e.g., hospital paperwork).
    • Do not simply miss the surrender time without telling anyone who can record the reason.
  4. Prepare “reception-ready” essentials (keep it minimal).
    • Bring: the notice/letter, any court paperwork you have, and photo ID if you have it.
    • Put key phone numbers/addresses on paper (you may not have phone access immediately).
    • If you take medication: bring a written list (name, dose, prescriber) and any supporting packaging/prescription proof. In many prisons you cannot keep medicines you bring—declare them at reception/healthcare so continuity can be arranged.
  5. Protect dependants and the next 72 hours.
    • Arrange urgent childcare/pet care.
    • Secure your home and essential bills (only what you can do quickly and safely).
    • Choose one trusted person to hold spare keys and key documents.
  6. Plan to arrive early and reduce complications.
    • Build in extra time for delays and security.
    • Bring as little property as possible; items you bring will be searched, recorded, and stored according to reception rules.

What can wait

  • You do not need to figure out your full sentence calculations, release date, transfers, work, courses, or long-term prison arrangements right now.
  • You do not need to make big irreversible decisions (ending leases, selling possessions) in the first panic hours unless a fixed deadline forces it.
  • You do not need to explain everything to everyone today—limit communication to essentials and one support person.

Important reassurance

This kind of notice can make everything feel urgent at once. The stabilising move is practical: confirm the instructions through official channels, reduce avoidable mistakes, and turn up in the right way at the right time.

Scope note

This is first-step guidance for the hours and day(s) immediately after receiving a surrender notice. Later steps can depend on where in the UK you are and the type of sentence, and may need a solicitor’s advice.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Procedures vary by jurisdiction and by prison/court. If anything is unclear, time-sensitive, or looks suspicious, verify directly with your solicitor and the relevant court or prison using official contact details.

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