With training, teamwork and the support you need to succeed.
As a prison officer, you’ll be trained for every situation. Whatever the challenge, you’ll have the support you need from your team to make a difference every day.
Why people love the job
Pay
Your pay depends on where you work in England and Wales, and your weekly shift hours.
You will start on a 37 hour contract until your initial training is complete. After this you can choose to increase your hours to 39 or 41 hours a week.
You can also earn more if overtime is available in your prison. Plus you’ll enjoy one of the best pension schemes in the UK and a range of great Civil Service benefits.
New pay award from September 2022
Prison officer salaries are increasing from September 2022. If your application is successful, the increase will be reflected in your starting salary.
See below for details of how much you can expect to earn.
Relocate for your first prison officer role and earn up to £8k more
If you’re applying for your first prison officer role and are happy to relocate, consider applying for our first time prison officer relocation scheme.
Example starting salary for a 39 hour week (including 20% unsocial hours allowance)
| Inner London | £35,931 |
| Outer London | £34,140 to £36,140 * |
| South and South East | £32,702 to £34,202 * |
| Other locations | £30,702 |
Figures based on new pay award from September 2022.
*includes market supplements.
See full salary information for England and Wales
Inner London
HMP Brixton, Pentonville, Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs
| 37 hours | £33,799 |
| 39 hours | £35,931 |
| 41 hours | £38,062 |
Outer London
HMP Downview, Feltham, High Down
| 37 hours | £34,114* | |
| 39 hours | £36,140* | |
| 41 hours | £38,165* | |
|
* includes a market supplement of £2,000
|
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HMP Belmarsh, Isis
| 37 hours | £32,114 |
| 39 hours | £34,140 |
| 41 hours | £36,165 |
South and South East
HMP Aylesbury, Bullingdon, Woodhill
| 37 hours | £32,380 * | |
| 39 hours | £34,202* | |
| 41 hours | £36,023* | |
|
* includes a market supplement of £3,500
|
||
HMP Bedford, Coldingley, Cookham Wood, Elmley, Grendon, Highpoint, Huntercombe, Medway, Send, Stanford Hill, Swaleside, The Mount, Winchester
| 37 hours | £30,880 * | |
| 39 hours | £32,702 * | |
| 41 hours | £34,523 * | |
|
* includes a market supplement of £2,000
|
||
Other locations
All other government-run prisons in England and Wales
| 37 hours | £28,880 |
| 39 hours | £30,702 |
| 41 hours | £32,523 |
Benefits
- 25 days’ annual holiday (rising to 30 days after 10 years service)
- paid time off for public holidays and 1 extra privilege day*
- generous maternity leave cover
- a generous Civil Service pension
- cycle to work scheme and travel loans
- property rental deposit loans
- access to local keyworker housing schemes
- a free on-site gym
- access to a range of discounts, including the Blue Light Card Scheme
- employee assistance programmes.
*As prisons operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, you will be expected to work on some public and bank holidays. Any that you do work will be added to your annual leave entitlement.
"A chance to better myself"
Steve, HMP & YOI Belmarsh
Steve has been a prison officer for 4 years. He was previously an undertaker and coach driver.
I honestly just searched online for ‘jobs with no driving’. I was fed up with the same routine and wanted to work with people.
Becoming a prison officer has given me the chance to learn new things and push myself.
HMP & YOI Belmarsh has a high security unit, serves local courts and houses young offenders. You can throw yourself into things that interest you and get experience as you go.
I had to talk a prisoner down from a roof. Now, I’m following up with specialised training for negotiating at height.
I’m also a trained member of the Tornado Team. We are called in to restore order. I might join the national team one day, but I think I’d miss the daily variety of talking to people and solving problems.
People don’t realise the different roles open to them as a prison officer. It is so much more than locking and unlocking doors.
Training
All new prison officers in England and Wales will begin their career by completing a Custody and Detention Professional Apprenticeship which should take 12 to 18 months to complete.
An external provider currently runs the functional skills element of the apprenticeship. Learning is tailored to the individual, including specialist support for neuro-diverse learners and for people with protected characteristics.
Week 1 to 10: following a local induction at your ‘home’ prison you will go on a foundation training programme at a designated learning centre. This will usually be close to your ‘home’ prison location.
Week 11 to 25: you will be back at your ‘home’ location where you will carry on with your training with regular support from apprenticeship coaches.
You will also have two checkpoints to review your progress:
Checkpoint 1 (weeks 25 to 28)
This will include one week of portfolio work outside of your regular working area and one week at a Learning and Development Centre.
Checkpoint 2 (weeks 44 to 47)
You will spend one week at a designated learning centre. This week is an opportunity to reflect on your current progress and prepare for the Gateway at the end of your apprenticeship.
You will receive full pay and expenses.
What to expect during training
The apprenticeship prepares you for life as a prison officer. You will learn and practise all the key skills and behaviours that are vital to the role including:
- how to look after people in custody
- search and security procedures
- de-escalation techniques
You will receive a level 3 professional apprenticeship qualification in Custody and Detention when you complete the course.
Opportunity and progression
Training continues throughout your probation. There may be a further two-week residential course if you work in a high security prison.
Training is available throughout your career. You could choose to specialise in working with vulnerable prisoners, become a dog handler or train as a physical education instructor.
Working for HM Prison & Probation Service
HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS), created in April 2017, oversees 121 prisons and employs over 42,000 staff across England and Wales.
You will be joining a team committed to improving the rehabilitation of offenders and carrying out the biggest reform of the prison system in a generation.
You will be working for an organisation that rewards performance, invests in your career development and cares about your well-being both inside and outside of work.
