Prison Officer

Ministry of Justice; City Of London; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK government department is looking for dedicated individuals to work as prison officers. Ideal candidates will engage positively with prisoners from diverse backgrounds, providing support and maintaining safety. The role involves various duties, including conflict resolution and assessment during a challenging environment. Successful applicants will receive comprehensive training and have opportunities for career growth. Salary ranges from £39,525 to £44,258 annually based on weekly hours, along with benefits such as a pension and annual leave.

Benefits

25 days' annual holiday

Civil Service pension with employer contributions

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Meet Civil Service nationality requirements.
• Pass a medical and fitness assessment.
• Meet required eyesight and hearing standards.

Responsibilities

• Build constructive relationships with prisoners.
• Support and work as part of a team.
• Handle various roles such as peacekeeper and counselor.

Skills

Communication and influencing

Teamwork

Resilience

Empathy

Job description

This role is not eligible for new Skilled Worker visas in accordance with the current immigration rules. From 22 July 2025, the Government introduced changes to the Skilled Worker visa route. The department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes. If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your vetting checks and eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place. If you are applying for this role and you have not held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom. The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here.

Someone like you There's no such thing as a typical prison officer. Our officers come from different walks of life, just like the offenders they work with. Whether you're a parent, a teacher, have worked in retail, the armed forces, or just feel like you're a natural people person, you'll have the empathy, self-confidence, great communication skills and resilience we want. No matter the challenge, you'll take the time to build constructive, positive and professional relationships with prisoners who could be at the lowest point in their lives. Teamwork plays a vital role in this environment, so you'll need to be fully committed to supporting your colleagues and understand the importance of acting as one team to keep the prison, and everyone who works here safe.

You will be required to work various shifts and some weekends. An extraordinary job In this unique career, you'll have the opportunity to carry out many different roles in any one day. One minute you're a peacekeeper, the next you're a counsellor or a teacher. You'll work directly with prisoners in a unique environment, helping to protect the public and make a positive impact.

What’s it really like to work as a prison officer?

Our interactive online activity will give you an insight into some of the situations prison officers may experience day-to-day in their work. This is to help you decide whether the prison officer role is right for you, and your responses in the activity will not form part of your application. You can access the activity here.

Online tests

Once you have completed your initial application form, you will be invited to complete stage 1 of the online test, to see if you have the basic judgement and numerical skills expected of a prison officer. If you are successful, we will invite you to the stage 2 online test (task-based assessment) to see if you have the natural behaviours and qualities needed to be an effective prison officer.

Online Assessment Centre (OAC)

On successful completion of the online tests, we will invite you to an online assessment centre where we test to see if you have the abilities, behaviours and strengths to be a prison officer. Read more about the application process.

Merit vacancy

This is a merit job vacancy. If you are successful at the online assessment centre, you will be added to a merit list based on your score. When all applicants have completed the assessment centre, the prison will make job offers to individuals with the highest scores first when positions become available. You can stay on the merit list for 12 months. After this, you'll need to apply again. If your application is unsuccessful at the sift/assessment stage, a six month waiting period will be applied during which time you will not be allowed to submit any further applications for prison officer positions.

Operational Support Grade role

Our Online Assessment Centre (OAC), will not only assess you against the key criteria to become a prison officer but will also determine your suitability for appointment as an operational support grade OSG. If following attendance at your OAC, you are unsuccessful in your application to become a prison officer, we may instead offer you an alternative role as an OSG.

Medical and fitness

Once we identify a vacancy for you, we will invite you to complete a medical and fitness test. This will cover an eyesight test, hearing test and basic health screening, including a blood pressure check. Please note we are not able to facilitate medical and fitness assessments outside of the UK. Applicants will be required to attend a UK based medical and fitness assessment centre to progress their application.

Nationality requirements

• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS). Further information: https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Behaviours, strengths and abilities

• Communicating and influencing
• Managing a quality service
• Making effective decisions
• Caring

During the recruitment process you will be assessed on the behaviours, strengths and abilities you need to become an effective prison officer. Your natural strengths are assessed to find out what motivates and energises you. We will also assess your numerical, written English and spoken English abilities.

Qualifications and mandatory requirements

• Be at least 18 years old at the point you commence employment
• Meet the Civil Service Nationality requirements (see nationality requirements section above)
• As this is a physically active job, you will need to pass a medical and fitness assessment as part of the application process
• Meet the required eyesight standard in both eyes (both with and without corrective lenses)
• For safety reasons, everyone training to be a prison officer needs a suitable standard of hearing (without the use of hearing aids)
• Whilst tattoos are permitted, including those that are visible, they must not be deemed as offensive, discriminatory, violent, or intimidating in any way. Facial tattoos are generally not acceptable, except where this is for cultural, religious, or medical reasons.
• To work in a high security prison (category A) you must have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years

Personal qualities required

• Communication and influencing skills
• Commitment to quality
• Effective decision-making
• Care and understanding; the jobholder must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh.

Training and working hours

The initial training is 37 hours a week. After training, you can choose to work 37, 39 or 41 hours a week. Your annual salary will reflect your weekly hours.

• 37 hours a week = £39,525 a year
• 39 hours a week = £41,892 a year
• 41 hours a week = £44,258 a year

Benefits

• 25 days' annual holiday (rising to 30 days after 10 years' service)
• Paid time off for public holidays and 1 extra privilege day
• Civil Service pension with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Cycle to work scheme, travel loans and other benefits

Prisons operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means you will have to cover various shift patterns that will include evenings, some nights, weekends and public holidays (these days are added to your holiday allowance). Most prisons work with a changing shift pattern of 39 hours a week. You may also have opportunities to work additional paid hours.

For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)—Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

If you have the integrity, skills, and strength of character we're looking for, this fast-paced role could be the start of a successful career.