Prison officer pay

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 4 pay categories, depending on where they are. These are:

• Inner London
• Outer London
• South and South East
• all other locations

Market supplements

Some prisons pay a market supplement to band 3 prison officers (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. 

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

South and South East pay

Other locations across England and Wales

37 hours	39 hours	41 hours
£32,448	£34,494	£36,541