Probation services officer salary 2026/27
A probation services officer (PSO) works with people on probation at lower and medium risk and supports probation officers on higher-risk cases. It is paid at HMPPS Band 3, and you do not need a degree. This page covers the five pay points, allowances, take-home pay and the route from PSO to probation officer.
Band 3 pay points
PSO adverts in July and August 2026 across England give £28,064 to £33,549 for a full-time post, and state that new entrants to the Civil Service join at the entry point. Part-time posts are paid pro rata. There are five points on the scale.
| Pay point | Current | 2026/27 offer | Take-home a month (current) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £28,064 | £29,467 | £1,869 |
| 2 | £29,330 | £30,797 | £1,926 |
| 3 | £30,687 | £32,221 | £2,002 |
| 4 | £32,102 | £33,707 | £2,080 |
| 5 | £33,549 | £35,226 | £2,161 |
Figures assume 37 hours, membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme, tax code 1257L and a post outside London. The offer column is HMPPS’s conditional 5% for 2026/27, which the unions have not accepted.
What a PSO takes home
On the entry point a PSO takes home about £1,869 a month after income tax, National Insurance and pension. At the top of the band it is about £2,161 a month. Pension is a real cost at this level, but PSOs are automatically enrolled in the LGPS, and anyone moving from the civil service pension scheme is opted out of that and moved across. Use the probation pay calculator or the LGPS pension calculator to see how your own contributions work out.
Allowances that change the pay
- London Allowance. £4,505 a year in London Probation Delivery Units within the M25, which lifts the entry point to £32,569 and take-home to about £2,106 a month. HMPPS advertises it as an addition to the salary.
- Prison Supplement. £781 a year for PSOs working in prisons, taking monthly take-home on the entry point to about £1,912. Adverts for prison-based PSO jobs say which supplement applies.
- Unsocial hours. Approved Premises roles include evenings and weekends, and the advert for a Windsor Approved Premises PSO says unsocial hours allowances are applicable.
The calculator lets you add the London or prison amount and standby payments so the take-home reflects where you actually work.
How PSOs progress
Pay within the band moves under the Competency Based Framework (CBF), which is designed to let people move up the range as their competence grows. In 2025 progression under it was paid in June. For 2026/27 Napo says progression payments have been withheld until a pay award is made, which is one of the reasons the union is balloting its members. Check with your line manager what applies to you.
The other way to earn more is to become a probation officer. The bottom of Band 4 is £37,238, which is £3,689 more than the top of Band 3. See the PQiP page for how that route works, and probation officer pay for what you would earn at the other end.
The 2026/27 pay offer
The unions accepted a 6% award for 2025/26, paid in May 2026 and backdated to April 2025. For 2026/27 HMPPS has offered 5%, with conditions. Napo’s negotiators rejected it, and a ballot on industrial action over pay and workloads runs from 19 October to 13 November 2026. If a deal is reached it would normally be backdated to 1 April 2026. Follow the probation pay rise 2026 page for updates.
What a PSO does
PSOs undertake the full range of offender management tasks with people on probation who are assessed as low or medium risk of harm, and support probation officers on high-risk cases. The employer describes the job as similar to a qualified probation officer’s, but with a lower-risk caseload.
Typical duties
- Seeing people on community orders and licence, and enforcing the conditions of their supervision.
- Helping with practical things linked to reoffending, such as housing, work and money, as well as listening and encouraging change.
- Keeping records and writing reports within set timescales.
- Referring people on to other services and running or supporting group programmes.
Where PSOs work
Roles sit in probation delivery units, courts, prisons and Approved Premises, and in specialist teams such as accredited programmes, community accommodation and the Homeless Prevention Team. Advertised vacancies list a reserve list for each location and the employer says it will try to offer a post within a 60-minute commute of your home.
Who can apply
You do not need a degree. Adverts say the service is looking for empathetic, patient and resilient people. You must pass an enhanced criminal record check and meet the nationality rules. HMPPS says it cannot sponsor PSOs on a Skilled Worker visa unless you held that visa before the July 2025 immigration changes. Some PSO posts require an apprenticeship as part of the job, and you will be told on starting.
Common questions
How much does a PSO earn?
Band 3 runs from £28,064 to £33,549 in current HMPPS adverts, with the London Allowance of £4,505 on top for London posts.
Do you need a degree to be a probation services officer?
No. Adverts say you do not need a degree. You must pass an enhanced criminal record check, and the service says personal qualities matter more than qualifications. A level 3 qualification, plus a degree or other level 5 award later, matters if you want to train as a probation officer.
How much does a PSO take home a month?
About £1,869 on the entry point and £2,161 on the top point, outside London, after tax, National Insurance and LGPS pension.
Is a PSO the same as a probation officer?
No. PSOs are Band 3 and work mainly with lower and medium risk cases. Probation officers are Band 4, hold the professional qualification and manage the higher-risk caseload.
Can a PSO become a probation officer?
Yes. Staff in the Ministry of Justice can apply through the internal PQiP campaigns, subject to meeting the qualification requirements.
Sources
- HMPPS job advert: Probation Service Officer, Coventry (July 2026)
- HMPPS job advert: Probation Services Officer, Windsor Approved Premises (August 2026)
- HMPPS job advert: Probation Service Officer, Advance into Justice (CBF and entry pay)
- Napo: Press release on the 5% offer and industrial action ballot (October 2026)
- UNISON: Probation service pay offer 2026, with HMPPS pay tables