When you start your career as a youth justice worker 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 you work
Working hours
All trainee youth justice workers 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, or you can choose to remain on 37 hours.
Some Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) also offer the opportunity for youth justice workers to work overtime. If you work overtime hours these will be paid by the hour on top of your salary.
Starting salary by YOI
There are 3 HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) YOIs.
The table shows the starting salary for a youth justice worker based on working 37, 39, and 41 hours a week. All figures include a 20% unsocial hours allowance. Where the YOI pays an additional market supplement, this is included in the figure listed.
Some YOIs pay a market supplement to band 3 youth justice workers (on fair and sustainable terms) as an incentive to work at these specific locations. Market supplements are not part of the base salary, are non-pensionable, and are paid in 12 monthly instalments. Current supplements will remain in place until 31 March 2025. Whether the market supplement is paid after that date, and the rate at which it is paid, will be dependent on whether doing so accords with HMPPS pay strategy and whether HMT approval for continued payment can be secured.
| YOI | 37 hours | 39 hours | 41 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feltham (Outer London) | £38,082* | £40,357* | £42,632* |
| Werrington (Stoke-on-Trent) | £32, 448 | £34,494 | £36,541 |
| Wetherby (West Yorkshire) | £32, 448 | £34,494 | £36,541 |
Once you have completed the level 4 child focused qualification, you’ll progress to a band 4 youth justice worker and your salary will increase. You’ll no longer qualify for the market supplement once qualified.