When you start your career as a prison officer you can be paid anywhere from £32,000 to £42,000 a year. The amount you earn will depend on:
- the number of hours you choose to work
- where your prison is
You can also earn more if overtime is available in your prison. Plus you will enjoy one of the best pension schemes in the UK and a range of great Civil Service benefits.
Working hours
All trainee prison officers start on a 37 hour contract. Once you have completed your training you can choose to increase your contract to 39 or 41 hours a week.
Location
Prisons are divided into 3 pay categories, depending on where they are. These are:
- Inner London
- Outer London
- all other locations
Market supplements
Some prisons pay a market supplement to Band 3 prison officers (on Fair and Sustainable terms) in recognition of acute recruitment and retention challenges at those locations. Market supplements are not part of base salary, are non-pensionable, and are paid in 12 monthly instalments. The current rate of market supplement is £2,000 for Red sites and £3,500 for Red Plus sites.
Prisons which currently qualify for receipt of market supplements will retain that status until at least March 2026.
Market supplements may be withdrawn from particular sites in the event that HMPPS considers that it is no longer necessary for a site to receive a supplement.
Starting salaries
These tables show the starting salary for a prison officer based on working 37, 39, and 41 hours a week. All figures include a 20% unsocial hours allowance. Where the prison pays an additional market supplement, this is included in the figure listed.
Inner London pay
| Prison | 37 hours | 39 hours | 41 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brixton | £37,973 | £40,367 | £42,762 |
| Pentonville | £37,973 | £40,367 | £42,762 |
| Wandsworth | £37,973 | £40,367 | £42,762 |
| Wormwood Scrubs | £37,973 | £40,367 | £42,762 |
Outer London pay
| Prison | 37 hours | 39 hours | 41 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belmarsh | £36,082 | £38,357 | £40,632 |
| Downview | £38,082* | £40,357* | £42,632* |
| Feltham | £38,082* | £40,357* | £42,632* |
| High Down | £38,082* | £40,357* | £42,632* |
| Isis | £36,082 | £38,357 | £40,632 |
National Pay
| Prison | 37 hours | 39 hours | 41 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aylesbury | £35,948** | £37,994** | £40,041** |
| Bedford | £34,448* | £36,494* | £38,541* |
| Bullingdon | £35,948** | £37,994** | £40,041** |
| Coldingley | £34,448* | £36,494* | £38,541* |
| Elmley | £35,948** | £37,994** | £40,041** |
| Grendon and Springhill | £34,448* | £36,494* | £38,541* |
| Highpoint | £34,448* | £36,494* | £38,541* |
| Huntercombe | £34,448* | £36,494* | £38,541* |
| Send | £34,448* | £36,494* | £38,541* |
| Standford Hill | £34,448* | £36,494* | £38,541* |
| Stocken | £34,448* | £36,494* | £38,541* |
| Swaleside | £35,948** | £37,994** | £40,041** |
| The Mount | £34,448* | £36,494* | £38,541* |
| Winchester | £34,448* | £36,494* | £38,541* |
| Woodhill | £35,948** | £37,994** | £40,041** |
All other prisons in England and Wales
| 37 hours | 39 hours | 41 hours |
|---|---|---|
| £32,448 | £34,494 | £36,541 |