Prison Officer
Updated 30 March 2023
Applies to England and Wales
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HM Prisons & HM Young Offender Institutions – opportunities nationwide.
Prison and probation jobs website
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.
See below for details of how much you can expect to earn.
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.
Working in a prison can make a difference. Day to day, you’ll help to create a safe, secure environment where rehabilitation is supported and encouraged. In return, you’ll receive a secure job and rewarding career, as well as great training, excellent benefits and the chance to change lives for the better.
Do you have what it takes?
You’ll need great communication skills to deal with all kinds of situations, and your ability to listen well, put yourself in someone else’s shoes and work with prisoners to understand them will be vital. Self-confidence, personal integrity and emotional intelligence are also a must, along with plenty of resilience and physical stamina too. Together, these qualities will allow you to support prisoners with their rehabilitation, in a safe environment.
If you have everything it takes, you can expect a lot in return. As well as a comprehensive training programme, you’ll have the chance to gain professional qualifications and make real progress in your career. You’ll also receive valuable public sector benefits, including 25 days’ annual leave and a civil service pension scheme.
For more information, please visit the prison and probation jobs website
The role
You will be responsible for supervising and managing prisoners decently, lawfully, safely and securely, ensuring that the routines of the prison operate effectively.
Working closely with colleagues throughout the prison, you will keep the prison safe and secure for all by conducting searches on prisoners, staff and visitors and responding to and effectively managing the day-to-day challenges prisoners can present as ‘first on the scene’ and back up support.
While the role of a prison officer is not a desk job, keeping detailed records on centralised systems and completing timely reports are also an essential part of the role, and important in maintaining decency, safety and security.
You will need to follow national and local regulations and policies, and build and maintain strong professional relationships with your colleagues and the people in your care, while supporting prisoners to achieve their rehabilitation goals.
How to apply
If you’re interested, please spend time learning more about the role and our assessment process before you apply. You’ll find all you need at the prison and probation jobs website and on our prison jobs Facebook page..
Interested in other roles within HM Prison Service?
We’re also recruiting for Operational Support and Instructor roles.