Prison officer starting salary 2026/27
What a new Band 3 prison officer earns and takes home from April 2026, depending on the hours you work and where your prison is.
Starting pay
New prison officers join on Band 3, pay point 1. Base pay is £29,107 for 37 hours, plus the 20% unsocial hours allowance, which makes £34,928. After tax, National Insurance and the 4.6% alpha pension, that leaves about £2,282 a month.
| Hours a week | National | Outer London | Inner London |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | £34,928 £2,282 a month | £38,840 £2,483 a month | £40,876 £2,597 a month |
| 39 | £36,816 £2,369 a month | £41,290 £2,621 a month | £43,453 £2,743 a month |
| 41 | £39,334 £2,520 a month | £43,739 £2,768 a month | £46,031 £2,897 a month |
Everyone starts on 37 hours during training. Afterwards you can usually move to 39 or 41. Hours 38 and 39 count for your pension, but hours 40 and 41 do not. Some prisons pay a market supplement of up to £2,000 on top.
How quickly pay goes up
Band 3 has three pay points. You move up one a year, so after two years the national rate is £36,778 including unsocial hours. Promotion to Band 4 supervising officer brings £41,328.
What a prison officer does
Prison officers look after people in custody and keep the prison safe, secure and running to its daily routine. Most of the job happens on a wing, with a group of prisoners you get to know well. You are part security officer, part support worker and part role model.
A typical shift
- Unlocking cells, counting prisoners and checking everyone is accounted for.
- Supervising meals, exercise, showers, phone calls and movement to work, education and healthcare.
- Searching cells and people for drugs, phones and weapons, and writing up what you find.
- Talking to prisoners, spotting signs of self-harm or bullying, and opening support plans when someone is at risk.
- Dealing with arguments and incidents, using restraint only when you have to, and keeping clear records.
- Acting as key worker for a small group of prisoners, meeting each one regularly to help them settle and make progress.
Hours and shifts
You work a rota of early, late, night and weekend shifts, including some public holidays. That is why the 20% unsocial hours allowance is built into Band 3 pay. Everyone starts on 37 hours. After training most prisons let you move to 39 or 41 hours a week for more pay.
How to become a prison officer
You do not need any qualifications. You must be at least 18 when you start and meet the Civil Service nationality rules. The selection process has these stages:
- An online scenario-based test of judgement and basic number skills.
- An online values-based assessment.
- An online assessment centre with role plays and written exercises.
- A medical, including eyesight, hearing and blood pressure, and a fitness test with a shuttle run, grip strength and holding a shield.
- Pre-employment checks and security vetting, which can take a couple of months.
Successful candidates go on a merit list and are offered a post in score order. Training mixes time at a training college with time in your own prison. It covers searching, security, control and restraint, first aid and how to talk someone down. You then serve a probation period.
Where it can lead
After probation you can specialise or apply for promotion to Band 4 supervising officer, or take the custodial manager accreditation and go straight to Band 5. Some officers move into security, offender management, PE or programmes work.
The honest picture
The job can be tense and at times dangerous, and staffing pressure means long days at some prisons. On the plus side, the pay starts above the UK average for a role with no qualifications, the pension is good, and many officers say helping someone turn their life around is what keeps them in it.
Common questions
What qualifications do you need to be a prison officer?
None. You need to be at least 18, meet the Civil Service nationality rules, and pass the online tests, assessment centre, medical, fitness test and security checks.
What is the prison officer fitness test?
It includes a shuttle run, a grip strength test and holding a protective shield in position, plus a short agility test. You take it with the medical after a provisional offer.
What is the starting salary for a prison officer in 2026?
£34,928 a year on 37 hours at most prisons in England and Wales, including the 20% unsocial hours allowance. That is about £2,282 a month after tax, NI and pension.
Do prison officers get paid during training?
Yes. You are paid the Band 3 starting salary from your first day, including during the initial training course.
Should I work 39 or 41 hours?
On 39 hours you take home about £87 a month more than on 37, and on 41 hours about £238 more. Only hours up to 39 count for your pension.