When you start your career as a youth justice worker you can be paid anywhere from £30,000 to £40,000 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. Where the YOI pays an additional market supplement, this is included in the figure listed.
Market supplements are added to help with recruiting and retaining youth justice workers. They’re not part of the base salary, are non-pensionable, and will be paid in 12 monthly instalments. Current market supplements will remain in place until March 2024 and will be subject to periodic review from that date.
| YOI | 37 hours | 39 hours | 41 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feltham (Greater London) | £36,363* | £38,530* | £40,697* |
| Werrington (Stoke-on-Trent) | £30,902** | £32,851** | £34,800** |
| Wetherby (West Yorkshire) | £30,902** | £32,851** | £34,800** |
** includes 20% unsocial hours allowance.