Work as a prison officer at HMP Woodhill

About Woodhill Prison

Four miles outside central Milton Keynes and the market town of Bletchley, HMP Woodhill is a category A high long term high security prison.

Accommodating up to 500 prisoners, HMP Woodhill is committed to providing a safe and educational environment for men convicted of serious offences.

How to get to Woodhill Prison

With plenty of on-site parking, and about an hour’s drive from London and Oxford, HMP Woodhill is easily accessible by car from the M1 and M40.

Trains regularly run into Milton Keynes station, which is a short bus ride from the prison. Please bear in mind that, as a prison officer, you will need to work shifts plus some unsocial hours and public holidays when public transport may not be running.

How will you get there? (postcode search opens in a new window)

Eligibility to work in a category A high security prison

To work as a prison officer at HMP Woodhill, you must: 

• Complete enhanced pre-employment checks.
• Have Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) security clearance. For this, you must have been resident in the UK for the last 3 years.

Someone like you?

You don’t need specific experience or qualifications to be a prison officer. Personal qualities are more important. Watch this short video featuring some of our staff talking about their work and see if it’s for you.

You will work with prisoners who are serving long sentences. You will therefore need strong communication skills and be able to build rapport with a wide range of people over a long period of time. 

Find out more about what it’s like working as a prison officer and more about the skills and qualities you need.

“I’ve always enjoyed talking to people and listening to them — it’s about trying to make a difference. Prisoners often ask if they can have a chat when they see me because I’ll take the time to listen. That makes me feel like I’m helping, even in small ways. Woodhill is a tough environment, but it’s also where you can make a real impact. It’s challenging, but that’s what makes it rewarding.” 

Officer Treadwell

Inside Woodhill Prison

With a focus on enabling prisoners to make positive use of their time in custody, HMP Woodhill provides a broad programme of learning opportunities. Delivered in partnership with a local education provider, both academic and vocational courses are available to help prisoners increase their chances of employment when they return to their communities.

Prisoners also have access to a range of work opportunities, alongside a chance to study and earn professional qualifications, in onsite workshops including:

• catering
• cleaning
• gardening
• laundry
• painting and decorating
• waste management

Pay and benefits

As a prison officer, you will start on a 37 hour a week contract until you have completed your initial training. You can then choose to increase your hours to 39 or 41 hours. This means you can earn between £37,246 and £41,503 as a prison officer at HMP Woodhill (includes a market supplement). 

Take a look at the full starting salary information for HMPPS prisons.

As well as a beautiful landscaped garden you can use during break times, as an employee of HMP Woodhill you’ll have access to a range of facilities and employee benefits including:

• free onsite parking
• use of a free, onsite gym
• excellent training and career progression

This is in addition to the great benefits you get from being a part of HM Prison and Probation Service.